Testing Information
How do I sign up for cognitive testing?
Nominate your child for magnet testing (Applicable for students ECE-12)
Note: In-district students in 1st and 5th grade will be assessed as part of our Universal Screening and a nomination form is not necessary.
Downloadable application- English
Nomination forms (available in Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, French, Nepali, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese). Make sure to download the file or make a copy to complete in Google Docs.
Please submit paper nomination forms to your GT Teacher and they will submit them to our office. Alternatively, you may scan and send them to giftedandtalented@dpsk12.org.
Testing Window: The spring testing window for in-district students will occur at a child’s school between October 20th- December 5th, 2025. You will receive more information from the GT teacher at your school following the nomination deadline of October 10th, 2025.
Out of district/home/private school students will be scheduled to test at the Emily Griffith Campus (1860 Lincoln St.) by appointment during that same October 20th-December 5th, 2025 window. Information for scheduling an appointment will be provided in a follow up email after registration (a Sign-Up Genius link will be sent following the nomination deadline on October 10th). Testing will not be available prior outside of the testing window.
Students cannot be tested twice with a cognitive test in the same school year. For instance, a student tested in the spring of 2025 would not be eligible to test in the spring of 2026. During the fall semester, DPS students enrolled in 1st and 5th grades are tested with the Naglieri General Ability Tests (NGAT) as part of the universal screening process. 1st graders will receive the Verbal battery only, while 5th graders will complete the complete test (Verbal, Nonverbal, and Quantitative batteries). These families do not need to submit a nomination form.
Students already designated as Magnet Eligible (ME) or Highly Gifted (HGT) will not need to be assessed with further cognitive testing as this data point has been achieved. GT identified and talent pool students may be tested for the purpose of potential Magnet School Eligibility and/or HGT identification purposes. Please contact your school’s GT teacher with any questions regarding your child’s designation.
We cannot test students younger than age 4. Visit our Early Childhood page for more information about ECE testing and the Early Access page.
Early Childhood Assessment
The Gifted and Talented department can assess students with the Naglieri Nonverbal Abilities Test (NNAT3) starting at age 4. We cannot offer testing younger than age 4.
Click here to submit a nomination form to nominate your child for testing.
My child took a cognitive test outside of Denver Public Schools. Can it be used towards a gifted identification and/or magnet eligibility?
Possibly, pending a Data Committee Review.
If you have additional testing data external to Denver Public Schools such as WISC, WPPSI, DAS, Stanford-Binet or other cognitive testing you would like reviewed for eligibility, please email the file to giftedandtalented@dpsk12.org.
Important: If your child is not currently a student in DPS, please also include a copy of their birth certificate so that we can generate a district file to house the data.
Please review the Outside Testing Policy.