Schools for Advanced Studies are starting to send out info on their tours. Feel free to add them to the comments section and I will edit this post to include other schools. The link to the SAS application from LAUSD is not live yet, but that’s where it’s supposed to be.
Lawrence SAS tour: Wednesday April 18th, 5pm in the Library
Nobel SAS tour: Wednesday February 15th or Wednesday March 21, 9:30-11:30 am in the Library
Frost Middle School SAS tour: Wednesdays: 3/14, 10:45 and 5 pm in the library; April 17th 5-6 pm in the gym, followed by Open House; May 9, 10:45 and 6 pm in the library.
Emerson MS tour Feb 10 – this tour is for the entire school, but SAS and IHP classes are highlighted on the tour. 8:30 AM–10:30 AM meet in the Library. http://www.emersonms.org/index.jsp
And while NOT SAS specifically, the Porter Ranch Span School will be opening with K-7 and anticipates 50 open enrollment spots. They have two upcoming meetings. Check back here: http://www.porterranchcommunityschool.org/parentscommunity-involvement.html
SAS district app not ready yet, but it will appear here: http://www.lausd.net/lausd/offices/GATE/prog-opt-3.html
Ask A Magnet Yenta 
Emerson MS tour Feb 10 – this tour is for the entire school, but SAS and IHP classes are highlighted on the tour.
8:45 AM–10:30 AM meet in the Library
sorry, start time is 8:30, not 8:45
http://www.emersonms.org/index.jsp
SAS applications are up on the LAUSD website, and will be accepted from April 9 through May 9 at any SAS school. Most importantly more than one SAS application may be made so you can apply to any school that you are interested in.
I think that it is important to add to this conversation about SAS applications that ‘time is of the essence’ in terms of submitting one’s application materials. While the applications ARE accepted during a 4 week span, the spots for these programs are allocated on a ‘first come, first serve’ basis, once eligibility has been determined. This information is especially critical when applying to elementary school programs on the Westside because they have such a limited number of slots available for kids trying to get in on a permit. The conventional wisdom is to stand on line before the office opens on the FIRST DAY the applications are accepted when it comes to having a shot at getting a permit for these highly desirable schools. My wish would be for permits–once eligibility is established for SAS entry–to be distributed through a lottery in the interest of fairness. Perhaps, if parents make enough ‘gentle suggestions’ this change could be implemented!
However, it’s not simply first come, first served. The schools are able to choose which applications they want based on test scores, report cards, etc. So early is certainly better than later, but they do make space for desirable candidates.
After speaking to a few principals of Westside elementary schools, I was given the impression that the number of permits given to kindergarden level applicants was based on the number of slots available. Of course, the child must first ‘qualify’ for entrance into the program. The head administrators, however, told me that, after having established ‘giftedness,’ kindergardeners would be granted permits 1) based on availability and 2) based on the time stamp on their app. I like the idea of space being made for desirable candidates, but I did not get the impression that that would happen at these highly sought-after, 900 API range schools. Seemed to me to come down to a numbers game, with principals reluctant to go over capacity in the K classrooms.
I can’t speak to SAS at a kindergarten level, in fact I wasn’t even aware it existed. I’m referring to middle school tour experience, so your mileage will invariably vary.
I am a total novice to this, but how does an incoming Kindergardener establish “giftedness?” Does the preschool teacher assess the 4 criteria? Is there an interview before/after the application is submitted? Thanks!
Hoping to get my daughter into an SAS program on the westside at the kindergarden level. Any suggestions for putting together a successful application for an SAS permit? Looking for key words or benchmarks to be met in the letter of recommendation. Thanks
Can I apply more than one SAS school same year?
Yep! That is the benefit to the SAS program. There are no points to accrue–you simply apply to the schools which interest you, and wait to hear.
The lausd web site says we would be notified June 1-8 about our acceptance into an SAS program. I will be out of the country that week…. any idea how long we have to respond/accept/regiter if accepted? The school says notification happens in the end of June but that is not what the LAUSD web site states.
I’d go ahead and contact the school regarding the SAS permit. Some schools will have their decisions much sooner than that. If you let them know you’ll be out of the country, my guess is they will tell you the answers will be sooner than that.
Help! Just got offered an SAS permit for oldest child at great Westside school. Wondering what younger child’s prospects are for getting one, too. Does being a sibling help get into the school? Trying to decide whether to accept offer based on need to have both kids at same elementary school in next two years. Would prefer not to have to switch schools down the road if youngest didn’t win SAS golden ticket, like big sis. Please advise. Thanks so much.
My home school is Erwin. They are listed on the LAUSD website as an SAS school but when I talk to them on the phone, they say they don’t have SAS, but they have Gate. I want to apply to another SAS school but want to know if this would disqualify me. Is Gate and SAS the same?
All schools have GATE. And SAS programs are housed on neighborhood school campuses. So if Erwin doesn’t have one, you can apply to any SAS school can it would not affect your child’s attendance at Erwin until you actually accept an SAS space at a different school.
Re: assessing kindergarten giftedness. Without metrics like IQ test results or grades, giftedness at this level is assessed by teachers, principal, and administration based on a letter of recommendation from pre-school teacher, as well as a dossier of work samples. At one school to which we applied, there was an interview with kinder teachers where daughter was asked to write name, read words, write numbers and letters and do simple calculations. Basically, they want to determine if child is performing at one grade level beyond their age. As for the 4 criteria, they are not very adapted to this age group, but are listed on the SAS permit application. best, Z
What words did they ask your child to read? Where they things like Cat, Dog etc? Were the calculations things like 4+4? Just asking as I’m thinking about going down this road this Spring for the 2013-2014 year. Also, let me know if you guys got in. I’m trying for a 900+ school in the valley next year.
Hi. Essentially, the school is trying to determine whether or not your child is already functioning at or beyond grade level. In other words, does he or she have the majority of the skills the kids would have at the end of the kindergarten year? So, yes, they are asked to write out numbers, letters, sight read simple words, and do simple math problems. If they don’t know something, they just skip over it. That’s what I gathered from my daughter’s description, as well as the principal’s explanation of the process. In answer to your question, yes, we were lucky and received an SAS permit for the fall. Good luck.
Okay. Thanks. My child’s teachers tell me he is “a little ahead the other kids.” So, I have no idea if he will get the permit or not. Did you apply to just one SAS school or more than one? If so, they only do testing at one school and you can use the acceptance (if you get it) at other schools, correct?
Thanks for your help and congrats on getting in!!
My understanding is that you can apply to as many SAS schools as you like. The way in which the process is handled varies from school to school. For example, I applied to two schools–one had an interview component, while the other did not. Each school determines the eligibility of your child on their own terms, so these conclusions are not ‘transferrable.’ Basically, the school is not deeming your child gifted or not gifted at this particular juncture of his or her academic career.
Based on the dossier parents provide (and additional interview, if applicable), the school administration determines if your child has the requisite skills and indicators to, eventually, matriculate into the SAS program–which begins in earnest in third grade. Once eligibility has been established, there has to be ‘space’ in the program for your child.
I found that it was very important to get in the application materials on the first day permit apps were being accepted since there were such limited spaces available. Many parents were standing on line one hour (or more) before the office opened. This is the kind of critical detail that you learn informally from other parents who have completed the process. Best of luck. happy to answer any questions.
Thank you for your insight, Zara. I’ve scoured this site for info on SAS at the kindergarten level and found your posts to be most helpful.
If 2nd grade student get Olsat less than 90%, but score very well on CST (90%+), are they still eligible for SAS or GATE program?
Her current school got API 925+, but the school do not offer GATE program. Please recommend good SAS program near West Hollywood area. I have a list of SAS schools, but would like to know if there is any specific schools that we should apply.
If your school has an API of 925+, they probably don’t offer a GATE program because the vast majority of students would be eligible for it and there would be no point in having a separate program. Most elementary schools like that just provide in-class reading and math groups to handle learning differentials. An elementary school SAS program in a lower API school would likely be very similar to a high achieving elementary school’s normal curriculum. If you think the normal curriculum is not strong enough for your child at your current elementary, you would need to see if she could get qualified as highly gifted (and then you would have to see if there was space in a HG program and if you were willing to drive to places like Eagle Rock for it), because an SAS program isn’t likely to accomplish much.
Salsa, the CST scores don’t mean anything for the GATE program… until the child is fourth grade or older and there are multiple years of high scores (or high grades), at which point they can be placed into the GATE program as high achiever or high ability. See the LAUSD GATE website here for an explanation:
http://www.lausd.net/lausd/offices/GATE/intro-2.html#Intro2Pg1CatsIden
So no, your child will not qualify for SAS or GATE programs yet but might later.
As Anon mentions, it sounds like the current school is doing very well… unless it isn’t meeting her individual needs, I’m not sure it merits a change. Only you and your daughter can know that.
Thank you so much for your responses. (Anon and mom2ojgh)
I just got the info from my child’s school today that LAUSD will no longer be administering the OLSAT because there is no money in the LAUSD budgets for OLSAT.
Any second graders who had scores of 95% in either math or English and an “advanced” CST score in both math and English are eligible for GATE this year.
Actually. CST score is also an important factor if the child get 90-94% in Olsat.
Click to access NewestOLSAT%20PPT%20for%20Parent’s%20Meeting%20Spring%202012(2).pdf
There are THREE ways to qualify for the High
Achievement Category based on the OLSAT-8
scores:
• Students who receive a Total Age-Based Percentile Score of 95
percent or above.
• Students who receive a Total Age-Based Percentile Score
between 90 to 94 percent with CST scores for both ELA and math
from Spring, 2012 testing. Eligible CST scores are 445 in ELA and
450 in math.
• NEW: Low SES students who receive a Total Age-Based Percentile
Score between 90 to 94 percent.
My child’s school just started getting API 900+ in the last 2 years. Her teacher said she will fill out a form for GATE assessment for my child by the end of first quarter. Hope she can pass OLSAT test.