Types of Tests

Students in Hamilton Southeastern Schools may be identified for high ability services through multiple pathways.

Students are identified who have:

• Outstanding academic achievement in mathematics and/or reading
• Exceptional cognitive potential in mathematics and/or reading

Determining Eligibility for High Ability Services through High Academic Achievement - NWEA 

Determining Eligibility for High Ability Services through Cognitive Potential - CogAT 

NWEA testing is administered two times per year for all K-6 students. Winter NWEA results allow teachers to see growth over a calendar year and helps as they plan for students’ instructional needs.  It is also used to identify students for high ability services.  

Normative data from the Winter NWEA test is used to identify high academic achievement for students in reading or math.  

Kindergarten and 1st grade students will be eligible for high ability services in each respective area with the following performance levels: 

Math – 99th percentile on Winter or Spring NWEA 

Reading – 99th percentile on Winter or Spring NWEA 

2nd – 6th grade students will be eligible for high ability services in each respective area with the following performance levels: 

Math – 95th - 99th percentile on Winter or Spring NWEA 

Reading – 95th - 99th percentile on Winter or Spring NWEA 

Beginning at the intermediate level, a two-year advanced math course is also available. Its requirements are detailed on our Testing Schedules link. 


 

The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT), a nationally normed test of aptitude, is used to measure cognitive potential.  The CogAT measures general reasoning abilities in three domains: verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal.  The screener is a partial version of the full CogAT.   

The CogAT is administered in Kindergarten, 2nd, and 5th grade. 

CogAT Screener: 

All kindergarten students take the CogAT screener. 

All 2nd grade students (who have not already qualified for high ability services) take the CogAT screener.  

Full CogAT: 

Kindergarteners who score in the 80th percentile or higher on the screener take the full CogAT.  

2nd grade students who score in the 80th percentile or higher on the screener take the full CogAT. 

5th grade students who score in the 80th percentile or higher on the Winter NWEA (and have not already qualified for high ability services) will take the full CogAT.   

Students will be eligible for high ability services in each respective area with the following performance levels on the full CogAT:  

Math – 95th - 99th percentile on full CogAT 

Reading – 95th - 99th percentile on full CogAT 

Potential Third Qualifying Test 

If the score of a student in grades K, 2, or 5 just misses the qualifying score (falls within the standard error of measure) on either Winter NWEA, Spring NWEA, or CogAT, the Scales for Identifying Gifted Students (SIGS) will be completed online by the teacher and family of the student. A score between the 95th – 99th percentiles on the SIGS indicates eligibility for high ability services.