Tier One, Consultative Service: for AIG students who need differentiation in the regular classroom; the AIG teacher guides the classroom teacher on differentiation, enrichment and extension.
ABSS Advanced Learners (AIG)
ABSS AIG screening, referrals, and identification.
Alamance-Burlington screens every second grader each spring, places high scorers in a talent pool, and identifies AIG students through several pathways in its 2025–2028 plan.
NGATCogAT
Last verified: October 15, 2026
ABSS gifted screening at a glance
- District
- Alamance-Burlington School System
- Program
- Advanced Learners (AIG): Academically and Intellectually Gifted
- Tests named
-
- NGAT (Naglieri General Ability Tests), online: the spring universal screen for second graders, which the district's Advanced Learners page names
- Paper/pencil CogAT: the 2025–2028 plan allows it as the alternative test for the same second-grade spring screen
- Achievement evidence: the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, Beginning-of-Grade (BOG) and End-of-Grade (EOG) tests
- Grades tested / screened
- Grade 2: every student takes the universal screen in the spring. Second graders who score at the 80th percentile or higher on specified verbal, quantitative or partial-composite scores join a talent pool for further screening, and more data gathered in grade 3 helps decide whether formal testing is needed. Grades K–12: students can be referred.
- Universal vs referral
- Both. Second grade is screened universally each spring. Teachers, parents or guardians, and school administrators can refer K–12 students; a parent referral is made in writing (or by email) to the principal of the child's school. A referral means the child will be screened for an AIG evaluation, but it does not guarantee that testing will be given.
- Last verified
- October 15, 2026
ABSS standing timing
About these dates
- ABSS's pages give standing rules rather than dated 2026–27 appointments. For this year's dates, ask your school's AIG teacher. Checked October 15, 2026.
Standing rules and yearly deadlines (no year given)
- Parent referrals are due by the last day school is in session before the Thanksgiving holidays, in writing or by email to the school principal Parent referrals
- Second graders take the universal screen in the spring, with the online NGAT or a paper/pencil CogAT Universal screen, Grade 2
- To challenge an AIG decision, ask in writing for a conference with the school AIG committee within five business days of notification of the committee's recommendation Appeal, first step
Abbreviations on this page: AIG = Academically or Intellectually Gifted (the North Carolina program name); BOG = Beginning-of-Grade test (North Carolina); EOG = End-of-Grade test (North Carolina).
ABSS uses a talent pool and several pathways, not one pass mark.
The 80th-percentile talent pool is a screening step, not AIG identification. Final identification follows one of the plan’s pathways. For example, in grades 3–5 the Highly Gifted pathway needs both a 97th–99th percentile verbal and/or quantitative aptitude score and a 97th–99th percentile Iowa total math and/or reading score; one academically gifted pathway uses an Iowa total reading and/or math score at the 90th–99th percentile; and the intellectually gifted pathway uses a 95th–99th percentile total or verbal/quantitative aptitude composite.
The district’s live Advanced Learners page summarizes screening with different percentile bands than the plan, and the two have not been reconciled. Neither should be read as a score that alone guarantees AIG services; ask your school’s AIG teacher which rule applies.
ABSS AIG service tiers
Tier Two, Resource Service: for AIG students who need more rigor and challenge; the AIG teacher gives direct support through pull-out and/or co-teaching, and middle and high school students are served through advanced courses.
Tier Three, Acceleration: for AIG students who meet the criteria for whole-grade or course acceleration.
What the ABSS plan says about appeals
The first step is a written request for a conference with the school-based AIG committee, within five business days of notification of the committee’s recommendation. Later steps go to the principal, the district AIG coordinator and district leadership, each with its own deadline in the plan’s due-process section.
The useful ABSS-specific details
ABSS separates the second-grade screen and talent pool from the final identification pathways, and its plan sets rules for outside testing and for students who transfer in.
Students identified by the district's multilingual department can have the Naglieri and CogAT directions read in Spanish.
Students who transfer into ABSS with documentation of a previous gifted placement are enrolled in the ABSS AIG program for the current school year; ABSS reviews the documentation for the most appropriate placement, and more testing may happen in the next testing window.
Parents of ABSS students may have testing done outside the district by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist, but the child must meet ABSS criteria for placement, and outside Naglieri, CogAT or Iowa testing is not accepted if the child took the same test within ABSS during the past year.
Updates
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ABSS parent questions
Which test does ABSS use in grade 2?
The 2025–2028 plan screens all second graders each spring with the online NGAT or a paper/pencil CogAT. The district’s Advanced Learners page names the Naglieri for this spring screen.
How do I refer my child?
Write or email the principal of your child’s school. ABSS says referrals are due by the last day school is in session before the Thanksgiving holidays. A referral means the child will be screened for an AIG evaluation, but it does not guarantee that testing will be given.
Is the 80th percentile an AIG passing score?
No. Under the plan, second graders at the 80th percentile or higher on specified verbal, quantitative or partial-composite scores join a talent pool for further screening. More data gathered in grade 3 helps decide whether formal testing is needed, and final identification follows a separate pathway.
Can outside test scores be used?
For ABSS students, the plan allows testing outside the district by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist, but the child must meet ABSS placement criteria. Outside Naglieri, CogAT or Iowa testing is not accepted if the child took the same test within ABSS during the past year.
What if my child transfers in with a gifted placement?
The plan says students who transfer in with documentation of a previous gifted placement are enrolled in the ABSS AIG program for the current school year. ABSS reviews the documentation for the most appropriate placement, and more testing may happen in the next testing window.
How quickly must I start an appeal?
The plan’s first step is a written request for a conference with the school AIG committee within five business days of notification of the committee’s recommendation. Read the plan’s full due-process section for the later steps.
Official ABSS sources used
Naglieri General Ability Tests™ (NGAT) is a trademark of Multi-Health Systems Inc. (MHS), used here for identification purposes only. Reasonwell Press is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or licensed by MHS or Dr. Jack Naglieri, and MHS was not involved in producing our materials. Our practice materials are original NGAT-style items, not actual test questions, and do not guarantee any score or placement outcome.
CogAT® and Cognitive Abilities Test™ are trademarks or registered trademarks of Riverside Assessments, LLC (Riverside Insights), used here for identification purposes only. Reasonwell Press is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or licensed by Riverside Insights, and Riverside Insights was not involved in producing our materials. Our practice materials are original CogAT®-style items, not actual test questions, and do not guarantee any score or placement outcome.