Gifted Testing Information

In order to qualify for the gifted program, students in grades K-8 must take the CogAT test and score in the 95th percentile or higher in one or more areas (Verbal, Quantitative, or Nonverbal).  

We will have 3 testing sessions: The first is invite only for transfers and students who tested extremely close but did not quite make the program. We will then have a Fall and a Spring test session for all other referrals.

If you would like to request testing for your student, please contact me (sharris@laveeneld.org) or your child’s teacher for a referral form. Return the signed form to your school’s front office or your student’s teacher- They will pass the referral along to the Gifted Instructional Coach and your student will be placed in the fall or spring testing session.

**We will automatically test all 2nd graders in the district in January, so if you have a 2nd grade student, you will not need to fill out a referral. More information will be sent out for 2nd grade parents as the date approaches.

Deadline to Refer students for the Fall Test Session: Friday, October 6, 2023

Deadline to Refer students for the Spring Test Session: Friday, January 26, 2024

A notification letter will sent home before the test session so parents and teachers will be aware of the testing dates. Once testing is complete, a letter and score report will be sent home.

PREPARING YOUR CHILD FOR THE CogAT:

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 test administrator to the child. All the answers are in picture form. Two sections are the verbal section (word puzzles and vocabulary), two sections will be quantitative (number puzzles), and two 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 times 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.