Our district uses the CogAT for group screening for gifted programs, even in high school. I don't know for certain, but I suspect the reason they use it is cost - I'm guessing it's much less expensive to administer a group test like the CogAT.
I personally think it's a shame though - especially because our district often only administers and uses the verbal portion of the CogAT and the reading portion of an achievement test as gifted screening cut-offs. I suspect they are missing kids who are high-ability in math and science related skills, as well as simply missing kids like my ds who think so far outside the box they don't ace the CogAT. I've often wondered how different the cohort of kids in our elementary gifted programs in particular would be if the WISC was used as a screening tool for everyone rather than the CogAT.
polarbear
