Gifted testing in Georgia: the state rule and how to prepare

Georgia is one of the few states where the gifted cutoff is the same everywhere. A State Board rule sets the bar for every district, and it is higher for young children than for older ones. Districts then decide how to find the children who get tested. This guide explains both.

The Georgia rule

Georgia State Board Rule 160-4-2-.38 sets gifted eligibility for every district.

Option A (psychometric). A mental ability composite at the 99th percentile for children in kindergarten to 2nd grade, or the 96th percentile from 3rd grade on, together with an achievement criterion.

Option B (multiple criteria). Meet the bar in three of the four areas: mental ability, achievement, creativity and motivation.

How metro Atlanta districts screen

• Gwinnett County starts referrals twice a year for grades 1–5 (August and January) and in January for kindergarten. Students first take the i-Ready diagnostics, and those who meet the criteria go on to further testing, including the CogAT.
• Fulton County screens all students twice a year. A score at the 90th percentile or higher on i-Ready reading or math (or Amira in K–3), or a high Georgia Milestones level, triggers screening with supporting data.
• DeKalb County refers students automatically through district-wide testing, starting with NWEA MAP. Students above the 90th percentile in reading or math are evaluated in mental ability, creativity and motivation.
• Atlanta Public Schools screens every enrolled student early each fall, and students who meet the district threshold are referred automatically, then assessed in the spring. Its plan names the Naglieri General Ability Tests.
• Cobb County takes referrals from teachers, parents, students or testing across the district, and each school's eligibility committee reviews them.

What this means for parents

1. Achievement matters first. In many Georgia districts, a strong i-Ready or MAP score is what opens the door to ability testing. Steady reading and math are the foundation.
2. Know the bar for your child's grade. The 99th percentile in K–2 is very demanding. Option B, through achievement, creativity and motivation, is a real route for many children.
3. Make the ability-test format familiar. If your district uses the CogAT, see our guides for kindergarten, 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade. Read CogAT scores explained to see what the 96th and 99th percentiles mean in Standard Age Scores.

Find your district

Georgia has about 180 school districts. Our district pages show the screening steps and sources for each one we have researched, and the state rule for the rest.

Free ways to practice

• The free sample quiz has original practice questions in the style of the CogAT, NNAT, OLSAT and Naglieri tests.
• Our printables include free CogAT-style packs for kindergarten to 5th grade.
• A free readiness check shows which question types are new or harder for your child. It is a practice estimate, not a gifted eligibility result.

CogAT® is a registered trademark of Riverside Assessments, LLC. NNAT® is a trademark of Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliates. OLSAT® is a registered trademark and Naglieri General Ability Tests™ a trademark of Multi-Health Systems Inc. (MHS). These owners are not affiliated with and do not endorse GiftedCub. Test names are used only to describe the formats our original practice material is designed to resemble.