Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment CoGAT & Gifted Program Question

Hi, I am new here, and I have a question regarding my 2nd grader's CoGAT scores. She was admitted into the Accelerated Reading program with CoGAT Verbal SAS score of 129 (97%).

For math, the students need to be at an SAS of at least 120, and she was at 112. However, I notice that she didn't finish all of the problems (only 52 out of 60), but of the ones she finished, she got 94% of them right.

She is never super quick at getting her math facts written on paper, maybe perfectionism? Not sure. However, does anyone know much about the test? Would the fact that she didn't finish be taken into consideration? Is it worth taking it to the school?

BTW, her ITBS score in math was 98%.

Any thought would be really appreciated.

Thanks,
GroovyEarthMom

If you think she is gifted in Math as well, and especially if you have other testing that indicates this, I would certainly speak with the school about other options, an appeal based on work she has done or further testing, perhaps something with less emphasis on timed results.
I am not familiar with the ITBS test.

My daughter got scores at about 113 on all sections of the CoGAT at that age. She was really easily distracted at that age, and still is now. But throughout elementary, her scores stayed about there, and then last year they leaped drastically. (to well into the 99% percentile, and ceilinging on parts) So, I really don't trust the test at all and think that it is ridiculous if this is their only way of identifying the gifted math students. Did they use the ITBS at all? That is an impressive score that shows need for challenges in math. (We never got the full details of the test, just the score, percentile, and stanine, btw, so i can't comment about finishing the test) I imagine that I know about as much about the test as you do, but I thought it would be good to throw some personal experience in their.

To piggy back regarding bassetlover�s comments regarding age and group testing;
My son didn�t have the group iq test until age 10/5th and did quite well by then; however, his TerraNova scores were lower across the board in 2nd.

One score that seemed really incorrect was the science score in 2nd. He has always demonstrated aptitude in that area so we were a little confused becuase it was by far the lowest on his report - until we read that the science subject test had been read to the students who then were required to select the answer pictorially! Throw in the fact that this was only 2nd grade material and it is no wonder that our son couldn�t bring it down to that level.

The Cogat was the test used when DD was in 2nd grade to determine entry into the gifted math program at our school. Her math scores weren't great (104). I remember her saying there were too many things she had not learned to do yet (like multiplication, which has since been introduced in 2nd grade). Her comp score was 129.

I never could understand how she could do so relatively poorly in one math test, but be off the charts in another compared to her grade/district (MAP, for example) or even ACT Explore. But she is in gifted math and she has an A but it isn't her favorite and it is the most challenging subject for her. Funny how are children's brains are wired, isn't it?

Now they give the cogat in the 5th grade for middle school gifted screening and use the MAP for the earlier grades.