The Helena School District Gifted and Talented identification process offers two different avenues for qualifying students for gifted services: group testing of all Helena Schools second grade students, and a Referral Process for individual screening.

Group Testing (2nd Grade)

In second grade, all Helena Schools students are screened using the CogAT and iReady assessments. Qualification for Gifted Education Services is based on scores from the Cognitive Ability Test (CogAT) and iReady assessments. The CogAT measurements include Verbal, Quantitative, and Nonverbal Reasoning scores, as well as Composite and Profile indicators. iReady scores reviewed in this screening include Reading and Mathematics.

In addition, Teacher Behavior Checklists and Creativity Assessments are administered by PEAK staff to complement the screening process by indicating students who may warrant further review.

Individual Testing (K-12)

In addition, referrals can be made for any student for individual assessment. Referred students are assessed with individual ability and/or achievement instruments administered by school psychologists.