Kindergarten to grade 2: all students receive nurturing lessons, and identified students receive an individual plan.
Asheville City Schools AIG
Asheville City Schools AIG screening and identification.
Asheville City Schools gives every student the NGAT at the end of grade 2 and the NGAT Nonverbal in grade 6, then identifies gifted students area by area with the points system in its 2025–2028 plan.
NGAT
Last verified: October 15, 2026
ACS gifted screening at a glance
- District
- Asheville City Schools
- Program
- Academically/Intellectually Gifted (AIG)
- Tests named
-
- NGAT (Naglieri General Ability Tests), full battery: all students, at the end of grade 2
- NGAT Nonverbal battery: all students, in grade 6
- Achievement data, such as MCLASS, USNS and BOG results, also informs identification
- Grades tested / screened
- Grade 2: every student takes the full NGAT battery at the end of the year. Grade 6: every student takes the NGAT Nonverbal battery. Grades 3–7: ACS screens students every year as new data becomes available, which is a review of new data, not a yearly NGAT. Kindergarten to grade 2: a student can be identified through a specialist-led path.
- Universal vs referral
- Both. NGAT screening in grades 2 and 6 is universal. Teachers (including AIG specialists), caregivers and students themselves can refer a student for AIG screening with the ACS referral form, and caregivers must give permission before any additional testing.
- Last verified
- October 15, 2026
ACS screening points and standing windows
About these dates
- Asheville City Schools' 2025–2028 AIG plan sets standing windows rather than dated 2026–27 appointments. For this year's screening dates, ask your school's AIG specialist. Checked October 15, 2026.
Standing rules and yearly deadlines (no year given)
- Every student takes the full NGAT battery at the end of grade 2, and the NGAT Nonverbal battery in grade 6 Universal NGAT, Grades 2 and 6
- New referrals who need an aptitude test are tested in one of two windows, from the start of the school year until October 1 or from February 1 to March 1, and caregivers must give permission before any testing Aptitude testing for new referrals
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).
ACS counts points by area, not one NGAT pass mark.
In grades 3–8, a student is identified with 2 points within two years in the area being identified, for example 2 reading points for reading. One reading point can come from the 95th percentile or higher on Verbal NGAT or another nationally normed aptitude test, or from the top 10% of a subgroup on Verbal NGAT. A Level 5 or higher on the reading BOG or EOG can also give a point, and can be used twice from two separate testing events.
These are examples, not the complete criteria; the plan’s identification chart has every route. One subgroup line in that chart names the CogAT while the rest of the plan names the NGAT, and this guide does not swap one for the other.
AIG services from kindergarten to high school
Grades 3–8: differentiated coursework in the classroom, and small-group instruction from the AIG specialist in the area of need.
Grades 9–12: students choose coursework and programs that fit their aptitude and interests, and AIG specialists support applications such as Governor's School.
How to raise a concern about an AIG decision
Start with your school’s AIG specialist. ACS’s 2025–2028 plan sends AIG disagreements through district Policy Code 1740/4010, the Student and Parent Grievance Procedure; read the current policy for its steps and time limits.
The useful ACS-specific details
Asheville identifies by area (reading, math, intellectual ability or a combination) and reviews students in grades 3–7 every year as new data arrives, so identification is not limited to the grade 2 test.
Students formally identified as gifted in another school are identified as gifted in ACS; the district uses the available data to decide services once the student enrolls and the documentation arrives.
The plan calls for inviting the school's multilingual-learner teacher when the committee discusses multilingual students, and exceptional-children teachers when it discusses twice-exceptional students. AIG specialists attend those students' Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meetings when possible.
Updates
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ACS parent questions
When does ACS give the NGAT?
ACS gives all students the full NGAT battery at the end of grade 2 and the Nonverbal battery in grade 6. Its FAQ says students in grades 3–7 are screened every year as new data becomes available, which is a data review rather than a yearly NGAT.
Can a parent ask for AIG screening?
Yes. Teachers (including AIG specialists), caregivers and students themselves can refer a student with the ACS referral form. New referrals who need an aptitude test are tested from the start of the school year until October 1, or from February 1 to March 1, after a caregiver gives permission.
What is the two-point rule?
In grades 3–8, a student is identified with 2 points in the area being identified within two years. For reading, one point can come from the 95th percentile or higher on Verbal NGAT, or from a Level 5 or higher on the reading BOG or EOG. The plan’s chart lists every route.
Can a child be identified in kindergarten to grade 2?
Yes, through a specialist-led path. The plan asks for achievement at least two grade levels above the current grade, ratings from educators who work with the child and committee review, before a possible full-scale IQ test.
What if my child was identified in another school?
ACS’s plan says students formally identified as gifted in other schools will be identified as gifted in ACS, and the district uses the available data to decide services once the student enrolls and the documentation arrives.
Official ACS 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.