The Scottsdale Unified School District uses the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) and the Naglieri General Ability Tests as evaluation instruments for identifying students who are eligible for gifted education services.  Abilities measures are helpful for identifying children who may be gifted. These assessments are designed to be given only once in a calendar year. Students may test only once each school year.  SUSD offers testing in the Fall and Spring for grades K-1, 3-8.  In addition, all second graders are tested in the Winter. Specific dates are listed below. Other tests that SUSD will consider in the identification process are listed on the Arizona Department of Education's website. Please refer to the outside testing protocol. Results from an approved test on the ADE Test List from schools or private licensed psychologist on the approved provider list are accepted. SUSD Gifted Department reserves the right to decline a request or offer a different test than was requested.

The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) is an assessment that consists of three batteries which measure three reasoning abilities: sequential reasoning, inductive reasoning, and quantitative reasoning. The assessment of general reasoning abilities reflect the overall efficiency of cognitive processes and strategies that enable individuals to learn new tasks and solve problems, especially in the absence of direct instruction.

The Naglieri General Ability Tests are comprised of three brand-new tests  developed to help identify gifted students fairly and equitably. These tests measure general intellectual ability across verbal (Naglieri & Brulles), nonverbal (Naglieri), and quantitative (Naglieri & Lansdowne) content. 

• Naglieri Verbal (NV) measures general ability using questions which require a child to recognize a verbal concept when that concept is represented by pictures. 
• Naglieri Nonverbal (NN) measures general ability by using questions which require a student to carefully examine shapes presented in a matrix where sequences, spatial orientations, and other distinguishing characteristics must be analyzed to solve the questions. 
• Naglieri Quantitative (NQ) measures general ability using questions which require a student to closely examine the relationships among the numbers and/or symbols using basic Math concepts. 

Test items were carefully designed to remove cultural influences, allow students to solve problems regardless of the language they speak, and significantly reduce the amount of formal knowledge required so tests measure how well students 'think',  rather than what students 'know'. 

Initial research has found minimal differences across gender, race/ethnicity, and parental education level. Initial research (N = 8,410 grades K-12) of the possible influences of gender, race, ethnicity, and parental education on three tests indicate little to no differences across gender, race, ethnicity and parental education.

Testing for Gifted is offered multiple times a year: fall, winter and spring, targeting different groups. Gifted Testing is used to identify students whose unique learning profile requires a specialized learning environment to reach their full potential. Pre-Kindergarten testing is available for a $120 testing fee. Results are only available by email. Registration fees for Pre-Kergarten are non-refundable.

Parents will receive notification of specific testing dates for each site prior to the test administration. Notification of individual test results will be sent via U.S. Postal Mail within 30 days of the close of the testing window.

Students can be assessed once per calendar year on each of the two assessments utilized by the district, the Cognitive Abilities Test and/or the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test. 

Once identified as a gifted learner, further testing is not required unless a specialized program is sought. Parents may register their students for testing according to this schedule:

• Pre-Kindergarten: one-on-one test determined by age of child when tested. A non-refundable fee of $120 must be paid to schedule a session. Bring a copy of birth certificate, proof of residence and check or money order for $120.  Registration for Pre-K testing (only) must be done through the Community Service Department.
• Future Kindergartner: Must be minimum of four years old at time of testing and will be five by September 1^st. Students will be assessed using the NNAT2 in a small group setting.
• Fall testing:  All Studnets will be offered testing on the CogAT
• Winter testing: All Second grade students will be tested using the Naglieri General Ability Tests.
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• Spring testing: All students will be offered testing on the CogAT
• Students are only eligible to test on a single test once a year