Gifted Programs Testing Process

Gifted testing takes place in accordance with the Arizona State Mandate.  Paradise Valley Unified School District primarily uses the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) and the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT2) to identify gifted students.

PV Schools gifted assessments ensure fairness to the District’s ethnically diverse population. The assessment battery includes tools that are language-free and culturally unbiased to provide equal opportunities for identification of the District’s English language learners and culturally diverse students:

  •  Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)
  •  Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT2)

Testing is offered three times each year as follows:

  • Fall - grades 4 - 6 students who may qualify for Honors classes
  • Winter - English Language Learners or former ELLs
  • Spring - Any K - 6 student residing in the PV Schools boundary

Testing for students in the middle and high schools can be arranged at specific times throughout the school year. All gifted testing takes place during the school day by trained testing technicians.

Testing accommodations are made for students with disabilities according to the students’ IEP or Section 504 Accommodation Plan. This testing takes place in June if any special accommodations need to be met.

Make-up testing is available in June for students who were unable to complete testing during their school's regularly scheduled testing dates due to illness.  Students must have had a signed permission slip and been on the original list for gifted testing.

Arizona State Approved Identifying Tests

Testing

PV Schools Director of Gifted Education and the Gifted Specialist at each school are available to guide staff members and parents through the gifted testing nomination process at staff meetings and parent meetings.  Parent, students, teachers, school administrators, Special Education staff members, and Language Acquisition staff members may nominate students for gifted testing.  Parent permission is required for individuals nominated for gifted testing.  Nomination forms are available at each school and on the Gifted Education website.

A “Parent’s Gifted Testing Nomination Packet” is available in English and in Spanish. This packet includes the following resources:

  • The Difference Between a Bright Child & a Gifted Learner checklist
  • Elementary Parent Information Form for PV Schools Gifted Education Services
  • Parental Permission to Test Form

2018-2019 Testing Dates by School

Parent Nomination Packet  

Parent Nomination Packet - Spanish

Teacher Nomination Packet

Outside Testing Results

FAQ's

Placement

Students qualify for gifted services by scoring in the 97th percentile or above on any one, or combination, of the verbal, quantitative, or nonverbal sections of a state approved test beginning in kindergarten

The PVSchools Gifted Education Department will mail written notification of test results to parents and guardians within three weeks of test administration. Parent notification is provided in English and in Spanish on the NNAT. Test results are available in Spanish for the CogAT upon request. Translation services are available for families who speak other languages.

Parent notification of testing results includes:

  • Record of the gifted testing results
  • Program Placement Permission Statement

Student Attendance Boundary Criteria

  • Students residing and attending a school in the PVSchools attendance boundary:
    • Students are nominated for gifted testing by a teacher, parent, self, principal, counselor or psychologist.
    • Parent completes the contents of the Parent Nomination Packet and returns it to classroom teacher or gifted specialist.
    • Students will be tested during the regularly scheduled test period at the student’s school of attendance.
  • Students residing but not attending a school in the PVSchools attendance boundary:
    • Parents contact the Gifted Education Department at (602) 449-2113 to make an appointment for testing.
    • Parents must transport the students to the testing location and remain present throughout the test administration.

Students not residing in the PVSchools attendance boundary:

PVSchools is unable to provide gifted testing for students residing outside the PVSchools boundaries that do not attend one of our schools. Please contact your home school district for gifted testing information or parents may choose to have their child privately tested.