DPS Community,

We want to share an important update about how we assess students for potential Gifted identification.

What’s changing?
Starting in the fall of 2025, we will change the grades where students are automatically assessed for cognitive ability. We will change the grades where students are automatically assessed for cognitive ability. Instead of screening all students in Kindergarten, 2nd grade, and 6th grade, we will now test all students in 1st grade and 5th grade.

Why are we making this change?

1. Improved Access to Magnet Programs
   The state’s grant requirements have changed, and we can now assess students in 5th grade. This allows students to carry their results into middle school, giving families more time to make informed school choices. This change will help students access magnet programs like current HGT Magnet site Morey Middle School and the new Florida Pitt Waller K–8 magnet program, starting in fall 2026.

2. More Fair and Inclusive Testing
   After years of collecting data, we’ve seen that screening in Kindergarten wasn’t giving all students an equal chance to show what they know. Differences in experience with technology across the district and testing settings made it harder for some children to do their best. By moving the first screening to 1st grade, we hope to create a more level playing field to assess students after they are better at using the technology required to take the test. Additionally, students will be assessed using the NGAT (Naglieri General Abilities Tests) for universal screenings which has already resulted in qualifying student data that is much more reflective of the DPS student population than our previous tests.

3. More Opportunities Through Nomination
   While we will no longer automatically screen students in Kindergarten, 2nd, or 6th grade, families can still nominate their child for testing in those grades--or any other grades. We will continue to provide high-quality assessments for all students we assess. 

How Can I Get My Child Tested If They’re Not in 1st or 5th Grade?

• Families of incoming Kindergarten, 2nd, and 6th grade students in the fall of 2025: Please click here to have your child included in the testing this fall.  Need a translation of the opt-in form? Click here for Amharic, Arabic, Farsi, French, Nepali, Somali or Vietnamese

• Families of incoming students in ECE, 3rd, 4th, 7th-12: Please click here to nominate.
  Para el formulario de nominación en español, haga clic aquí.
  Click here for Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, French, Nepali, Somali or Vietnamese

We know this is a big change. Our team is working hard to support families, teachers, and schools through this important transition. We are grateful for your support of our commitment to equity, access, and opportunity in gifted education.

Dr. Meryl Faulkner
Director, Gifted and Talented Department

Universal gifted and talented screening is required as part of House Bill 14-1102. The State of Colorado requires “Conducting a universal screening of enrolled students no later than second grade to identify gifted children and a second screening of gifted children in conjunction with the creation of each child’s individual career and academic plan.” 

Universal screening is a way to give all students a fair chance to be considered for Gifted and Talented (GT) services.

At Denver Public Schools (DPS), we follow this law by giving a cognitive test to all 1st and 5th grade students in the fall.

All students 1st and 5th grade are tested in their classrooms in the fall with the Naglieri General Ability Tests (NGAT). Students in 1st grade will receive the Verbal battery only, while 5th grade students will receive the complete test (Verbal, Nonverbal, and Quantitative batteries). Assessment will occur during the following windows:

• 5th Grade NGAT (Full Administration): September 8th-November 21st 

• 1st Grade NGAT (Verbal Subtest Only): September 15th- December 3rd

Each site will determine their testing dates within those windows. Please reach out to the GT teacher at your school for more information as to when the testing will occur. An intent to test letter should also be sent around a week before testing to alert you to the test date as well. 

Families have the right to opt their child out of testing. Opt outs may be submitted to the Opt Out Form, or in a letter or email to the GT teacher. All opt-outs MUST be in writing .

HGT identified and Magnet Eligible students WILL NOT be included in the Universal Screening process. Students with these designations already have a qualifying cognitive score which makes this testing unnecessary as it will not impact a student's current gifted label. 

GT identified students will be rostered and tested with their classes. If a GT student scores in the 95th percentile or above, they will become HGT and be eligible to attend an HGT magnet school.

The NGAT is a new cognitive measure that was developed by Drs. Jack Naglieri, Dina Brulles, and Kimberly Lansdowne over the past several years with the intention of creating a cognitive assessment that would be language-free and more conscientious of cultural differences.  The assessment was normed as of spring 2023. 

The NGAT consists of three multiple choice batteries at 40 questions each that are presented in a picture format that are timed at 30 minutes for kinder through 2nd grade and 35 minutes for 3rd grade and older. First grade students will receive the Verbal battery only; 5th grade will be assessed with all three batteries.

How Are Scores Reported?

Scores are shown as percentile ranks (1 to >99).
This shows how your child did compared to other students the same age in relation to a sample representative of the U.S. population:

• Example: If your child scores at the 90th percentile, they scored the same or better than 90% of students their age.

• A 50th percentile score is average for their age.

Click here for the Parent's Guide to Assessment- NGAT 

• Your school’s GT teacher will send you your child’s score sheet and a general info letter.

• If your child scores at the 95th percentile or higher, you’ll also get a letter from the central GT Department saying they are Magnet Eligible (ME).

The purpose of the universal screening is to provide all students in 1st and 5th grades with the opportunity to take a cognitive assessment that may result in a qualifying data point toward an overall body of evidence resulting in gifted identification, programming, and/or placement at a highly gifted magnet site. An age-percentile score in the 95th percentile and above is considered a qualifying data point and also results in the student being eligible to attend a gifted magnet school in DPS. 

Please note: While this cognitive score does result in magnet eligibility for the purpose of school choice in our district, the state requires additional data to fully be identified as gifted.

What If My Child’s Score Is High But Not 95th?

Your child may be placed in a Talent Pool, depending on the rules at their school.

Talk to your school’s GT teacher to learn more about next steps and available programs.