Testing / Placement

The Testing Process
Gifted testing takes place three times a year 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:

•  The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAt), Form 6
•  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 ELL’s); 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’ IEPs, and Section 504 Accommodation Plans.

Testing periods include:

• Regularly scheduled testing periods for each school taking place during the Fall, Winter and Spring. Gifted testing schedules are created in conjunction with the Gifted Ed. Dept. and the Gifted Specialist at each school.
• Make-up testing in June which is provided for students who were unable to complete testing during their school’s regularly scheduled test period due to illness.

PV Schools Director of Gifted Education and the Gifted Specialists 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 Ed. website.

Gifted specialist contact information

A “Parent’s Gifted Testing Nomination Packet” is available in English and in Spanish on the District Gifted Education website. 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

Click the link below to download the Parent Information packet.

Parent Information packet (PDF)   /   Español

• The Difference Between a Bright Child & a Gifted Learner checklist
• Traits & Behaviors that May Prevent Identification
• Teacher’s Class Screening Form for Nominating Students for Gifted Services
• PV Schools Rating Scale for Gifted Services

In addition to the parent and classroom screening tools noted above, Gifted Specialists and classroom teachers utilize the following instruments to screen students for testing:

• Kingore Observation Inventory (KOI)
• District assessment data using:  a) mathematics and literacy assessments; b) State Assessment results (AIMS, TerraNova)
• Gifted Characteristics Checklist for Underrepresented Populations
• Key Identification Considerations for Culturally, Linguistically, and Socioeconomically Diverse Gifted Learners
• Other screen tools that consider behaviors typical of gifterd styudentys regardless of linguistic abilities

Students residing in PV Schools attendance boundary —

• Students residing in the PV Schools attendance boundary and attending a PV Schools school:
  1. Students are nominated for gifted testing (by a teacher, parent, self, principal, counselor or psychologist).
  2. Parent completes the contents of the Parent Nomination Packet and returns it to classroom teacher or gifted specialist.
  3. Students will be tested during the regularly scheduled test period at the student’s school of attendance.
  4. The school’s gifted specialist will inform parents of the testing date.
     
     
• Students residing in the PV Schools attendance boundary who do not attend a PV Schools school:
  1. Parents contact the Gifted Education Services Department at 602-449-2113.
  2. The Gifted testing technicians will contact parents at least one week prior to testing with the test date, time and location. (Gifted Specialists at the testing school site will be copied on communication with the parent.)
  3. Because the student is not enrolled in PV schools, the parents must transport the students to the school for testing, and remain present in the school building throughout the test administration.

Students not residing in the PV Schools attendance boundary —

PV Schools is unable to provide gifted testing to students residing outside the attendance boundary. Please contact the home school district for gifted testing information or call the PV Schools Gifted Education Services office at 602-449-2113 for other options.

2012-13 Gifted Testing Schedule

FAQs  — testing

Gifted students and the AIMS test

 Kindergarten testing

Outside testing results

Placement

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

ADE State Approved Gifted Test List

The PV Schools 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
• A link to the PV Schools Gifted Services website that describes the District gifted education services, state law, identification and records information, school programs, parent resources, student resources, and contact information
• A Program Placement Permission Statement