Heritage Gifted Education

CogAT

The CogAt Assessment is required for all 3rd & 6th grade students to help identify highly able and gifted students. This test measures a student’s abilities in reasoning and problem solving using verbal, quantitative and nonverbal (spatial) symbols. This test is administered to students at the beginning of 3rd grade and 6th grade. Please contact the school for specific testing dates.  If your student’s teacher recommends testing outside the identified grade level screening, please contact Jill Montoya, Coordinator of Differentiated Learning.

CogAT Testing Window

November 2nd-19th, 2021

 

DCSD Gifted Education

The Discovery Program is a self-contained, center-based, magnet program for highly gifted learners located regionally at four elementary school sites in Douglas County. The program is intended for those students who require intensity of instruction and acceleration beyond what can reasonably be expected from the regular school gifted programming.

Due to the intensive nature of the Discovery Program, a body of evidence is needed to determine the best match between student and programming. Information considered includes documented cognitive ability, standardized achievement data, classroom performance data, student, parent, and teacher input. Three major criteria for placement are:

  • Exceptional intellectual/cognitive ability

  • Documented above grade level performance in multiple content areas

  • No below grade level performance in any content area

Multiple criteria will be considered in the placement process to provide evidence of the best match between student academic need and the rigorous environment of the program.

Please visit the DSCSD Gifted Education webpage linked HERE for more information and application materials.

 

Identification Process

Due to the intensive nature of the Discovery Program, a body of evidence is needed to determine

the best match between student and programming. Information considered must include

documented cognitive ability, additional standardized testing, progress reports, student, parent,

and teacher input.

 

Three major criteria for placement are:

  • Advanced intellectual/cognitive ability

  • Classroom performance above grade level in at least one content area

  • No below grade level performance in any content area. Multiple criteria will be considered in the identification process that gives evidence of the best match between student academic need and the rigorous environment of the program.

 

While every effort is made to assign students to the site in their feeder area and closest to their neighborhood school, assignments may be offered based on space availability.