FAQ GATE/APAAS - Irvine Unified School District

Q. What criteria are used for the APAAS selection process?
A. A review committee analyzes each applicant’s achievement test scores, OLSAT and/or IQ scores (if
available), classroom grades, level of instruction received, and an assessment of social and emotional
compatibility.
Q. How will I know if APAAS is the right placement for my child?
A. Students who are successful in the APAAS program are individuals who have a high level of
curiosity, need to work at a more accelerated pace in all subjects, and manage their time well to
complete assignments. APAAS students benefit from working with others who are like-minded, prefer
handling more difficult assignments, and are comfortable with expressing their ideas in writing.
Q. Will my child be studying different curriculum in an APAAS class than students in regular
classes?
A. The state of California has set curriculum content and performance standards for all grades K-12.
APAAS teachers follow the same guidelines as regular classes. However, since APAAS students need
a more rigorous curriculum to meet their academic needs, teachers are able to study topics in greater
depth; address more complex questions; and do less review and remediation than in a regular class.
Q. Will my child’s class be smaller than a regular class?
A. APAAS classes generally have 32-35 students.
How well do students adjust to moving to a new school in order to attend an APAAS program?
A. This depends on many factors including the age and maturity of the child; his / her temperament;
whether the child has friends in the program already; and the child’s desire to be in an accelerated
class. Most students make the adjustment over a period of a few months.
B. Students offered placement in an APAAS class will be invited to a “Meet & Greet” session.
Q. How much homework will my child encounter in this program?
A. The district guideline for homework is approximately 45 minutes to one hour per night. However,
APAAS students, like students in regular classes, will sometimes have more homework than this.
Several factors affect the amount of time an individual will spend on homework including whether a
student is involved in a long range project, in addition to daily assigned homework; the accelerated
pace of the program; and how well the student uses class time to complete work assigned during the
day. In any given APAAS classroom, some students will finish homework in a relatively short time,
while others will take much longer. In general, students with good time management skills find the
homework load in APAAS to be fair.
Q. My child is involved in several extracurricular activities. Will the added rigor of this program
be too much for him /her?
A. Many successful APAAS students participate in extracurricular sports, music, and other programs.
However, most students find they need some unscheduled time during the day and/or week in order to
maintain a healthy attitude and perform at their best.
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