Schools for Advanced Studies (SAS)

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/guardian has opted out). All qualified students who reside within the school’s boundaries must be accommodated before any SAS applicants are enrolled. No formal application is required for a qualified student who resides within the school’s boundaries since SAS is the school site’s GATE instructional program for its students. Student eligibility will be verified at the SAS site through District records and articulation with the sending school. If you have questions, contact the school directly.

Student selection, enrollment and placement in the SAS gifted/talented program at Affiliated Charter Schools must be conducted in accordance with the State and District legal requirements established for charter schools. If a student is selected for an SAS site through the Affiliated Charter process and meets one of the SAS eligibility criteria, this student must be accommodated in the site’s SAS gifted/talented program. For Affiliated Charter SAS enrollment procedures, please refer to the Affiliated Charter Schools section of the Choices website or the Choices brochure.

Two different distinguished Schools for Advanced Studies – Girls Academic Leadership Academy Dr. Michelle King School for STEM (GALA) and Boys Academic Leadership Academy (BALA) – offer rigorous academic programs in unique single gender educational settings. These single gender academies offer an unparalleled public educational experience  – including access to Advanced Placement (AP) courses, dual enrollment college classes, and college preparation – designed to empower gifted, advanced, and highly motivated students in grades 6–12.

Students must meet one of the three SAS eligibility criteria and voluntarily commit to the expectations of a rigorous, STEM-focused academic program in a single gender learning environment. Contact the Choices Support Line at (213) 241-4177 or [email protected] if you have questions about SAS Single Gender Academies. You may also contact the school directly to find out about informational sessions and tours.

If a parent/guardian would like their child to attend a Schools for Advanced Studies (SAS) site within their Zone of Choice (ZOC), the 5th, 6th or 8th grade student must select that site during the ZOC selection process. If a student is assigned to a designated SAS site through this ZOC process and meets one of the SAS eligibility criteria, this student must be accommodated in the site’s SAS gifted/talented program.

For information about Zones of Choice, contact the ZOC office at (213) 241-0466 or at https://www.lausd.org/zoc.

Two Schools for Advanced Studies also offer a high honors pathway for students performing two to three grade levels above in core content areas. This Individualized Honors Program (IHP) was founded in 1970 at Walter Reed Middle School to meet the unique needs of gifted, highly gifted, and academically advanced students. The program was established at Mark Twain Middle School in 2020.

In addition to meeting one of the three SAS eligibility criteria, IHP applicants must also receive an eligible score on an IHP assessment to be included in the IHP selection process. To verify that students are performing two to three grade levels above, the IHP assessment includes test items in Mathematics and English Language Arts, as well as critical thinking and problem-solving. All on-time IHP applicants will be invited to participate in an in-person assessment which will be administered in January. Applicants will be contacted directly with detailed information about the assessment. 

Please contact the Choices Support Line at (213) 241-4177 or [email protected] if you have questions about IHP. You may also contact the school directly.