Houston ISD, Texas · Gifted and talented · 2026-27 · Checked November 2, 2026
Houston ISD G/T testing,
explained for parents
Houston ISD tested for gifted and talented from October 5 to 30, 2026, and results arrive the week of December 7. Here is which test HISD now uses, who could test, how the identification matrix and Vanguard rules work, and how to appeal.
Independent guide. iMasterly is not affiliated with Houston Independent School District (HISD), Texas. Every fact below links to the district's own page.
Quick answer
When do HISD gifted and talented results come out?
Houston ISD lists G/T results for the week of December 7, 2026, for both K-12 and Pre-K4/entering kindergarten testers. Enrolled students get them sent home and in the Parent Portal; entering kindergarten children who are not enrolled pick results up at their testing campus by December 18, 2026.
Source: Houston ISD: G/T Testing & Identification · Updated
Houston ISD at a glance
Gifted and Talented (G/T) and Vanguard
| What the district says | |
|---|---|
| Ability tests | NGAT (Naglieri General Ability Tests) for Pre-K4 to grade 8; CogAT for grades 9 to 12 |
| Who can test | Students enrolled in HISD, Pre-K4 to grade 12, and children entering kindergarten in 2027-28 at an HISD Vanguard campus who live in an HISD attendance zone |
| Consent | Parents must consent when someone other than the parent makes the referral |
| Tested automatically | Every grade 2 student, and grade 5 and 8 students above the 80th percentile on MAP reading or math |
| How it is decided | The HISD G/T Identification Matrix: three or more criteria turned into points |
| Vanguard magnets | A child must qualify in both reading and math to apply |
| Questions | giftedandtalented@houstonisd.org, 713-556-6954 |
Key dates for 2026-27
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Before September 23, 2026 | HISD expected the testing request link to close September 23; a child had to be enrolled at least 48 hours before it closed |
| October 5 to 30, 2026 | G/T testing window for enrolled Pre-K4 to grade 12 students and entering kindergarten testers |
| First week of December 2026 | The G/T Identification Matrix is generated |
| Week of December 7, 2026 | Results for all testers; enrolled students also in the Parent Portal |
| By December 18, 2026 | Entering kindergarten children not yet enrolled pick up results at their testing campus |
The testing request for 2026-27 is closed. A child who does not qualify can be tested again after one calendar school year.
HISD now uses the NGAT, not the old tests
Houston ISD gives the Naglieri General Ability Tests (NGAT) from Pre-K4 to grade 8 and the CogAT in grades 9 to 12. HISD says it chose them after looking at assessments used across Texas and the country, because both were built to find gifted students and to measure how a child thinks rather than what they already know. Both are normed by age, using the child’s birthdate.
On test day each child sits at their own device and follows animated directions that use no language. The NGAT has three parts: Verbal, where a child finds which of six pictures does not share the idea the others share; Nonverbal, with shapes and diagrams; and Quantitative, with numbers and shapes in patterns. Children entering kindergarten are tested in groups of five or fewer.
HISD asks families to avoid any test preparation, including study guides and practice materials, because it can inflate scores and hide what a child really needs.
The identification matrix and what a child qualifies for
HISD decides eligibility with its G/T Identification Matrix, one for entering kindergarten and another for grades K to 12. It combines three or more criteria, both test scores and other evidence, and converts them into points. Parents get a written notice of the result.
For grades K to 12 a child can qualify in one of three ways, and the result decides which services they receive:
- Both reading/ELA and math: services in math, science, reading/ELA and social studies.
- Reading/ELA only: services in reading/ELA and social studies.
- Math only: services in math and science.
- To apply to any Vanguard magnet, a child must qualify in both reading and math.
Entering kindergarten and children new to HISD
Children who will start kindergarten in 2027-28 could request testing if they live in an HISD attendance zone and plan to attend an HISD Vanguard campus. HISD lists birthdates from September 2, 2021 to September 1, 2022, and also accepts children born between August 1 and September 1, 2021 as an exception. Children outside those dates enroll in kindergarten first and request testing in the fall.
A G/T identification earned before enrolling only counts if the child enrolls in HISD by 2027-28; entering kindergarten results count for 2027-28 only. HISD also says 2026-27 is the last year older HISD identification matrices will be accepted, including for Vanguard applications for 2027-28.
A child who leaves HISD before the matrix is generated in early December is no longer eligible for identification this year.
Appeals
To file a Level I appeal, send HISD’s G/T Eligibility Appeal Request Form to the campus G/T coordinator who prepared the matrix, within 15 district days of receiving the notification letter. The campus answers in writing within 15 district days. If you disagree, a Level II appeal goes to the district G/T Department within 15 district days of the campus decision, and it answers within 15 district days. Level II decisions are final.
What to do as a parent
- Look for the result the week of December 7 at home and in the HISD Parent Portal. Entering kindergarten families who are not enrolled pick it up at the testing campus by December 18.
- Check which of the three categories your child qualified in. Vanguard needs both reading and math.
- If you plan to apply to a Vanguard school, follow HISD School Choice for the application dates. HISD encourages families to use all ten of their choices.
- If you disagree with the result, file a Level I appeal within 15 district days of the letter.
- If your child did not qualify, they can be tested again after one calendar school year.
Questions parents ask
What test does HISD use for gifted and talented?
When are HISD G/T results released?
Does every HISD second grader take the G/T test?
What does my child need for Vanguard?
Can my child prepare for the HISD G/T test?
My child did not qualify. When can they test again?
We are moving to Houston. Can my child test?
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from Houston ISD's own pages, read on November 2, 2026. Dates can change during the year, so confirm anything you plan around. Last reviewed .
Other district guides
More districts, with testing windows and referral deadlines: gifted testing dates 2026-27.
Understand the tests, without drilling
Houston ISD asks families not to use practice materials before G/T testing. If you want to know what the NGAT and CogAT measure and how their scores are read, these guides explain it.