Katy ISD, Texas · Gifted and talented · 2026-27 · Checked November 2, 2026
Katy ISD GT screening,
explained for parents
Katy ISD’s parent checklists for 2026-27 have closed, and kindergarten screening runs into February. Here is what Katy measures, how the Campus Placement Committee decides, what the Challenge program is, and what to do if you missed the window or are new to Katy.
Independent guide. iMasterly is not affiliated with Katy Independent School District, Texas. Every fact below links to the district's own page.
Quick answer
When can I refer my child for Katy ISD GT screening?
Katy ISD says all parent checklists for 2026-27 have closed and the next referrals open in August 2027 (checklists opened August 1 this year). Kindergarten screening runs from October through February, with letters home by the end of February and services from the week of March 1.
Source: Katy ISD: GT Screening and Katy ISD: Kindergarten GT Service · Updated
Katy ISD at a glance
Gifted and Talented (GT) and the Challenge program
| What the district says | |
|---|---|
| How to refer | A parent checklist through the GT tile in the parent My Katy account (Chrome or Edge, not Safari) |
| What is measured | Parent checklist, classroom observation, an ability test, achievement test or tests, and an intelligence measure |
| Which test | Katy’s pages do not name the ability test |
| Who decides | A Campus Placement Committee of at least three trained educators |
| Elementary service | Challenge: one day a week pull-out, grades 1 to 5; 60 minutes a week in kindergarten from March 1 |
| Screening limit | Once per school year |
Key dates for 2026-27
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| August 1, 2026 | Parent checklists opened for GT screening |
| September 8, 2026 | Kindergarten parent GT awareness night (recording posted) |
| October 1, 2026 | Grades 1-11 GT parent awareness night (recording and slides posted) |
| October 2026 to February 2027 | Kindergarten screening; letters home by the end of February |
| Week of March 1, 2027 | Kindergarten GT service begins |
| April 1, 2027 | Students enrolling after this date are screened the following year |
| August 2027 | Referrals for 2027-28 open |
All 2026-27 parent checklists have closed, and Katy does not accept late checklists. Katy’s page for this year’s testing window dates was empty when we checked.
How Katy decides
Katy follows the Texas State Plan for gifted students. Every referred child is screened with several measures: a parent checklist, a classroom observation of gifted characteristics, an ability test, one or more achievement tests and an intelligence measure. Parents give written consent before any special testing.
A Campus Placement Committee of at least three educators trained in gifted education reviews the data and decides. Parents are emailed through My Katy with a placement letter, a copy of the student profile and a letter explaining the profile. Katy does not publish a points matrix or a cutoff score, and its pages do not name the ability test it gives.
What GT service looks like
Elementary GT in Katy follows a general intellectual ability model. Secondary GT is subject by subject.
- Kindergarten: 60 minutes a week in the Challenge classroom from the week of March 1.
- Grades 1 to 5: Challenge, a one-day-a-week pull-out at every elementary campus. The 2026-27 theme units are astronomy, archaeology and architecture.
- Grades 6 to 12: service in one or more of English, math, science and social studies, through GT-designated, AP and KAP courses. Students identified in elementary are rescreened for secondary.
New to Katy ISD
A child identified as gifted in another district can be screened after enrolling. Parents request screening within two weeks of enrollment, bring proof of the earlier identification, and complete the transfer checklist. Recent nationally normed scores (Katy lists the Stanford, Metropolitan, Iowa, OLSAT and NNAT as examples) help; private test results and state test scores are not accepted. Screening should finish within six weeks of the campus receiving the documents.
A child new to Katy who was not identified before is screened in the regular window for service the following year. Screening is not available before a child is enrolled.
Appeals, furlough and exit
To challenge a decision, a parent (or a secondary student) files a GT Formal Concern Form within 15 school days, with new information the committee has not seen. After the 15 school days the decision can still be reviewed, but the child cannot be referred again until a full academic year has passed.
A GT student can take a furlough of up to one year without leaving the program, and is reassessed at the end of it. Exiting is a committee decision made after talking with the parents.
What to do as a parent
- If you missed this year’s checklist, put August 2027 in your calendar: Katy does not accept late checklists.
- Watch the GT/AAS events page for next year’s awareness nights; this year’s recordings are posted.
- If your kindergartner was screened, look for the letter by the end of February.
- If you disagree with the decision, file the Formal Concern Form within 15 school days, with new information.
- New to Katy and identified elsewhere? Request screening within two weeks of enrollment and bring the paperwork.
Questions parents ask
What test does Katy ISD use for GT?
Can I still refer my child for 2026-27?
When will I hear about kindergarten GT?
What is the Katy ISD Challenge program?
Does Katy accept private test scores?
How often can my child be screened?
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from Katy 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.
Learn the common gifted tests
Katy ISD does not name its ability test, so we cannot tell you which one your child will take. These guides explain the common gifted tests and how their scores are read.