Gifted Testing Information

In order to qualify for the gifted program, students in grades K-8 must take the CogAT (Cognitive Abilities Test). 

Testing sessions To Be Determined

Please send an email or ask the student’s teacher for the referral form.

PREPARING YOUR CHILD FOR THE CogAT:

Continuing this year: Testing online with CogAT 7. Students will take a computer based test.

There are 9 sections for grades K-2nd which will be read by the computer to the child. All the answers are in picture form. Three sections are the verbal section (word puzzles and vocabulary), three sections will be quantitative (number puzzles), and three sections will be nonverbal/ spatial (picture puzzles). This test is not timed. 

There are 9 sections for grades 3rd-8th, 3 verbal (word puzzles), 3 quantitative (number puzzles), and 3 nonverbal/spatial (picture puzzles. These tests are timed at 10 minutes each. 

Most students do not qualify in all three areas. They only need to pass one section to be identified as gifted with a score in the 95th percentile or higher.

The creators of this test have not produced nor do they recommend any study materials for the test. This test does not tell how much your child knows. The test measures how your child learns. It tests your child relationships, solve puzzles, and your child at this stage in their cognitive development.

Most students who take the CogAT test are very bright and high achievers. If your child does not achieve the qualifying percentile scores, it does not mean that they aren’t intelligent. Students who qualify for gifted education are generally in the top 5 percent of the general population.

Students who do not qualify this year can have another opportunity to test in the future. (However, a student may only test once in a current school year.) If a child places, they will not have to take future tests. They will remain in the gifted education program during their duration within the district. Here is a link with some sample question for grades K-6.

http://www.tests.com/practice/COGAT-Practice-Test

If your student passed a state approved test in another district, please bring a copy of their scores to school office. The student will be admitted into the program if they meet the Laveen district qualifications.