GATE stands for Gifted and Talented Education. In Ohio, families will more often see the phrase gifted services or gifted identification. NNAT® stands for Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test, a visual reasoning test built around patterns, shapes, and spatial thinking. CogAT stands for Cognitive Abilities Test, a related but different reasoning assessment.
For a fuller overview of the assessment itself, see our guide to what the NNAT® measures.
What Cincinnati says about gifted assessment
Ohio requires districts to identify gifted students in several categories, including Superior Cognitive Ability, Reading, Math, Creative Thinking, and Visual and Performing Arts. Rather than mandating one statewide test, Ohio lets each district choose instruments from a state-approved list. Cincinnati Public Schools names the NNAT3 and the CogAT as its approved instruments for Superior Cognitive Ability, alongside separate reading and math measures such as iReady and MAP for the other categories.
That is the real reason the earlier version of this guide could not name a single confirmed test: there isn’t one. Cincinnati genuinely uses more than one instrument, and which one applies can depend on the school and the year. Assessments are administered by qualified personnel, including teachers, test coordinators, and gifted staff.
| Test basics | What Cincinnati parents should know |
|---|---|
| Approved Superior Cognitive instruments | NNAT3 and CogAT |
| Identification categories | Superior Cognitive, Reading, Math, Creative Thinking, Visual/Performing Arts |
| Testing frequency | Two opportunities per school year: fall and spring |
| Who administers | Teachers, test coordinators, and gifted staff |
| Gifted Services contacts | Jessica Boswell, Gifted Services Manager, (513) 363-0302 · Mandy Cole, Gifted Lead Teacher, (513) 363-0300 |
For a parent-friendly overview of the visual reasoning format shared by both approved instruments, see our guide to the four NNAT® question types.
Why the Spencer Center is a separate topic
Cincinnati’s Spencer Center for Gifted and Exceptional Students appears in the district’s elementary school list below, and it is easy to assume it describes district-wide identification. It does not. Spencer Center publishes its own magnet enrollment thresholds: a superior cognitive score on an approved assessment, sometimes paired with a 95th percentile reading or math score for Gifted Entrance, or separate reading and math percentile thresholds for Exceptional Entrance. Scores earned in grades 2 through 5 qualify a student for grades 3 through 6 enrollment there.
That is a magnet school admission standard, not the process for a child identified as gifted and served at their home school. If your family is asking about gifted services generally, the Gifted Services contacts above are the right starting point; if you are specifically considering Spencer Center, its own office at (513) 363-3400 handles score review.
Elementary schools in Cincinnati Public Schools
In most districts, a gifted-screening window applies across the district, while each school handles practical details inside that window.
Cincinnati elementary schools include:
- Academy of Multilingual Immersion Studies
- Academy of World Languages
- Bond Hill Academy
- Bramble Nature Campus
- Carson School
- Chase School
- Cheviot School
- Clifton Area Neighborhood School
- College Hill Academy
- Covedale School
- Dater Montessori School
- Dr. O’dell Owens Center for Learning
- Fairview-Clifton German Language School
- Frederick Douglass School
- Hays-Porter School
- Hyde Park School
- James N. Gamble Montessori Elementary School
- John J. Gilligan Digital Academy
- John P. Parker School
- Kilgour School
- LEAP Academy
- Midway School
- Mt. Airy School
- Mt. Washington School
- North Avondale Montessori School
- Oyler School
- Parker Woods Montessori School
- Pleasant Ridge Montessori School
- Rees E. Price Academy
- Roberts Academy
- Rockdale Academy
- Roll Hill School
- Roselawn Condon School
- Rothenberg Preparatory Academy
- School for Creative and Performing Arts
- Sands Montessori School
- Sayler Park School
- Silverton School
- Spencer Center for Gifted and Exceptional Students
- Westwood School
- William H. Taft Elementary School
- Winton Hills Academy
- Woodford Academy
Questions Cincinnati parents should ask
- Is the NNAT3 or the CogAT being used for my child’s grade and school this year?
- What exact date is my child scheduled to test in the fall or spring window?
- Is a referral form needed, and when is it due?
- If my child qualifies for Superior Cognitive identification, what gifted services are available at our school?
- How will the school explain results and connect them to next steps?
Our broader questions to ask your school guide can help you turn those into one clear conversation with the office or Gifted Services.
Frequently asked questions
Does Cincinnati offer gifted testing?
Yes. Cincinnati Public Schools’ own gifted program page confirms two testing opportunities each year, in fall and spring.
Does Cincinnati use the NNAT?
Yes, sometimes. Cincinnati Public Schools names the NNAT3 and the CogAT as its state-approved instruments for Superior Cognitive identification. Ohio lets districts choose from an approved list rather than mandating one test, so which of the two is used can vary by school and year.
Why doesn’t Cincinnati use just one gifted test?
Ohio’s Department of Education requires districts to identify gifted students in several categories, including Superior Cognitive Ability, and lets each district pick instruments from an approved list rather than mandating a single statewide test. Cincinnati’s approved list for Superior Cognitive Ability includes the NNAT3 and the CogAT.
How do Cincinnati families request gifted testing?
Cincinnati says referral forms are available online and in CPS school offices. Families can also contact the district’s Gifted Services office directly.
Is the Spencer Center the same as district-wide gifted identification in Cincinnati?
No. The Spencer Center for Gifted and Exceptional Students is a magnet school with its own enrollment thresholds, including a superior cognitive score plus a 95th percentile reading or math score for Gifted Entrance. That is separate from a child being identified as gifted at their home school.
Start with the visual format.
Both instruments Cincinnati names, the NNAT3 and the CogAT, include visual reasoning sections. GateBuddy’s free NNAT® practice introduces that question style and explains how to think through it.
Try five questions free