1. CogAT Cognitive Abilities Test ™ Report to Parents
What does CogAT measure?
CogAT measures cognitive development of a student in the areas of learned reasoning and problem-solving skills within three different areas: verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal. The CogAT is administered as a group, is norm-referenced and is a test of developed academic reasoning skills in the three areas most linked to academic success in school. This measure of cognitive development captures important information not represented in school grades or in other measures of school achievement. Reasoning skills develop gradually throughout a person’s lifetime, and at different rates for different individuals. CogAT does not measure such factors as effort, attention, motivation, and work habits, which contribute to school achievement as well.
Why was CogAT administered?
Teachers use CogAT scores to help students learn more effectively. For example, if a child’s score profile shows an uneven pattern of relative strengths and weaknesses, teachers can provide challenging opportunities for the child to do the kind of thinking he/she does best (building on the student’s strengths). Teachers can support aspects of new tasks that rely on a student’s relative weaknesses. When the child has established a foothold in an area, teachers can guide her/him to develop the relatively weaker reasoning skills by applying these skills to the familiar task (strengthening the student’s weaknesses). Such interventions are much more likely to be successful at younger ages. Interventions at early ages can also help reduce the probability of a student developing learning problems later.
How do the three batteries of CogAT differ?
The Verbal Battery measures a child’s ability to remember and transform sequences of English words, to understand them, and to make inferences and judgments about them.
The Quantitative Battery tests the child's understanding of basic quantitative concepts and relationships that are essential for learning mathematics. Tasks measure both the understanding of relational concepts and the student’s ability to discover relationships and to figure out a rule or principle that explains them.
The Nonverbal Battery measures reasoning using pictures and geometric shapes. This reduces the impact of language on the student's score. The Nonverbal Battery also appraises the student’s ability to use her/his cognitive resources in new situations.

2. Is this truly an accurate picture of my student’s learning?
What is the student’s relative standing on each battery and the Composite?
Because CogAT is nationally normed, the test performance of one child can be compared with the test performances of other children throughout the nation who are the same age. __________________'s national age percentile rank of ____ on verbal reasoning ability means that he/she scored higher than ____ percent of the students her/his age in the national norming sample. This student's age percentile rank is ____ for quantitative reasoning ability and ____for nonverbal reasoning ability. The CogAT Composite score is derived from results from the Verbal, Quantitative, and Nonverbal batteries. The Composite national age percentile rank of ____ is a general statement of this student's reasoning
Is this truly an accurate picture of my student’s learning?
Standardized testing is only one way to measure student ability and achievement—it’s not the only way. CogAT information becomes a snapshot of student ability. Human capabilities are much more diverse and complex than what is measured by standardized achievement tests or school ability tests. As we learn more from the fields of cognitive science and brain research, definitions of human learning are changing and becoming broader. Educators consider scores from these tests as one view of a student. Classroom performance and teacher assessments are equally important. Teachers also recognize that students’ test-taking skills and attitudes during testing sessions affect their results. Accurately measuring how each student is progressing is an essential component of a school’s program.
How can I best help my child?
Use the supplied website link and unique profile code you were provided to develop a better understanding of your child’s strengths and areas of suggested improvement. Consider implementing suggestions provided which have been based on CogAT performance. There are numerous materials on the market to aid in the growth of a child’s problem solving and reasoning skills.
May I request that my student be assessed using the CogAT?
Check with your school’s Gifted and Talented Extended Learning Teacher for details. Children may be assessed a second time. The CogAT uses three different subtests within each domain to measure each ability. The use of a different item format on each subtest ensures that scores for each battery are not unduly affected by performance on a particular item type.