The Gifted Gazette

Welcome to our district’s Gifted Education family newsletter! Each semester, you’ll receive two issues focused on the 4 Cs—Clarity, Challenge, Content, and Community. Our goal is to keep you informed, inspired, and connected as we support the unique learning needs of gifted students.

Recently your student was identified as needing gifted services in Northwest ISD. Each campus committee looked at a variety of data: test scores, classroom performance, teacher and parent input. The data suggests that your student shows an educational need for something beyond the traditional classroom. The way their brain takes in information and processes it is a little different, so gifted services will help develop that way of thinking.

In elementary, students are pulled for GATES during the week. Depending on the grade level, the amount of time will vary, but students will always be developing creative and critical thinking skills, as well as problem solving and communication.

Beginning in middle school, students can take GT ELA and/or GT Math. These courses are designed to build on the thinking skills developed in GATES. These thinking skills provide opportunities for students to go deeper with their content.

Services in high school will vary from campus to campus; In addition to GT services, students have a wide variety of advanced classes they can take through AP, OnRamps, Dual Credit, Honors and several CTE academies and pathways.

For more details, visit https://www.nisdtx.org/departments/academics/advanced-academics/gates/service-design.

Part of the process included completing an aptitude assessment which measures reasoning and problem-solving abilities. These assessments help us better understand how students learn and think, and they provide one piece of information used to support instructional planning and gifted identification.

Understanding Percentile Scores

Your child’s scores are reported as percentile ranks. Percentiles compare your child’s performance to other students of the same age across the nation. In Northwest, we look at the age percentile rank as opposed to the grade percentile rank.

For example:

• A percentile rank of 50 means a student scored as well as or better than 50% of students their age.

• A percentile rank of 90 means a student scored as well as or better than 90% of students nationally.

Percentiles do not represent the percentage of questions answered correctly.

A Visual Example of Percentiles

Most students score near the middle range, while fewer students score at the very high or very low ends.

Understanding the Three Areas

The assessment measures three different reasoning areas:

• Verbal Reasoning – understanding and reasoning with language and words

• Quantitative Reasoning – solving problems involving numbers and mathematical relationships

• Nonverbal Reasoning – identifying patterns, relationships, and visual problem solving

It is very common for students to show relative strengths and weaknesses across these areas. For example, a student may demonstrate especially strong verbal reasoning while scoring closer to average in quantitative reasoning. Another student may excel in nonverbal problem solving while verbal reasoning develops more gradually.

Differences between subtest scores are normal and help us better understand how each student learns best. These patterns can provide insight into instructional needs, learning preferences, and areas where students may benefit from additional challenge or support.

Important Reminder

No single test can fully capture a child’s abilities, creativity, motivation, or potential. Aptitude assessments are simply one tool that helps educators better understand students and support their growth.

Students in 1st grade and above may have received a CogAT score report. One of the data points listed is an ability profile. Visit https://riversideinsights.com/cogat-profile-finder and put in your student's profile to learn more about who they are as a learner.

One camp in particular to share with you. Camp Pursuit blends the inductive scientific method (S), purposeful technology (T), problem-based engineering (E), and the art of expressive narrative (A) with exploratory mathematics (M). Your child chooses from a catalog of one-of-a-kind, STEAM courses that blend storytelling with project-based, interdisciplinary learning and hands-on activities. It is designed specifically with gifted learners in mind.

Course Catalog Summer 2026

June 22 - 25 @ Sendera Ranch Elementary (Camp Director: Jennifer Casey)

Register here. Upon completing this form, a camp fee of $351 will be added to your student's School Cash account. Registration must be paid by Monday, June 1, in order for registration to be complete.

Even though kids aren't in school, the learning doesn't have to stop. Look for opportunities for real-world learning. Take your child to the grocery store and have them compare products to determine the best buy. Traveling? On a road trip, have them estimate how long it might take to drive the distance. Have your child do some research to learn about your destination.

Summer is also a great time to play games! Visit Fun and Purposeful Activities to Boost Brain Power! for a variety of ways to have fun and develop those aptitudes.

And of course . . . read! Use summer time to encourage your student to explore different genres. Have them talk to you about what they're reading. Better yet, find a great book you can read & discuss together.