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Buncombe County Schools: gifted testing

Dates and requirements change. Always confirm with Buncombe County Schools directly. Last checked: 2026-10-28 · district website

Academically or Intellectually Gifted (AIG)

Grades K-12

All third graders take the CogAT Screening Form in the second semester of grade 3. Students at or above the 85th percentile go into the pool for formal identification, which usually happens in the first weeks of grade 4. Second graders can join the Problem Solvers enrichment group and third graders Talent Development; neither is a gifted identification.

TestGradesWhoWhen
CogAT3All students testedSecond semester of grade 3source
NNAT3, 4, 5Used, with the TONI-4, to reduce language and experience barriersNot publishedsource

Published criteria

  • Screening step: 85th percentile or above on the CogAT Screening Form. source
  • Grades 4-8: AR or AM needs aptitude of 120 / 90th percentile plus 90th percentile achievement in the subject; AIG needs aptitude of 130 / 97th percentile plus 95th percentile achievement in reading and/or math (the other subject at the 90th percentile); IG needs aptitude at the 97th percentile. source

Appeals / retesting: Step 1: a written request to the principal for a conference with the School Based Identification Team, granted within five school days. Step 2: a written appeal to the AIG/Advanced Learning Lead Specialist within five school days of the team's written response; a panel meets within ten school days. NC law then allows a contested case hearing. source

Get ready for Buncombe County Schools's test

Start with a free readiness check. Pick Buncombe County Schools during setup and the report shows how your child's estimate compares with the published cutoff.

Free readiness check

District information is compiled from public sources and may be incomplete, out of date or wrong. GiftedCub is not affiliated with Buncombe County Schools. Confirm testing windows, deadlines, eligibility criteria and cutoffs directly with the district or school before relying on them. GiftedCub is not responsible for missed deadlines or decisions based on this information.

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