#United States #Itasca #CogAT #Riverside Insights #Ability Assessment

Riverside Insights Introduces Enhanced CogAT Norms Post-Pandemic

On August 12, 2025, Riverside Insights, a leading provider of educational assessments, announced the launch of their new 2024 Post-Pandemic Norms for the Cognitive Abilities Test™ (CogAT®). This update is built on an unprecedented sample of over 2.8 million assessments, establishing a pioneering standard in ability evaluation.

Significance of New Norms

Given the evolving educational landscape in the wake of COVID-19, Riverside Insights was keenly aware of the necessity to adapt their assessment tools to better reflect contemporary student demographics and learning environments. The latest versions of the CogAT are designed to aid educational districts in making well-informed decisions derived from the most extensive and varied data set available, ensuring fairness and accuracy in assessing student abilities.

Dr. Joni Lakin, the creator of CogAT and an academic in educational research at the University of Alabama, emphasized the vital role of robust norms in ability testing. According to Dr. Lakin, "In ability testing, norms aren't just a formality—they are the foundation of fair, unbiased decision-making." The new norms arise from meticulous psychometric methods grounded in data from millions of assessment instances, providing schools with unmatched insights to make confident decisions concerning student potential.

Features of the Enhanced CogAT Assessment

1. Diverse Norm Samples: The revised normative data reflects various geographic locations, school types, and student populations, which is crucial for equitable comparisons in identifying Gifted and Talented students.
2. Updated Age Norms: The newest revisions include wider age ranges—from 4 years and 11 months to 21 years and 7 months—allowing for precise developmental comparisons of student abilities.
3. Interest in Local Norming: The assessment allows educational leaders to utilize scaled scores and age comparisons effectively, exceeding mere grade-level estimates. This flexibility ensures that local decision-making can accommodate the unique characteristics of each student population.
4. Actionable Insights: The CogAT not only identifies student capabilities but also generates data that is actionable for instructional strategies and student growth.
5. Inclusive Data Representation: Studies have indicated that employing CogAT as a universal screener can significantly boost the identification of students from underrepresented backgrounds, enhancing equity across the educational spectrum.

Commitment to Accessibility and Improvement

In line with its commitment to inclusivity, Riverside Insights has made modifications to the CogAT process, including shortened directions which allow for greater flexibility in pacing and answering questions, thus reducing testing time by up to 10 minutes. This improvement aims to enhance students' testing experiences significantly.

A Legacy of Innovation

Riverside Insights has been at the forefront of educational assessment for nearly a century, dedicating efforts to produce research-backed tools that provide educators with vital insights into individual student capabilities. As districts seek to address the complexities presented by today’s diverse learners, tools such as CogAT are instrumental in transforming education trajectories with actionable data.
For further information, please visit Riverside Insights.

In conclusion, with the updated 2024 Post-Pandemic Norms for the CogAT, Riverside Insights reaffirms its dedication to excellence and equity in education, creating pathways for students to thrive in their academic journeys.