Parent resources · Articles & guides
Understand the GATE test before test day.
The NNAT® is one of the tests schools most often use for GATE screening. These parent guides explain what it measures, how to prepare, and how gifted-program identification often works at the local level.
Core NNAT® and gifted-testing guides:
What parents miss about early GATE testing.
Why early gifted screening matters, why bright students miss it, and why the NNAT® format can be the real hurdle.
GATE TEST BASICSWhat is the NNAT® (Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test)?
What the assessment measures, how it is administered, and what a result can and cannot tell you.
TEST COMPARISONNNAT® vs CogAT® vs OLSAT®: what parents should know
How the major gifted tests differ, why districts choose different assessments, and what to ask before preparing.
QUESTION FORMATThe four NNAT® question types
A parent-friendly guide to Pattern Completion, Reasoning by Analogy, Serial Reasoning, and Spatial Visualization.
PREPARATIONHow to prepare without turning it into a worksheet marathon
A practical approach to format familiarity, explanations, short sessions, and complete timed practice.
SCORESWhat parents misunderstand about NNAT® scores
Percent correct, percentile, local cutoffs, and why the school’s process matters as much as the number itself.
SCORE GUIDEWhat score does my child need to qualify for GATE?
Why qualifying scores vary by district, how percentiles work, and what to ask when results arrive.
NNAT LEVELSNNAT® Level C vs Level D: what changes?
What changes between the 2nd grade screening level and the later elementary retake level.
TEST WEEKA calm test-week checklist
What to confirm with school, what to practice, and what to leave alone in the final days.
LOCAL POLICYAsk how your school approaches Gifted and Talented.
Because the role of the NNAT®, eligibility rules, appeals, and services vary by district.
District-specific GATE, gifted screening, and Highly Capable guides:
Browse gifted testing by state and district
All 62 researched districts organized by state, with a link to the full guide or the lookup tool for each one.
DISTRICT LOOKUPFind your district’s gifted testing window
Search by district, city, state, or test to see the likely screening grade, test format, timing, cutoff notes, and next step.
LOCAL GUIDEChino Valley Unified School District GATE testing and NNAT® guide.
What 2nd grade families should know about the 2026-2027 testing window, NNAT® format, school questions, and calm next steps.
LOCAL GUIDECorona-Norco Unified School District GATE testing and NNAT® guide.
What Corona-Norco families should know about 2nd grade GATE screening, the NNAT3, district-issued devices, and school questions.
LOCAL GUIDEOntario-Montclair School District GATE testing and NNAT® guide.
What Ontario-Montclair families should know about 2nd grade NNAT screening, GATE qualification, and Edison Academy options.
LOCAL GUIDEMoreno Valley Unified School District GATE testing and NNAT® guide.
What Moreno Valley families should know about the Permission to Test form, NNAT3 identification, school sites, and next steps.
DISTRICT GUIDEEdmonds School District Highly Capable screening and NNAT® guide.
What Edmonds families should know about 2nd grade universal screening, the NNAT3, Chromebook testing, and school dates.
DISTRICT GUIDEColumbus City Schools gifted screening and NNAT® guide.
What Columbus families should know about 2nd grade NNAT screening, November timing, gifted identification, and results.
DISTRICT GUIDETacoma Public Schools Highly Capable screening and NNAT® guide.
What Tacoma families should know about 2nd grade NNAT3 screening, fall timing, opt-out details, makeups, and results.
DISTRICT GUIDENorthshore School District Highly Capable screening and NNAT® guide.
What Northshore families should know about NNAT3 timing, laptop testing, result timing, and HiCap services.
DISTRICT GUIDEFederal Way Public Schools Highly Capable screening and NNAT® guide.
What Federal Way families should know about 2nd and 4th grade NNAT3 screening, timing, and identification outcomes.
DISTRICT GUIDECincinnati Public Schools gifted testing and NNAT® guide.
What Cincinnati families should know about gifted assessment opportunities, school questions, and NNAT® research notes.
DISTRICT GUIDEGahanna-Jefferson Public Schools gifted screening and NNAT® guide.
What Gahanna-Jefferson families should know about November NNAT screening, referral windows, and gifted services.
DISTRICT GUIDEWashoe County School District GATE screening and NNAT® guide.
What Washoe families should know about 2nd and 5th grade NNAT3 screening, eligibility, retesting, and next steps.
DISTRICT GUIDEClark County School District GATE testing and NNAT® guide.
What Las Vegas-area families should know about district-wide 2nd grade screening, the GATE vs. TAGS service tracks, and next steps.
DISTRICT GUIDESan Bernardino City Unified GATE testing and NNAT® guide.
What San Bernardino families should know about fall 3rd grade testing, the parent-permission form, and calm prep steps.
DISTRICT GUIDEHilliard City Schools gifted testing and NNAT® guide.
What Hilliard families should know about the October 5-9 4th grade NNAT3 window and the separate referral pathway.
DISTRICT GUIDECapistrano Unified GATE testing and NNAT® guide.
What CUSD families should know about the 96th percentile cutoff, the portfolio path, and school-specific test dates.
DISTRICT GUIDEColumbia Public Schools gifted testing and NNAT® guide.
What Columbia, Missouri families should know about the two-step NNAT3 and WISC-V identification process.
DISTRICT GUIDEGlendale Unified GATE testing and NNAT® guide.
What Glendale families should know about the spring 3rd grade NNAT3 and the published 92nd percentile cutoff.
DISTRICT GUIDEIrvine Unified GATE testing and NNAT® guide.
What IUSD families should know about the Multiple Criteria Measure, the NNAT’s role, and the writing sample.
DISTRICT GUIDEUpland Unified GATE testing and NNAT® guide.
What Upland families should know about the February 3rd grade NNAT3 and the district’s multi-faceted process.
COGAT · PREP COMING SOONMontgomery County Public Schools CogAT guide.
What MCPS families should know about the Dec 1-Jan 16 CogAT window and how it fits AEI identification.
COGAT · PREP COMING SOONWake County Public Schools CogAT (AIG) guide.
What WCPSS families should know about 3rd grade universal screening, K-2 referral, and the 95th percentile threshold.
COGAT · PREP COMING SOONScottsdale Unified CogAT gifted guide.
What SUSD families should know about the December testing window and the published 97th percentile or FSIQ 128 cutoff.