About Placement Decisions

Students are screened for placement at the end of their third and fifth grade years. The primary ability measure used is the Cognitive Abilities Assessment (CogAT) administered in grades 3 and 5. iReady achievement scores in reading and mathematics are also used to guide placement decisions, utilizing the most up to date assessment information.  Additionally, teacher observations and input is a key component of the process of placement in Oak Grove.  

The purpose of identifying students for any educational programming is to match the goals and objectives  of the program with the educational needs of a student. The intent of identification for the talented and  gifted service is to discover and place those students whose needs in either language or mathematics are so significant they would not be best met with the core curriculum.  

The needs of individual students are best recognized through evaluating multiple sources of relevant  information. The sources typically tapped are standardized testing, classroom performance, teacher input and family input. The accuracy of a placement decision is increased by assessing the student profile based on multiple measures.