Identifying Gifted and Talented Students

Referrals

Teachers, parents, and students can initiate a referral (or an ML or 2e investigation) for gifted identification.  Referrals can be made for the 2023-2024 school year starting Tuesday, September 3, 2024.  See the specific referral windows below.  Please contact your school's GT site coordinator in the fall for a copy of the referral form.  You can find your school's GT site coordinator's name and link to their email HERE.  Once completed and signed, the referral form is returned to the school site coordinator.  Before you request a referral form, please read through the Overview of Gifted Identification PDF that is available here on this webpage.

2023-2024 SY Academic Aptitude referral windows 

K-1  and grades 3-12  (September 5, 2023 - February 23, 2024) CLOSED

  • 2nd grade only  (September 5, 2023 - November 17, 2023) CLOSED

Talent Aptitude referral window 

  • K-12  (September 5, 2023 - February 23, 2024) CLOSED

 

In-State Transfers and Portability

Portability applies to in-state transfers to Poudre School District.  "Portability" means that a Colorado GT student's gifted identification transfers to any district in the state, as long as the identification follow Colorado state guidelines set by CDE. Please reference the one-pager on this screen that explains Gifted Identification for transfer students.

*** Click here to learn more about portability in Colorado.

 

Out-of-State Transfers

For gifted students who move into Poudre School District from out of state, a gifted identification specialist will review all test scores provided for the student and determine whether the body of evidence is sufficient for a gifted identification or if additional testing is needed.

 

Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) Frequently Asked Questions:

Why do PSD students take the CogAT in the spring of 2nd Grade?

PSD chooses to universally screen all second grade students with the CogAT. The second grade test is highly visual, does not have a time limit, is read aloud to them via headphones. Testing in the spring of second grade also allows for fall identification at the start of third grade. For primary grades, gifted identification is based on referrals.

What is the correlation between CogAT and IQ testing results?

The CogAT is not a tool for measuring a student's intelligence or IQ. Rather, it measures the reasoning skills that have developed during a student's educational career, even though they have not been explicitly taught. These general cognitive skills are not specific to any content area, but are skills that are used in all areas of a student's academic experiences.

​​​​​​​My student qualified for math, but is a really good reader. Why hasn't he/she be identified in that area, too (or vice versa)? 

For gifted programs, teachers consider a body of evidence that includes ability, achievement, behavior characteristics and demonstrated performance.

How are these scores used?

The CogAT is often used for identification for gifted services; however, the information from your child's CogAT can be helpful to both teachers and parents. For gifted identification, the CogAT represents only one assessment in the body of evidence (in the area of intellectual aptitude/ability). When you receive your child's scores, you will receive a profile.

How often will my student take this test?

The CogAT is only given once, as a screener, in second grade to all students. If a student enters PSD after second grade and has one indicator for gifted identification, then the CogAT is administered.