Gifted Identification in Ontario: Screening, Testing, Criteria and What a Gifted IEP Looks Like

A letter came home about a cognitive test, or a teacher used the word gifted, or you have searched for a score and found nothing that agrees. This page covers the Ministry's definition, why the grade and the cut-off change with your board, what the tests measure, why practising can disqualify a child, and what a gifted IEP contains.

Key facts

• Giftedness sits in the intellectual category: "an unusually advanced degree of general intellectual ability that requires differentiated learning experiences of a depth and breadth beyond those normally provided in the regular school program" (Ministry categories of exceptionalities).
• That definition names no test and no score. Each board must publish its own "criteria for admission" and "admission process" for every category (Ministry policy and resource guide, Part B).
• Screening grades differ: Grade 3 at the TDSB and York Region, Grade 4 at Halton and Peel.
• A principal shall refer your child to an IPRC at a parent's written request, and an identified student must have an IEP completed and sent to you within 30 school days after placement (O. Reg. 181/98, s. 14(1)(b), 6(3), 6(8)).
• The age 14 transition plan does not apply to a pupil identified solely as gifted (s. 6(5)), but PPM 156 requires one for every student with an IEP.
• Boards invalidate practised results. The TDSB permits no advance preparation, and Halton states that "non-novel material may invalidate the results".

What is the Ministry's definition of giftedness in Ontario?

Giftedness is one of three definitions in the intellectual category, alongside mild intellectual disability and developmental disability. The Ministry's categories page, which carries a notice that it dates from 2017, defines it as "an unusually advanced degree of general intellectual ability that requires differentiated learning experiences of a depth and breadth beyond those normally provided in the regular school program to satisfy the level of educational potential indicated."

Read that twice. It is about need for a different program, not a number, and the Ministry adds that need, not diagnosis, is the determining factor (Identifying students with special education needs).

Is there one gifted test and one cut-off score for Ontario?

No. There is no provincial gifted test and no provincial cut-off. The Ministry writes the definition, and each board decides how it screens and what evidence satisfies its IPRC. A child at the 97th percentile can meet criteria in one board and not in the one next door.

What grade is gifted screening, and what score does each board require?

It depends on the board. Six of them, using only what each publishes:

Board	Screening	Criterion for identification
TDSB	CCAT-7 to all Grade 3 students each fall	98th percentile on the WISC-V General Ability Index, at Grade 3 or later and age 8 or older
York Region	CCAT to all Grade 3 students, late November to early December	98th percentile on the General Ability Index of the individual measure (WISC-V)
Peel	Naglieri General Abilities Test in Grade 4, usually in the fall	Psychoeducational assessment with an intellectual ability and academic achievement composite two standard deviations above average
Halton	CCAT-7 universal screening in Grade 4	CCAT-7 overall composite and all three domains at 99th; or 98th percentile General Ability Score on the WISC-V
Durham	CCAT by nomination, forms sent to all Grade 3 students in early September	Not published; a group score in the 95th to 97th percentile leads to an individual assessment
Ottawa-Carleton	Application-based, not grade-wide screening	CCAT-7 at 98th percentile on two of three scales and 90th on the third; or WISC-V or Stanford-Binet FSIQ or GAI at 98th percentile

York Region does not publish its Stage One CCAT criterion. Halton is the only one where a CCAT-7 profile alone can meet criteria. Durham publishes no identification score, so ask for it in writing. The TDSB rules are covered in our TDSB parent guide.

What are the CCAT-7 and the WISC-V, and what do they measure?

One is a group screener, the other an individual assessment by a psychologist.

The CCAT-7 is the Canadian Cognitive Abilities Test, Seventh Edition. Nelson, the publisher, calls it a group-administered, paper and pencil assessment measuring "cognitive reasoning across verbal, nonverbal, and quantitative domains" with Canadian norms, and markets it for determining "eligibility for gifted and talented programs" (CCAT 7 information sheet). It does not test what your child has learned. It tests reasoning.

The WISC-V is the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition, given one to one over a couple of hours. Pearson describes the Canadian edition as an intelligence test for ages 6:0 to 16:11 that "measures a child's intellectual ability and 5 cognitive domains that impact performance", reporting a Full Scale IQ plus index scores (Pearson Clinical Assessment Canada). The General Ability Index several boards name is one of those, and is not the same number as the Full Scale IQ.

Are there gifted test sample questions, and can my child practise?

Practising can disqualify your child's results, so preparation material is a risk, not an advantage. The TDSB permits no advance preparation, practice or prior exposure, and states that evidence of it renders results invalid: if staff conclude a student may have seen similar items, testing stops and results are not shared or considered. Halton puts it in one line: "For all assessments, non-novel material may invalidate the results."

There is a difference between coaching and ordinary parenting. What you can legitimately do:

• Make sure your child sleeps normally and eats before the test.
• Tell them what the day will look like: a booklet, a pencil, a quiet room, a teacher reading instructions, some questions that will feel odd or unfinished.
• Say that nobody answers everything, and a hard question is not a mistake.
• Do not work through practice items, question banks or tutoring aimed at the test.

If your child has already used practice material, tell the school before the test.

How does the IPRC route work for giftedness?

The route is identical to every other exceptionality, and your written request cannot be refused. Under subsection 14(1)(b) of O. Reg. 181/98 the principal shall refer a pupil to an Identification, Placement and Review Committee at a parent's written request. Within 15 days you must receive an acknowledgement, the board's parents' guide and approximately when the committee will meet. That matters most when a board screens only by nomination, or when screening has passed your child by. Our IPRC guide covers the meeting and the appeal windows.

1. Write to the principal asking for a referral to an IPRC, naming subsection 14(1)(b). Keep the date.
2. Ask in the same message which criteria the board applies for the intellectual category, and what assessment the committee will obtain.
3. Send your material at least five days ahead: report cards, work samples, any outside report, and a one page note on what your child does that the classroom is not asking for.
4. Ask that program recommendations go into the statement of decision. The committee recommends services but does not decide them.

What to ask the school

• "Which board document sets out the gifted criteria, and can I have a copy?"
• "Which grade does this board screen, and was my child screened? What were the results?"
• "If my child was not screened, what is the referral route here?"
• "Will you accept an outside psychoeducational assessment, and what must it contain?"
• "If my child is identified, which placements are available near us this year?"

Do gifted students get IEPs, and what is in a gifted IEP?

Yes. A student identified as gifted by an IPRC is an exceptional pupil, so an IEP must be completed and sent to you within 30 school days after placement (s. 6(8)). A student can also have an IEP for enrichment without an identification (Individual education plans).

There is no separate gifted form. It is the same IEP, containing specific educational expectations, an outline of the program and services, and how progress will be reviewed (s. 6(3)). Every subject is marked one of three ways in the Ministry's policy and resource guide:

• Accommodated only (AC). Regular grade-level expectations, with changes to how your child learns and shows learning. Accommodations "in no way alter the curriculum expectations".
• Modified (MOD). Changed grade-level expectations, and usually the enrichment line for a gifted learner. The guide defines modifications as changes that may involve "increasing or decreasing the number and/or complexity of the regular grade-level curriculum expectations".
• Alternative (ALT). Expectations not represented in the Ontario curriculum at all, recorded as an alternative program.

The guide's strategy list includes one written for this profile: "providing enrichment units, additional readings, and other opportunities (e.g., problems to solve) that extend learning". Peel calls its version the "Gifted Plan/Enhanced Learning Plan" (Peel gifted FAQ).

Check the transition plan. Subsection 6(5) says the age 14 postsecondary transition plan does not apply to a pupil identified solely on the basis of giftedness. PPM 156 then requires transition planning for all students with an IEP, "including those identified as exceptional solely on the basis of giftedness". The regulation carves gifted students out; the memorandum puts them back in.

What are the placement options for a gifted student?

Three shapes. The trade-off is always how much of the day changes and what your child gives up to get it.

• Regular class with indirect or resource support. The classroom stays the same and the teacher differentiates. Your child keeps their school and friends, and the risk is that enrichment depends on one teacher's time. Peel provides its In-School Enhanced Learning Program in every elementary school.
• Withdrawal. Instruction outside the classroom for under half the day. The usual cost is missed classroom work.
• Congregated or full-time gifted class. A different room, sometimes a different school. Halton runs Gifted Self-Contained classes at elementary and Gifted Clusters at secondary. Peel runs Learning Hub 25 classes, which may be multi-grade and not at your home school. Durham and Ottawa-Carleton both start at Grade 4. The Ministry caps elementary gifted classes at 20 if primary division only, 23 if it mixes divisions, 25 if junior or intermediate only.

Before considering a special education class, the IPRC must first consider whether a regular class with appropriate services would meet your child's needs and matches your preferences (s. 17). Ask what travel, what school, and what your child stops doing.

What about twice-exceptional students?

A child can be gifted and have a learning disability, ADHD or another exceptionality at the same time. The Ministry defines a learning disability as one affecting students "who have assessed intellectual abilities that are at least in the average range", producing underachievement inconsistent with those abilities or achievement maintained "only with extremely high levels of effort". The same definition says a learning disability may be associated with "other exceptionalities".

The phrase twice-exceptional is a board and clinical term, not a Ministry one, and does not appear in the Ministry's policy and resource guide. Boards do use it: the OCDSB says its Secondary Gifted Program "is inclusive of Twice-Exceptional learners (e.g., students with ADHD, Learning Disabilities, Autism, etc.)" (OCDSB Secondary Gifted Program Information Resource).

The practical problem is that strengths mask needs. A child reading three years ahead and handing nothing in can look like a motivation problem rather than an executive functioning one. Ask that the report be read for the gap between ability and output, not just the top-line score. None of the six boards publishes whether extra criteria apply when a student is considered for both a gifted and a learning disability identification, so ask the board's psychology staff that question directly and in writing..

Will a board accept a private psychoeducational assessment?

Most of the boards we checked will consider one, on conditions they publish. Verify with your own board in writing first.

• Peel. Yes. An assessment not completed by a Peel consultant "will be considered as part of the process", once you consent to the school's consultant reviewing it.
• York Region. Yes, if it comes from a psychologist or psychological associate registered with the College of Psychologists of Ontario, was done at an age appropriate for Grade 3 or later, and contains a measure of intellectual functioning, a full academic assessment and a review of school-based functioning.
• Halton. Yes. WISC-V or Stanford-Binet-5 assessments "may also be considered", must be administered or supervised by a member of the College of Psychologists and Behavioural Analysts of Ontario, and need a 12 month gap on re-assessment.
• Durham. Yes, with board approval and a nine month gap if board staff used the same test.
• Ottawa-Carleton. An application must include a psychoeducational assessment with a CCAT-7 or WISC-V, judged still valid by school psychology staff.
• TDSB. Private reports are reviewed and summarized in a Consultation Note, with limits on repeat testing. See the TDSB parent guide.

Ask your board which tests it accepts before you book, so you do not pay for a report it will not use.

Common mistakes

• Assuming the TDSB rule is the Ontario rule. The 98th percentile GAI is common, but it is a board criterion. Peel and Halton do not phrase theirs the same way.
• Buying practice tests. Two of the boards above say plainly that practised material can invalidate results.
• Waiting for screening to catch your child. If your board screens in a grade your child has passed, or only by nomination, a written IPRC request is your route.
• Booking a private assessment before asking what the board accepts. Test choice, age at testing and the gap since the last test all matter.
• Treating identification as the goal. Identification without a placement your child can get to changes little.
• Skipping the transition plan. Subsection 6(5) exempts gifted-only students, PPM 156 does not.

Where a consultant fits

Families reach us at one of three moments: screening results arrived and nobody explained them, a report is on the table full of index scores, or an IPRC is booked and the vocabulary is new.

Through Hourly Consulting we help you work out whether an assessment is the right next step and what your board accepts, connect you with psychologists, speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists, and work through a single question, such as preparing for one meeting. Talia does not conduct assessments. Through Assessment Breakdown & Guidance we read a completed report with you and translate the General Ability Index, the index scatter and the recommendations into what a committee will hear. IEP Review & Strategy reviews the assessments and the school's IEP together and drafts proposed wording on what enrichment should look like in class and whether a transition plan is there. Navigating Special Education is a three-session package covering what an IPRC is and determining the right placement, for families earlier in this process. School Placement Support helps when you are weighing a congregated class against an independent school. Talia is an Ontario Certified Teacher with a Special Education Specialist qualification, not a lawyer or a psychologist.

Frequently asked questions

Do gifted students get IEPs in Ontario?

Yes. Giftedness is a definition in the intellectual category of exceptionality, so a student an IPRC identifies as gifted is an exceptional pupil. An IEP must be completed and a copy sent to you within 30 school days after placement in a special education program. A student can also have an IEP for enrichment without ever being identified.

What is a gifted IEP?

It is the same IEP form every exceptional student gets, filled in for a learner who needs more depth and complexity. It must contain specific educational expectations, an outline of the program and services, and how progress will be reviewed. Subjects are marked accommodated only, modified or alternative. For gifted learners, modifications often increase the number or complexity of grade-level expectations.

What grade is gifted testing in Ontario?

It depends on the board, and there is no provincial answer. The TDSB and York Region screen every Grade 3 student. Halton and Peel screen in Grade 4. Durham tests by nomination from Grade 3 up. Ottawa-Carleton works by application rather than grade-wide screening. Check your own board's page before assuming a grade.

What score do you need to be identified as gifted in Ontario?

There is no provincial cut-off. Several boards use the 98th percentile on the WISC-V General Ability Index, including the TDSB and York Region. Halton also accepts a CCAT-7 profile at the 99th percentile overall and on all three domains. Ottawa-Carleton accepts the 98th percentile on two CCAT-7 scales with 90th on the third.

Are there gifted test sample questions I can use to prepare my child?

Practice material can disqualify your child's results. The TDSB states that no advance preparation or practice is permitted and that evidence of prior exposure renders results invalid. Halton states that non-novel material may invalidate results. Ordinary sleep, breakfast and knowing what the day will look like are fine. Drilling on items is not.

Can I request an IPRC for giftedness?

Yes, and the principal cannot refuse. Under subsection 14(1)(b) of O. Reg. 181/98 the principal shall refer your child at the written request of a parent. Within 15 days you must receive an acknowledgement, the board's parents' guide, and approximately when the committee will meet. Put the request in writing and keep the date.

Will my board accept a private psychoeducational assessment for gifted identification?

Most of the boards we checked do, with conditions. Peel accepts outside assessments with your consent to have them reviewed. York Region sets minimum contents. Halton accepts WISC-V or Stanford-Binet-5 with a 12 month gap on re-assessment. Durham requires approval and a nine month gap if the same test was used. Confirm with your own board in writing.

Can a gifted child also have a learning disability or ADHD?

Yes. The Ministry's learning disability definition applies to students whose assessed intellectual abilities are at least in the average range, and says a learning disability may be associated with other exceptionalities. A student can be identified under more than one category. The Ministry does not use the phrase twice-exceptional, but boards such as Ottawa-Carleton do.

Sources

• O. Reg. 181/98: Identification and Placement of Exceptional Pupils, Government of Ontario e-Laws
• Special education in Ontario, Kindergarten to Grade 12, policy and resource guide: Categories of exceptionalities, Ontario Ministry of Education
• Special education in Ontario, Kindergarten to Grade 12, policy and resource guide (full PDF), Ontario Ministry of Education
• Policy/Program Memorandum No. 156: Supporting Transitions for Students with Special Education Needs, Ontario Ministry of Education
• Identifying students with special education needs, Ontario Ministry of Education
• Individual education plans, Ontario Ministry of Education
• TDSB Universal Screening, Toronto District School Board
• Intellectual: Gifted, Peel District School Board
• Gifted and Enhanced Learning in Peel: Frequently Asked Questions, Peel District School Board
• Gifted Screening Procedure, York Region District School Board
• Criteria for Special Education Programs, Halton District School Board
• Gifted Placement, Durham District School Board
• Criteria Sheet for Gifted Program, Ottawa-Carleton District School Board
• Secondary Gifted Program Information Resource, Ottawa-Carleton District School Board
• Canadian Cognitive Abilities Test (CCAT 7) for Grades K-12, Nelson
• Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition: Canadian, Pearson Clinical Assessment Canada