Schools for Advanced Studies (SAS) Coordinator Training Fall 2021
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Schools for Advanced Studies (SAS)
Coordinator Training
Fall 2021
1
Welcome
SAS Coordinators
and Administrators
• Overview of GATE in Los Angeles Unified
• Myths and Truths About GATE
• Overview of Schools for Advanced Studies (SAS)
• Reporting SAS Participation in MiSiS
• How are SAS Sites Different?
• Unified Enrollment/Choices
• Verification of Eligibility Processes
• Resources and Contact Information
2
• Q&ASetting the Stage
● This is a fast-paced, one-hour GATE/SAS overview to set the stage for the
school year
● Participants must be current Schools for Advanced Studies (SAS)
coordinators, administrators, or designees
● This training is a springboard to other GATE/SAS professional development
and support opportunities
● Topics presented at this training will be explored in-depth at optional SAS
Anchor Sessions (formerly SAS Office Hours) beginning in late September
● Please remain on mute during the presentation
● You may post questions/comments in the chat, however, many questions will
be addressed during the presentation and/or during the Q&A
3Gifted/Talented Programs
Director
Arzie Galvez, Advanced Learning Options
District Central Office Staff
Susanna Furfari, District Coordinator, GATE Parent Engagement/VAPA (susanna.furfari@lausd.net)
Dr. Lucy Hunt, District Coordinator, GATE Professional Development (lhunt@lausd.net)
Kevin Kilpatrick, District Coordinator, GATE Data/Technology (kevin.kilpatrick@lausd.net)
Dr. Nicole Niederdeppe, District Coordinator, Conservatory of Fine Arts (nnn8729@lausd.net)
Erin Yoshida-Ehrmann, District Coordinator, Schools for Advanced Studies (SAS) (emy2142@lausd.net)
Wynne Wong-Cheng, District Coordinator, GATE Psychological Services (wynne.wong@lausd.net)
Michelle Papazyan, District Specialist, Targeted Identification Program (mpapazya@lausd.net)
Rasienna Forss, District Specialist, Instructional Technology/SAS Support (rasienna.willars@lausd.net)
Carol Lewis Breaux, Central Office Designated GATE Psychologist (carol.lewis@lausd.net)
42021-2022 is the first year of the
current five-year SAS designation
cycle. As such, this presentation
will provide District policies and
foundational information – for
new and returning SAS sites – to
prepare for effective and
equitable GATE/SAS
implementation.
We rely on educators at SAS
demonstration centers to
understand and share District
GATE information that is accurate
and contextualized.
5What is Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)?
● The goal of GATE is to identify gifted and talented students, including those from diverse
racial, socioeconomic, linguistic, and cultural backgrounds, and provide high-quality
differentiated opportunities for learning that meet students’ unique abilities and talents
● Like Special Education, GATE is a service not a place
● It is District policy that all K-12 L.A. Unified schools/programs must provide GATE services and
support which include equitable gifted/talented screening and identification, GATE
clustering, differentiated instruction, GATE professional development, and GATE parent
engagement
● Each District cost center is required to complete an Annual GATE Report (MEM-6244.7) to
ensure that schools are taking requisite action steps toward equitable GATE referral,
identification, and instruction
● SAS is one of many programming options in Los Angeles Unified for gifted/talented learners,
including, but not limited to: GATE cluster in all K-12 schools/programs, Gifted Magnet, Highly
Gifted Magnet, and Conservatory of Fine Arts
6Reframing Our Perception of GATE
● Giftedness and achievement are not synonymous
● Gifted learners come from diverse racial, socioeconomic, linguistic, and
cultural backgrounds
● Many gifted learners are able underachieving, twice-exceptional, or have
complex social-emotional needs that impact academic performance and
behavior
● All gifted learners must receive differentiated instruction with depth,
complexity, novelty, and acceleration (not just more or “harder” work)
● Gifted does not connote good or better, nor does it guarantee academic
achievement; it is a term that allows students to be identified for services,
placements, and supports that meet their unique learning needs
● GATE programs, including SAS, are for ALL gifted learners – not just high
achieving students
7Meet Our GATE/SAS Students
Intellectual
Creative Thinker
High
Achieving Standard English
English Learner
Learner
Twice Exceptional
Visual Artist
Able Underachieving Leader
Social-Emotional
Needs
8
Performing ArtistEquitable access to GATE services and
How is L.A. Unified Different? support is at the core of our work in L.A.
Unified Gifted/Talented Programs,
Advanced Learning Options.
GATE participation includes: A)
L.A. Unified identifies In addition to formal
identified gifted learners, B)
gifted/talented students in seven gifted/talented assessment and
students verified based on
distinct categories, more than any identification, L.A. Unified also has
academic achievement data, and
district in the state or nation – a verification process to provide
C) students verified based on
Intellectual Ability, High access to GATE programs for non-
critical thinking and problem-
Achievement Ability, Specific identified students; identification
solving skills. (These are the
Academic Ability, Creative Ability, and verification carry equal weight
parameters of GATE participation
Leadership Ability, Visual Arts in the selection and placement
utilized by Gifted/Talented
Ability, and Performing Arts Ability process for GATE programs.
Programs, Advanced Learning
(voice, dance, and drama).
Options, in our work with the Office
for Civil Rights.) 9How is L.A. Unified Different?
L.A. Unified is one of the Many identification The highly-effective
few large, urban school categories include Targeted Identification
districts that utilizes an assessment options that Program (TIP) was created
annual universal are culture and language- in 2008 to address the
neutral and evaluation
screening assessment disproportionate gifted
methods that do not rely
(OLSAT-8) to ensure that identification rates of
on standardized
all District students have assessment results, e.g., African American and
the opportunity to be portfolio for Creative Latino students.
screened for gifted Ability and Leadership
10
identification. Ability.Common Misconceptions About GATE/SAS
Myth: GATE programs are elitist and inequitable since they track students based on a “one-shot”
entrance exam.
Truth: L.A. Unified Gifted/Talented Programs are very different than other GATE programs nationwide.
● In L.A. Unified, there are multiple pathways to meet GATE participation criteria, many of which
do not rely on formal testing or achievement data
● L.A. Unified GATE programs are K-12, as are the identification and verification of eligibility options
● District GATE programs are designed to meet the unique academic and social-emotional needs
of diverse gifted learners, including able underachieving students, twice-exceptional learners,
English learners, standard English learners, and students from other Targeted Student Populations
● All GATE professional development and supports focus on the equitable screening,
identification/verification, and instruction of gifted learners – not just high achieving students
● Gifted/Talented Programs, Advanced Learning Options, utilizes the research and
recommendations of scholars such as Dr. Donna Ford, Dr. Pedro Noguera, Dr. Tyrone Howard,
and Dr. Jaime Castellano, to guide our efforts toward equitable GATE participation
11What About English Learners?
Myth: GATE programs, including SAS, do not include English learners.
Truth: There are English learners and Reclassified Fluent English Proficient (RFEP) students
participating in GATE/SAS.
● In 2018-2019, of the 27,232 students who were referred for gifted/talented identification, 1,007
(3.7%) were English learners and 8,119 (30%) were Reclassified Fluent English Proficient (RFEP)
● In 2020-2021, there were 660 EL and 21,445 RFEP students participating in GATE (all programs)
● In 2020-2021, there were 324 EL and 6,458 RFEP students participating in SAS
● 1.6% of 2020-2021 SAS participants were EL and 31.8% were RFEP (33.4% total EL/RFEP)
● It should be noted that GATE identification and GATE/SAS participation data for English learners
does not reflect the screening, referral and identification/verification of these students; since
gifted English learners tend to reclassify quickly as fluent English proficient, the percentage of
English learners in GATE/SAS is low in part to these students meeting language acquisition targets
while participating in the GATE/SAS program
12What About Students with Disabilities?
Myth: GATE programs, including SAS, do not include students with disabilities; students cannot receive both
GATE and Special Education services.
Truth: Twice-exceptional students may participate in any GATE program option (e.g., GATE cluster in all K-
12 schools/programs, SAS, Gifted Magnet, Highly Gifted Magnet, Conservatory of Fine Arts, Academy of
Integrated Arts and Technology).
● In 2020-2021, there were 1,483 students with disabilities participating in GATE (all programs) (1,452 with
IEP and 31 with 504 Plan)
● In 2020-2021, there were 675 students with disabilities participating in SAS (416 with IEP and 259 with 504
Plan)
● 3.3% of 2020-2021 SAS participants were twice-exceptional (receiving GATE and Special Education
services); national data indicates that approximately 2-6% of students are twice-exceptional
● Educators must be aware that for twice-exceptional students, their giftedness can mask their disabilities
and/or their disabilities can mask their giftedness; this can lead to twice-exceptional students being
overlooked for identification/verification or GATE/Special Education services and support
● Specialized GATE professional development is provided to District educators and families to meet the
needs of twice-exceptional students 13Is SAS the Only GATE Program Option?
Myth: SAS is the only GATE program option for L.A. Unified students.
Truth: Schools for Advanced Studies (SAS) is an optional designation given to residential GATE
programs for exemplary GATE implementation. SAS is one of many appropriate educational
placements for gifted learners in L.A. Unified.
● Gifted learners may also choose to participate in the GATE program at any K-12 District
school/program (e.g., GATE cluster, Honors, AP), Gifted Magnet, Highly Gifted Magnet, etc.
● SAS sites and Gifted Magnet schools have identical eligibility criteria and verification processes
● All K-12 District schools/programs must offer a GATE program. GATE services and support are
provided at all residential schools and Choices programs. Gifted/Talented Programs,
Advanced Learning Options, encourages families to find the GATE program that best meets
their children’s needs – whether that be in the school of residence, SAS, Magnet, Dual
Language Education, Affiliated Charter School, etc.
● There is no “right way” to be gifted and there is no hierarchy of which GATE program option is
“better” – this depends on the unique needs of the students and families
1415
GATE/SAS Successes
● In October 2011, L.A. Unified entered a Voluntary Resolution Agreement with the Office for Civil
Rights (OCR) in which the District agreed to develop a districtwide comprehensive plan to address
the disproportionate participation of African American and Latino students in Gifted and Talented
Education (GATE) and ensure that GATE identification reflects the demographics of schools
● In November 2019, this case was closed when it was determined that Gifted/Talented Programs,
Advanced Learning Options, had complied with the Agreement
● Cited evidence includes, but is not limited to: development of an online referral process in MiSiS,
automatic identification in High Achievement Ability and Specific Academic Ability categories,
culture and language-neutral assessment selection, expanding eligibility criteria in multiple
categories, districtwide universal screening assessment (OLSAT-8), Targeted Identification Program
(TIP), increased referrals and identification in Creative Ability and Leadership Ability, Saturday
Intellectual Ability testing to address pending cases, and increased GATE professional development
options
● GATE professional development participation for L.A. Unified educators (teachers and
administrators) is approximately 12,500 participants each year (GATE professional development is
required for SAS educators as part of the optional designation agreement)
16Thank You for Helping Us Shift the Perception About GATE
in L.A. Unified to Ensure Equitable Access for Students
No group has a
monopoly on
giftedness, regardless of
its form. It is illogical and
statistically impossible
for giftedness to be the
prerogative of one
racial, gender, or
socioeconomic group.
Dr. Donna Ford, 1996
17Schools for Advanced Studies (SAS)
18Schools for Advanced Studies (SAS) Designation
● Schools for Advanced Studies (SAS) is an optional designation created
to recognize District residential schools for exemplary Gifted and
Talented Education (GATE) implementation
● SAS is not a school choice “program” per se; it is a “designation” for
residential schools to serve as District demonstration centers for GATE
identification and instruction
● SAS sites support the District by providing models for GATE professional
development, pilot settings for identification, differentiated instruction,
and innovation, and demonstration centers to showcase GATE best
practices
19Schools for Advanced Studies (SAS) Designation
● School choice is not the primary purpose of SAS; SAS sites assist the
District with developing high-quality GATE programs at all schools
● No application is required for a qualified student residing within school
boundaries since SAS is the school site’s GATE instructional program for its
students
● If space is available after all residential students are accommodated,
SAS sites may fill additional seats, if applicable, with L.A. Unified students
who reside outside of the school’s attendance boundaries through the
Unified Enrollment/Choices application process
20History of Schools for Advanced Studies (SAS)
● The Schools for Advanced Studies (SAS) designation was established to
strengthen GATE support at residential schools during the 1998-1999
school year at 77 sites, primarily in the Northwest Valley
● The SAS designation was created as a collaborative effort by the District
and of a group of parents who wanted to ensure that L.A. Unified
students could receive high-quality GATE instruction at their schools of
residence as an alternative to attending Gifted Magnets or other
specialized programs
● As residential schools first and foremost, SAS sites typically reflect the
demographics of the school neighborhood; no transportation is provided
21History of Schools for Advanced Studies (SAS) ● Since SAS was established, Gifted/Talented Programs, Advanced Learning Options, has worked to increase the number and equitable geographic distribution of designated sites ● There are currently 133 sites representing all Local Districts and Board Districts ● In 2010-2011, Gifted/Talented Programs, Advanced Learning Options, established a five-year cycle for the SAS designation (BUL-3360.4) to ensure that all sites demonstrate consistent, exemplary implementation of all GATE/SAS Program Components ● To ensure that students and families are provided high-quality GATE programming at designated SAS sites, sites are not selected based on the intent to implement GATE services and support, but rather, on evidence of demonstrated equitable and exemplary GATE practices 22
Schools for Advanced Studies (SAS) Sites 2021-2022 SAS Reporting in MiSiS Due December 17, 2021 23
Reporting SAS Participation in MiSiS
● SAS sites must report SAS student participation data annually; this data is used to determine
equitable access to GATE programs by ethnicity, language classification, geographic location,
etc.
● Student participants residing within school boundaries and students residing outside school
boundaries must be reported in MiSiS
● Student participants who meet any of the three SAS eligibility criteria must be reported in MiSiS;
to ensure equitable access, please work with teachers to ensure that you flag participants who
meet the four critical thinking and problem-solving skills, including students from
underrepresented groups
● SAS participation flagging should be completed only for students enrolled at the resident cost
center; students enrolled in other cost centers on the campus, e.g., Magnet, Dual Language
Education, cannot be flagged as SAS, even if they meet SAS criteria
● The deadline to report current SAS student participation is Friday, December 17, 2021; refer to
MEM-6854.5, Schools for Advanced Studies (SAS): Reporting Student Participation in MiSiS, for
detailed instructions on the reporting process (available on MyLAUSD or
https://achieve.lausd.net/gate under District Communications)
● For technical support, please contact Kevin Kilpatrick, District Coordinator, at
kevin.kilpatrick@lausd.net; Zoom trainings will also be available this fall
24What is Exemplary GATE Implementation?
Dem
o ion
GA nstratio s t ruc t
TE B
est n Sites ed In
Pra t iat
c t ic f o r ere
n
es Diff
SAS
Equitab
l le Iden
s s i ona Verifica tificatio
n,
Profe ent tion an
Particip d
TE m
GA velop ation
De
District GATE
Choices OptionReflecting on GATE Implementation
Families have many choices for their gifted children. As demonstration sites, it is the District’s
expectation that SAS sites will provide exemplary and equitable GATE instruction. Families
often ask, “How are SAS sites different than other schools?” These questions should drive your
instructional program:
● How are you differentiating instruction with depth, complexity, novelty and acceleration?
● How are you pre-assessing students to determine instructional needs (e.g., academic
readiness, interest, learning style)?
● How are you using flexible grouping? How/when/why are students grouped?
● What types of differentiated instructional strategies are you using (e.g., curriculum
compacting, tiered lessons, independent study, project-based learning)?
● How is instruction culturally relevant and responsive? How is staff examining implicit bias or
deficit perspectives that may impact identification, equitable access, and instruction?
● What GATE resources and programs are being used consistently (e.g., prompts of depth and
complexity, Renzulli Learning, Byrdseed.TV)?
● How are you addressing the social-emotional needs of your GATE/SAS students?GATE Professional Development: The Key to “Exemplary”
● SAS teachers and administrators are required to participate annually in professional
development specifically tailored to address the unique academic and social-
emotional needs of gifted/talented learners to ensure that the curriculum and
instruction (content, process and product) are thoughtfully differentiated to promote
a culture of rigor, achievement, and innovation
● The GATE professional development requirement was waived for approved SAS sites
during the 2020-2021 academic year; however, the requirement has been reinstated
for 2021-2022 (minimum of 16 hours for teachers and 4 hours for administrators
annually)
● Please ensure that GATE/SAS teachers and administrators are participating in District
GATE professional development options available at
https://achieve.lausd.net/Page/2169. Participation must be recorded on the GATE
Professional Development Record.
● Exciting new virtual professional learning options added this year (e.g., Differentiation
Step-by-Step Course, Banked-Time Tuesday Workshops, Symposium)
27SAS Candidate Status To maintain the SAS designation, your school will NOT need to formally reapply within the five-year cycle but must continue to meet criteria for all GATE/SAS Program Components as outlined in BUL-3360.4, Schools for Advanced Studies Demonstration Sites: Application and Selection Process. GATE implementation will be monitored and evaluated annually through the following: ● Exemplary online Annual GATE Report on the Principal’s Portal (all performance targets) ● Fall and Spring GATE/SAS Coordinator Training participation on MyPLN ● GATE professional development participation on MyPLN (teachers and administrators) ● SAS participation reporting in MiSiS (refer to MEM-6854.5, Schools for Advanced Studies (SAS): Reporting Student Participation in MiSiS) ● All Candidate Status sites will be included in 2022-2023 Choices publications; continued designation will be determined in fall 2022 28
SAS Sites Can Be…
Affiliated Admission Zones of
Residential Criteria Choice
Charter
Schools
Schools Schools Schools
Resident: Resident: All: Reside within Zone:
Enroll at school Enroll at school Apply through Choices (ACS) Must select during
Non-resident: Non-resident: ZOC process
Apply through Choices (SAS) Apply through Choices (AFC) Does Not Reside within Zone:
29
Apply through Choices (SAS)SAS in Unified Enrollment/Choices
● The Choices SAS application is only for students who reside within L.A. Unified boundaries but
outside of the SAS site’s attendance boundaries. Parents/guardians may complete the SAS
application online at GoTo.LAUSD.net or using the paper application in the Choices brochure
(available October 1, 2021).
● The application and Verification of Eligibility form, if applicable, are BOTH due November 12,
2021, at 5:00 p.m.
● Please note that if the student’s school of residence has the SAS designation, parents/guardians
do not apply for SAS participation through the Choices process. Students residing within the
boundaries of a designated SAS school who meet the eligibility criteria must be placed in the
site’s SAS gifted/talented program (unless a parent has opted out). No formal application is
required for a qualified student who resides within the school’s boundaries. The student’s
eligibility will be verified at the SAS site through District records and articulation with the sending
school. If parents/guardians have questions about residential SAS enrollment, they may contact
the school directly.
● If the SAS site is an Affiliated Charter, in a Zone of Choice (ZOC), or is an Admission Criteria
School, the parent/guardian must apply through the applicable (non-SAS) process.
30Choices/SAS Timeline for 2022-2023 Student Enrollment On-time Application Opens: October 1, 2021 On-time Application Deadline: November 12, 2021 SAS Verification of Eligibility Form Deadline: November 12, 2021 (Non-L.A. Unified Applicants ONLY) Confirmation/Correction Letters Sent: December 2021 Online SAS Verification Process for L.A. Unified Applicants: January 2022 Program Eligibility Letters Sent: February 2022 (ineligible applicants removed from SAS selection process) Late Application Opens: February 1, 2022 (late verification is processed at SAS site if/when offered a late/waitlist seat) Selection/Waiting List Letters Sent: March 2022 On-time Accept/Decline Deadline: April 2022
Virtual Unified Enrollment/Choices Fairs
● Fall Unified Enrollment/Choices Fairs will be held virtually during the
Choices application period (October 1 – November 12, 2021)
● Fairs will be scheduled and organized by Local Districts and
Communities of Schools
● The purpose of the fairs is to provide information and application
support to families about Choices program options
● Depending on the format of each virtual fair, your school may be
contacted to participate to represent your school/program (e.g.,
breakout room, Q&A)
● Fair schedules will be posted, when available, at
https://GoTo.LAUSD.net and shared via the SAS Schoology group
32Schools for Advanced Studies (SAS)
Student Eligibility Criteria
SAS participants must meet ONE of the following eligibility criteria:
A. Be identified as gifted by an L.A. Unified designated GATE psychologist in the Intellectual Ability,
High Achievement Ability, Specific Academic Ability, Creative Ability or Leadership Ability
category OR
B. Meet the standardized test score criteria from the most recent year as outlined in the Choices
brochure or at https://eChoices.LAUSD.net (if applicable) OR
C. Demonstrate the ability to meet ALL FOUR critical thinking and problem-solving skills in their
primary language and demonstrate the ability or strong potential to perform two years above
grade level in academic subjects:
● Explain meanings or relationships among facts, information or concepts that demonstrate
depth and complexity
● Formulate new ideas or solutions and elaborate on the information
● Use alternative methods in approaching new or unfamiliar mathematical problems
● Use extensive vocabulary easily and accurately to express creative ideasSAS Kindergarten Applicants ● SAS kindergarten applicants must also meet the SAS kindergarten- specific criteria included on the Verification of Eligibility (SAS Kindergarten) form ● There are 20 skills and characteristics on this checklist ● To be eligible for SAS kindergarten, applicants must meet ALL FOUR critical thinking and problem-solving skills (criterion C) and AT LEAST 10 out of 20 items on the checklist
Important Notes Regarding SAS Eligibility ● Criterion A is considered “identification” (valid until graduation) ● Criteria B and C are considered “verification” (valid for the application year only or while enrolled in the same school/program) ● All eligibility criteria and verification processes (grades 1-12) are identical for SAS and Gifted Magnet; this includes all forms and the online verification system ● Since SAS sites begin in kindergarten, the criteria and verification processes that are specific to incoming kindergarteners only apply to SAS ● Applicants who are found ineligible will be removed from the SAS selection process for each ineligible choice
How is SAS eligibility verified?
District Applicants Non-district Applicants Applicants Not Enrolled in School
or Homeschooled 36Verification Process for District Applicants
Applicants Currently Attending L.A. Unified:
● Verification of Eligibility form is NOT required for applicants currently enrolled in a District school
● In January 2022, the District will conduct an online verification of eligibility process for current District applicants to SAS
(tentative January 10-21, 2022)
● Principals will receive an online list of SAS applicants who do not meet gifted identification or test score criteria (if
applicable) on the Principal’s Portal
● Principals will work with the GATE coordinator and teachers to verify these applicants based on the four critical
thinking and problem-solving skills criteria
● The recommendation submitted by the administrator is final
● Information will be available in the memorandum entitled, Online Verification for Gifted Magnet and Schools for
Advanced Studies (SAS) Applicants (pending)
● Training will also be available in November/December 2021; register on MyPLN in October 2021What About Students Enrolled in the City of
Angels Virtual Academy for Online Instruction?
● City of Angels is a District school/program, therefore, students
participating in online instruction through City of Angels will be
reviewed and verified through the District process in January 2022
● Parents/guardians of City of Angels students who plan to apply for SAS
or Gifted Magnet for 2022-2023 are encouraged to discuss the
eligibility criteria and verification process with the teacher, GATE
coordinator, and administrator prior to applying
38Verification Process for Non-District Applicants
(Attending Private, Independent Charter and Non-
L.A. Unified Schools)
Applicants NOT Currently Attending L.A. Unified:
● Verification of Eligibility form is required for applicants currently enrolled in a private school,
independent charter or non-L.A. Unified school, including incoming kindergarten applicants
enrolled in a non-L.A. Unified preschool or Transitional Kindergarten (TK)
● There are two versions of the form – SAS Kindergarten and Grades 1-12 (available in English and
Spanish)
● The form may be downloaded at https://eChoices.LAUSD.net or printed from the Choices “Print
Confirmation” application receipt
● The Verification of Eligibility form must be submitted, in addition to the Choices application, by
November 12, 2021
● Refer to https://eChoices.LAUSD.net (click “Who is eligible?) or the Choices brochure for detailed
directions about submitting the form, if applicable
● Late forms will not be accepted; the recommendation submitted by the administrator is finalVerification Process for Homeschooled
Applicants and Children Not Enrolled in
Preschool/TK
● Parents/guardians of homeschooled applicants (without a verifying organization) or applicants
to SAS kindergarten who are NOT enrolled in preschool/TK must contact Gifted/Talented
Programs for adjusted verification procedures prior to November 12, 2021; procedures are also
posted on https://achieve.lausd.net/gate under Program Options and SAS
● Parents/guardians are provided a PDF Parent/Guardian Guide to assist with the verification
process (e.g., why, how, what, and when to submit) and Eligibility Exemplars (English/Spanish)
● Per the Parent/Guardian Guide, Gifted/Talented Programs requests and reviews a “portfolio”
of 3-5 items of evidence that demonstrate the applicant’s skills and characteristics
● Following the review of the portfolio, a brief Zoom interview with the applicant/family may be
scheduled, if necessary
● NOTE: This verification process is NOT an assessment or evaluation; it is an opportunity to ensure
that we have sufficient information to make a verification decision based on the SAS criteriaQuick Guide to GATE/SAS Parent Resources
● Choices Brochure (paper): Verification of eligibility process is outlined on pages 7-8
and SAS is outlined on pages 57-64
● Unified Enrollment/Choices One-Stop Shop: https://GoTo.LAUSD.net (Explore,
Discover, Attend)
● Choices Program Information: https://echoices.lausd.net (This is the same as the
“Discover” tab from the GoTo website; parents may click SAS and “Who is Eligible?”
to access the eligibility criteria and Verification of Eligibility forms.)
● Choices Application Information: https://Apply.LAUSD.net (Click Need Help? for
Unified Enrollment contact information, user guides, and video tutorials.)
● School Search Tool: https://explorelausd.schoolmint.net/school-finder/home (school
profiles and ability to compare schools)
● Gifted/Talented Programs: https://achieve.lausd.net/gate (Click Program Options
and Schools for Advanced Studies. This site can also be accessed directly at:
https://achieve.lausd.net/Page/2024. This website provides access to the Verification
of Eligibility forms, as well as the verification process for incoming kindergarten SAS
applicants who are not enrolled in preschool/TK and homeschool applicants.)
41Gifted/Talented Programs
Advanced Learning Options
GATE Website:
https://achieve.lausd.net
(select Program Options and SAS)
GATE Phone Line:
(213) 241-6500
Who do families contact
about Gifted and GATE Inquiries:
Talented Education GATE@lausd.net
(GATE), including gifted
identification and
differentiated instruction? 42Unified Enrollment/ General Unified Enrollment Website:
https://GoTo.lausd.net
Choices
Choices Website:
https://echoices.lausd.net (select
SAS)
Choices Support Line:
(213) 241-4177 (select option 3 for
SAS)
Who do families contact
about the Choices General Choices Inquiries:
ApplyForSchools@lausd.net
application process,
including Schools for Verification of Eligibility Inquiries:
Advanced Studies (SAS)? giftedverification@lausd.net
43SAS Coordinator Resources and Training Opportunities
● Gifted/Talented Programs Website: https://achieve.lausd.net/gate
● GATE/SAS Email Listserv: Email kevin.kilpatrick@lausd.net
● GATE Schoology Group: R7JTC-Z9KBC
● SAS Schoology Group: ZHW3H-VRNWK
● Weekly Virtual SAS Anchor Sessions (formerly SAS Office Hours): No
registration needed; agenda and Zoom link will be posted in SAS
Schoology group (first session 9/27/21 from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.)
● Synchronous Virtual Tech Trainings (SAS Reporting in MiSiS, Choices
Accept/Decline Process, etc.): Register on MyPLN
● Synchronous Verification Trainings: Register on MyPLN in October 2021
● Virtual Tech Consultations (SAS Reporting in MiSiS, Choices Accept/Decline
Process, etc.): Schedule with kevin.kilpatrick@lausd.net
● GATE Professional Development: https://achieve.lausd.net/Page/2169
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