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DVUSD TESTING DEFINITIONS

  • Gifted Identification Testing - Deer Valley identifies students for placement into gifted programs based on identification from a state-approved gifted assessment, using age-level norms.  Students are identified in the areas of Verbal, Quantitative, and Nonverbal reasoning.  Deer Valley uses the following assessments to place students into one or more gifted programs: Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC-II NU), Naglieri Noverbal Abilities Test (NNAT3), Naglieri General Abilities Test (NGAT), and Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT).

    Private Gifted Testing - Parents may select to have their children privately tested for gifted services by a licensed psychologist using a test approved by the state of Arizona.  (Parents are responsible for ALL costs associated with private testing.)

    Early Entry Testing - These assessments may be used to place children into a Kindergarten or 1st grade classroom early. These assessments are not indicative of gifted abilities and may not be used to place a child into gifted programming.  

    Academic Testing - Assess a student's academic knowledge. These are not used for gifted identification, but may support appropriate placement into one or more gifted programs.

2023-2024 GIFTED TESTING SCHEDULES

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  • WINTER GIFTED TESTING (4th GRADE BLANKET TESTING)

  • SPRING GIFTED TESTING (GRADES K-8, 9+)

  • SPRING OUT-OF-DISTRICT TESTING

  • SPRING GIFTED TESTING (2ND GRADE BLANKET TESTING)

  • GIFTED PRE-KINDERGARTEN TESTING

  • FUTURE KINDERGARTEN GIFTED TESTING (Round 1)

  • SUMMER GIFTED TEST REGISTRATION (IN-DISTRICT/ OUT-OF-DISTRICT)

  • More Info 

     

    Gifted Identification Testing -
    DVUSD Gifted Services conducts testing at our schools for currently enrolled and out-of-district students.  DVUSD Gifted Services offers a variety of state-approved gifted assessments, using age-level norms to ensure appropriate student identification and placement.  The most accurate and up-to-date testing information will be made available on our website.
     
     
    Prekindergarten Testing and Kindergarten Testing -  
    DVUSD Gifted Services offers gifted testing for placement into our Gifted Pre-K Academy and Bright Beginnings Kindergarten programs. This is to identify students with gifted potential and place them provisionally with a gifted trained teacher.                             
     
     
    Private Gifted Testing - 
    Parents may have their child tested privately by a licensed psychologist using a test approved by the state of Arizona. Parents are responsible for all costs associated with private testing. More on our website: Private Identification Testing.
     
     
    Deer Valley offers Early Entrance testing for parents who would like their child to enter Kindergarten or First Grade ahead of their age-level peers. This is not gifted identification testing. 
     
     
    Academic Testing - 
    Academic testing is administered at the individual schools to ensure students' continuous progress.  Gifted Services will utilize academic testing to support placement for students who are applying for the Renaissance program.  Acacemic testing is not gifted identification testing.   
     
     
    Payment for Gifted Testing (Out-of-District/ Out-of-Boundary) -

    Deer Valley Unified School District offers gifted testing for families residing outside of district boundaries. Out-of-District Gifted Testing is offered throughout the school year.  In order to participate in Out-of-District Gifted Testing, families who live out-of-boundary are required to pay a nominal fee of $50.  Click the link below for more information and to make a payment.

     

SPRING 2023-24 GIFTED TESTING

  • REGISTRATION:  October 1, 2023 - January 1, 2024

    SPRING TESTING:  January 22 - February 16, 2024
    Kindergarten:  CogAT (paper/pencil)
    Grade 1:  CogAT (online)
    Grade 2:  *Universal Blanket Testing in Spring 2024 (CogAT, No need to register)
    Grades 3-8:  CogAT (online)
    Grades 9+:  CogAT (online)

    *FAMILIES MAY REGISTER THEIR CHILDREN ONLINE. ALL REGISTRATIONS ARE MADE ON OUR GIFTED WEBSITE.  CLICK THE ICON BELOW.
     

OUT-OF-DISTRICT SPRING GIFTED TESTING

  • This test registration is for families who live within Deer Valley Boundaries but do NOT attend a DVUSD school.  In addition, families who live outside DVUSD boundaries and do not attend a DVUSD school may also participate with a nominal fee of $50.
     

DVUSD GIFTED ASSESSMENTS

  • CogAT
    The CogAT measures each of the three areas required by the state of Arizona for gifted identification (Verbal, Quantitative, Nonverbal). The CogAT measures the cognitive abilities related to determining a child’s aptitude. This test assesses thinking (abstract thinking and reasoning) and provides an understanding of children’s relative strengths and weaknesses in performing a variety of reasoning tasks.

    NGAT
    The NGAT measures each of the three areas required by the state of Arizona for gifted identification (Verbal, Quantitative, Nonverbal). The NGAT test utilizes minimal language and written directions to avoid relying on a child’s reading, writing or language skills. The NGAT uses universally recognized pictures that are appropriate across cultures, to represent verbal concepts. All three of these tests reflect how well a student can solve the test questions with minimal requirement of prior knowledge (pre-trained skills).

    NNAT
    The NNAT measures one area required by the state of Arizona for gifted identification (Nonverbal). The NNAT test utilizes minimal language and written directions to avoid relying on a child’s reading, writing or language skills. The NNAT requires students to use visual-spatial reasoning abilities to discern logical relationships and patterns between various geometric shapes and figures.

    KABC-II NU
    The KABC-II NU measures two areas required by the state of Arizona for gifted identification (Verbal, Nonverbal). The KABC-II NU is designed to address students’ cultural and linguistic backgrounds. The KABC-II NU is an individually-administered, norm-referenced test designedto measure cognitive processing abilities of children and adolescents. In Deer Valley, the KABC-II NU is administered by one of our trained psychologists.