Gifted & Talented Testing

What is "Gifted and Talented (G/T)"?

The state of Texas defines a Gifted and Talented student as a student who performs at or shows the potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment and who: (1) exhibits high performance capability in an intellectual, creative, or artistic area; (2) possesses an unusual capacity for leadership; or (3) excels in a specific academic field.

Testing & Identification

G/T testing is available to all enrolled HISD students, from Pre-K-4 through 12th grade, if they are referred for evaluation by a teacher, a parent, the student, or a district-generated roster. Parents must provide consent for Gifted and Talented evaluations when someone other than themselves makes the referral. Gifted and Talented (G/T) identification is required to be eligible to apply for Vanguard campuses in HISD. Requests will also be accepted for students planning to enroll in Kindergarten at HISD for the 2027-2028 school year who currently live in a residence zoned to an HISD campus. 

In alignment with guidance from the Texas Education Agency and the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students, HISD will accept G/T testing requests for:

• Students enrolled in Houston ISD in grades K–12
• Students planning to enroll in Kindergarten at an HISD Vanguard campus for the 2027–2028 school year who currently reside in an HISD attendance zone

Families interested in enrolling in Houston ISD can find step-by-step enrollment information on the student enrollment website.

All assessments are administered during pre-established testing timelines by trained HISD staff at the student's enrolled or zoned (Entering Kindergarten only) HISD campus. The G/T testing administered includes the following:

• Pre-K4/Entering Kindergarten (referral)
• Kindergarten - Twelfth Grade (referral)
• HISD Universal 2nd Grade (district)
• HISD 5th and 8th grade students who score above the 80th percentile on MAP testing in Math or Reading (district)

*Please note: 

• If your child is not currently enrolled in HISD, your child must enroll in an HISD school by the following school year 27-28 to maintain HISD G/T qualification.  If your child does not enroll in HISD by the following school year 27-28, the G/T identification will no longer be accepted, and retesting will be required as an enrolled HISD student.
• For students Entering Kindergarten in 2027-2028 and participating in G/T testing during the 2026-2027 school year, G/T identification results will be accepted in HISD for the 2027-2028 school year only.  If your child does not enroll in HISD Kindergarten during the 2027-2028 school year, the G/T identification will no longer be accepted, and retesting will be required as an enrolled HISD student.

Gifted and Talented Testing Request

The Gifted and Talented Testing request process is now open for HISD students currently enrolled in PK4-12th grade and students entering Kindergarten in 2027-2028. *Gifted and Talented Identification is required to be eligible to apply for the Oak Forest Elementary Vanguard Program as a non-zoned student.

Please follow the instructions below relevant to your student to complete Fall G/T testing registration by September 25, 2026. 

Enrolled Students: If your student is enrolled in PK4-12th grade at an HISD campus, please use ParentSquare to request testing. Below are guides for getting started with ParentSquare and the G/T Testing Request Process.

•  Welcome to ParentSquare
• 26-27 G/T Testing Request 
• The campus will schedule your student's specific testing dates within the window.  If you have questions about the testing timeline, please contact the campus G/T coordinator, Carrie Botello. 

Entering Kindergarten 2027-2028 (not enrolled in HISD): If your student is not currently enrolled in HISD, will be entering Kindergarten in 2027-2028 in HISD (birthdate between 9/2/2021-9/1/2022), and lives in a residence zoned to HISD, your student is eligible for G/T testing. Please use the link below to request G/T testing:

• Entering Kindergarten G/T Request Link (not enrolled HISD only)
• Your HISD zoned campus will schedule your student's specific testing dates within the window. If you have questions about the testing timeline, please contact the campus coordinator. You can find your zoned campus by entering your address in School Navigator.  

Eligibility determination for the Gifted and Talented (G/T) program is based on the HISD G/T Identification Matrix. HISD uses two separate matrices: one for students applying for Entering Kindergarten and another for those currently in grades K-12.​ 

The identification process relies on a combination of qualitative and quantitative data, utilizing three or more criteria.

All scores are converted into points according to HISD’s G/T Identification Matrix. Parents will receive written notification regarding the eligibility from the G/T evaluation. Specific dates for the availability of the G/T Identification Matrix are shared once they are finalized.

If a student is evaluated and does not qualify, they will be eligible for reassessment after one calendar school year. 

Visit the Family Information Sessions tab below for more information on test types and identification.

G/T Qualification Categories (K-12 ONLY)

 * To apply to any Vanguard magnet program, a student must qualify in both Math and Reading.