Does every Grade 3 student in TDSB write the CCAT-7?

Yes, unless a parent opts out. The screening is universal and opt-out: a letter goes home in late September, and a family that doesn’t want their child to take part tells the principal in writing.

What CCAT-7 score does TDSB need?

TDSB doesn’t publish the CCAT-7 cut-off for moving to the next step. The published requirement is for the individual assessment: a WISC-V General Ability Index at or above the 98th percentile.

Does the CCAT-7 affect my child’s report card?

No. TDSB says the results are confidential and do not affect the report card. A copy is filed in your child’s Ontario Student Record.

Can we use a private assessment instead?

A private assessment can be considered, but TDSB will not accept results from the same intelligence test given twice within 24 months, and a test other than the WISC-V must be approved by a TDSB Psychological Services manager.

What is the format of the Grade 3 CCAT-7, and how many questions are there?

Three batteries — verbal, quantitative and non-verbal — each made of three kinds of question, about 30 minutes a battery and about 90 minutes in all. TDSB doesn’t publish a question count. In the CogAT the CCAT-7 is built from, each of the nine subtests is about 20 questions in about 10 minutes, so around 30 seconds a question.

Is the CCAT-7 on paper or on a computer?

TDSB describes it as an online group test given by classroom teachers, in class, during the school day.

Do French Immersion students take the CCAT-7 too?

The screening is for every Grade 3 student, so yes, unless a parent opts out. TDSB’s screening documents don’t say which language the test is given in; the principal can tell you.

← Every Ontario board

TDSB gifted screening

Toronto District School Board · from the board’s own documents · checked 25 October 2026

TDSB screens every Grade 3 student for gifted with the CCAT-7, a group reasoning test given in the fall, usually in October. It is opt-out: a letter goes home in late September, and your child takes it unless you tell the principal in writing. A high result leads to a teacher rating, a school team review and an individual WISC-V assessment, where identification needs the 98th percentile on the General Ability Index; an IPRC then decides placement.

At a glance

Grade: Grade 3, every student
Test: CCAT-7 (Canadian Cognitive Abilities Test, 7th edition), an online group test given by classroom teachers
When: Letter home in late September; the test in the fall, usually October
Opting out: Written notice to the principal
CCAT-7 cut-off: Not published by TDSB
To be identified: WISC-V General Ability Index at or above the 98th percentile, then an IPRC

Step by step

1
The letter · Late September
A Universal Screening letter goes home to every Grade 3 family with the dates. Families who don’t want their child to take part tell the principal in writing.
2
The CCAT-7 · Fall, usually October
An online group test of reasoning with words, numbers and pictures, given by classroom teachers in three parts of about 30 minutes. It is scored outside the school, is confidential, does not affect the report card, and a copy is filed in the Ontario Student Record (OSR).
3
The Gifted Rating Scale · Late October to early November
Students who meet the CCAT-7 criteria are rated by their teacher on a Gifted Rating Scale. This step is the teacher’s judgment.
4
The School Support Team · From November
Students who meet both sets of criteria are discussed by the School Support Team, which can recommend enrichment through an Individual Learning Plan or an individual intellectual assessment.
5
The WISC-V
An individual assessment by a psychologist. To be identified as gifted, a student needs a General Ability Index at or above the 98th percentile on a recent WISC-V, given at Grade 3 and age 8 or older. TDSB Psychological Services gives at most two test administrations in a student’s school years.
6
The IPRC
An Identification, Placement and Review Committee confirms the identification and decides the placement.

Where it leads

A Gifted Intensive Support Program: a congregated class, which may not be at your home school.
Identified as gifted in a regular class, with alternative programming.

Can you practise for it?

TDSB asks families not to prepare their child for these tests, and says a test given after preparation may be stopped and its results not used. What it suggests at home instead is broad: word and number games, puzzles, and asking your child to explain how they got an answer.

Cub Climb is a set of original reasoning puzzles with words, numbers and pictures, from kindergarten to grade 5: a child finds the answer, then names the rule. It is not a copy of any test and makes no promise about results.

Questions TDSB parents ask

Does every Grade 3 student in TDSB write the CCAT-7?
Yes, unless a parent opts out. The screening is universal and opt-out: a letter goes home in late September, and a family that doesn’t want their child to take part tells the principal in writing.
What CCAT-7 score does TDSB need?
TDSB doesn’t publish the CCAT-7 cut-off for moving to the next step. The published requirement is for the individual assessment: a WISC-V General Ability Index at or above the 98th percentile.
Does the CCAT-7 affect my child’s report card?
No. TDSB says the results are confidential and do not affect the report card. A copy is filed in your child’s Ontario Student Record.
Can we use a private assessment instead?
A private assessment can be considered, but TDSB will not accept results from the same intelligence test given twice within 24 months, and a test other than the WISC-V must be approved by a TDSB Psychological Services manager.
What is the format of the Grade 3 CCAT-7, and how many questions are there?
Three batteries — verbal, quantitative and non-verbal — each made of three kinds of question, about 30 minutes a battery and about 90 minutes in all. TDSB doesn’t publish a question count. In the CogAT the CCAT-7 is built from, each of the nine subtests is about 20 questions in about 10 minutes, so around 30 seconds a question.
Is the CCAT-7 on paper or on a computer?
TDSB describes it as an online group test given by classroom teachers, in class, during the school day.
Do French Immersion students take the CCAT-7 too?
The screening is for every Grade 3 student, so yes, unless a parent opts out. TDSB’s screening documents don’t say which language the test is given in; the principal can tell you.

Build the reasoning, not the test

Short, original puzzles with words, numbers and shapes. Your child answers, then names the rule.

Android: coming soon

Or print free reasoning worksheets, kindergarten to grade 5.

Sources

TDSB, Universal Screening (public parent page) — tdsb.on.ca
TDSB, Amendments to the 2026-2027 Special Education Plan (PDF) — tdsb.on.ca
TDSB Ward 13, Universal Screening and Gifted Programming, Ward Forum deck (PDF) — jamesli.net
Riverside Insights, CogAT testing time and number of items per subtest (the CCAT-7’s US parent) — info.riversideinsights.com

CCAT-7 is a trademark of Nelson Education. Cub Climb is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to any test publisher or to the Toronto District School Board. Boards change their process from year to year; check what your own school sends home for this year’s dates.