Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Cogat Questions - Reliability?

My DS10 just took the Cogat at school and we got his scores today. He is grade-skipped and is in fifth grade, doing 6th grade math. He turned 10 at the end of November.

I have his individually-administered KABC and Kaufman Achievement results from when he was 5.8 years old, his Naglieri results from when he was 9, and now I have Cogat scores and I'm just trying to put all the information together. FWIW, his Cogat composite is higher than his KABC and Naglieri scores, although more in line with what we see. I know the Cogat can have issues identifying gifted kids and group test results aren't as reliable as individually administered tests, but my DS actually had his highest scores on the Cogat. Do I put less weight on his Cogat because group tests aren't as reliable or do I use them for advocating because he is older (and the results might be more stable as he is older) and he wouldn't have scored as high as he did if he didn't have the ability?

I know that CogAT is an unpopular test around here, but I think that if you realize its limitations, it might have some value for some DC. FWIW, DD's CogAT strengths matched up with her WISC strengths (as well as the strengths I have always observed). She scored extremely high in the verbal section of the CogAT (possibly hit the ceiling from the limited data from the school) and had an extremely high VCI on the WISC. DD's CogAT placed her in the 99%, and DD's WISC scores were well beyond >99% (but I do not think the CogAT is designed to determine LOG). I do think that CogAT's "IQ-looking numbers" typically UNDERESTIMATE IQ in most DC (a CogAT SAS will usually be lower than a WISC FSIQ or GAI).

If the CogAT scores appear to have captured your DS's abilities, I would not discount it! I would absolutely use them for advocating - the school would not have given him the test if they felt it was meaningless, so it might be very useful for you/him. Different children shine on different tests - it is great that you have something to demonstrate your DS's strengths!

Cogat can be misleading (atleast from my experience. DD had 122v, 125q and 130nv from third grade.. Her wisc (5th grade)is 148 full scale ( 136vci, 141 pri).. I knew she was gifted but not sure why she got lower cogat scores... Cogat might not identify all gifted kids.. but if your child does have high cogat she probably is gifted.