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Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)

Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)

The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) is a group-administered K–12 assessment from Riverside Insights.  It is intended to estimate students' learned reasoning and problem solving abilities through a battery of verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal test items. 

For more information about the CogAT assessment, please visit:

Jordan School District will administer the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) to all 6th grade students the last week of October through December of 2024. The test will be administered on Chromebooks, during school hours.  The results of the assessment will:

  • Inform middle school programming decisions.
  • Identify students with high-potential in an equitable manner.
  • Provide helpful data about students’ abilities and needs.

Parent Notification 

  • Schools will send the notification letters to parents. 
  • If parents choose to opt out of the assessment, they will bring the opt out form to the school. 
  • Results of the assessment will be shared with schools and parents after the assessment process is complete.

Testing Coordinators

  • Each school will need a CogAT testing coordinator who will proctor the assessment.
  • All testing coordinators need to complete a 30 - 60 minute online training.  
  • The training website is: https://riversideinsights.com/ri_datamanager
  • Testing Coordinators are responsible for checking to make sure all students at their school have completed all sections/subtests. To check the status of all your students, please follow the Completion Check Instructions.

Practice Tests Before Test Administration

There are three practice tests that should be reviewed with students 1-5 days before test administration. The practice tests are designed to help students become familiar with the types of questions found on the assessment. Reviewing the practice tests will standardize the testing experience.

  • Each practice test can be done as a whole class, using a projection system.
  • A hardcopy of the practice assessments will be provided to each 6th grade
    teacher. If you would like a digital version of the practice tests, please email Kassidy Towery at kassidy.towery@jordandistrict.org and request them.
  • Either the teacher or the proctor can review the practice tests with the students.

Testing Devices

  • The Riverside testing app is available on all JSD Chromebooks. To open the test on a chromebook, make sure users are logged out. Then open the apps on the chromebook, and select the 'Riverside DataManager' app. Students can then log in on the right side of the screen by entering their lunch number, and the session code for the test they will be doing. 
  • Laptops and desktops (both Mac and PC) can also be used for testing. Have students go to https://www.riversideonlinetest.com/studentlogin.aspx. Once on this screen, students can then log in on the right side of the screen by entering their lunch number and the session code for the test they will be doing. 

Test Scheduling and Monitoring

  • The test will be administered via Chromebooks during school hours.
  • Teachers are asked to help monitor the testing events. 
  • School administrators, 6th grade teachers, and the site testing coordinator can collaborate to set a testing schedule that will best meet the school’s needs. 
  • The test should be proctored in individual classroom settings.
  • The assessment can be administered in 2-3 separate sessions across multiple days or within one day. It can also be administered in one complete session. 
  • All testing should be completed between Monday, October 29 – Friday, December 6, 2024.

Testing Administration

  • Audio administration is preferred. 
    • Spanish instructions are available in audio.
  • Scratch paper is needed for the Quantitative section.  
  • Scratch paper is prohibited for the Nonverbal section.
  • The total active testing time is 90 minutes.  Please also allow time for set-up, instructions, and sample questions for each test session.  
    • Getting Started - Approximately 15 minutes 
      • An optional, but helpful, tutorial to introduce students to the assessment platform.
    • Quantitative – Three 10-minute timed subtests
    • Nonverbal – Three 10-minute timed subtests
    • Verbal – Three 10-minute timed  subtests

Make-up Testing

  • Please have a plan in place for make-up testing.
  • Please be certain all students complete every subtest before the end of the testing window.

Online Students

The testing for online students must still be proctored, and parents will need to bring their students to the school for testing. Students registered at Rocky Peak Virtual will need to come to Hidden Valley or Majestic Elementary. This can be arranged at your convenience within the testing window. If the parents do not want to have their students participate, they need to fill out an opt-out form and bring it to the school. 

Please contact Kassidy Towery at kassidy.towery@jordandistrict.org (801-567-8115) or Rebecca Smith at rebecca.smith@jordandistrict.org (801-567-8368) with any questions you may have.