Testing Requirements

IQ tests measure verbal and non-verbal cognitive aptitude (learning potential). While we do not publish specific cut-off scores, in general, students who are a good fit for Open Window Online score in the top 5-10%.

Because the IQ test is cognitive, rather than an achievement test, children should not be prepped for the test. When children are exposed to test content, preparation exercises, and testing tasks, they often exhibit test-taking behavior that indicates prior exposure, and their results are thereby invalid. Psychologists are bound to report this prior exposure in their full report, and Open Window may not accept these scores. Children must wait one year before being re-administered the same cognitive test.

Achievement tests measure specific content learned in specific areas, usually including reading and math among other subjects. These are generally given annually in most schools. Examples of achievement tests are Smarter Balanced Assessments given in Washington public schools, the MAP test, and the ITBS test. These tests are designed to test how much your student has learned.

There are two main types of achievement tests – norm-referenced and criterion-referenced. Norm-referenced tests report a student’s score as a percentile (e.g., 95^th percentile). These scores compare a student’s score to other students of the same age who took the test. A score of 95^th percentile means the student scored equal to or better than 95% of their peers. Criterion-referenced scores indicate a student’s mastery of the material and are generally given as a single digit score (e.g., scores between 1-4 with a score of 4 being the highest). Open Window Online accepts both norm-referenced and criterion-referenced test scores.

If you need to schedule a test to complete your child’s application, we suggest scheduling this as soon as possible, as many examiners have reduced capacity due to the extra time needed for socially distanced tests and cleaning protocols. While it is our preference that the test be administered in-person, we are willing to accept virtual administrations of an IQ test. Families should think carefully about whether a virtual administration will be able to capture their child's true cognitive ability. 

Families must have IQ testing done privately by a licensed psychologist. Examiner’s schedules can fill quickly, so we recommend scheduling your child’s testing as early as possible. If the financial burden of an IQ test is a hardship on your family, please contact us at openwindowonline@ows.org.

While Open Window Online is a new program, it is a part of a larger school program that has 30+ years of experience in gifted education. Through experience, we have learned that the rigors of our program are not the right fit for every student. As we work with families in the application process, our job is to help everyone involved decide if OWO and your child are a good match. We use several different components to determine a good fit including a parent interview, a virtual applicant visit, teacher recommendation/evaluation, and your child’s test scores on standardized tests (i.e., IQ and achievement tests).

It is important to note that we do not publish specific cut-off scores for tests because these tests are only one part of the process. However, have seen that student scores on these tests often predict their readiness for our program making them an important part of our admissions process.