A cognitive abilities test and a reading achievement subtest(s) are adminstered to students who have applied for the Gifted programs.  The CogAT measures general and specific reasoning abilities in three areas:  verbal - reasoning with words and sentences, quantitative - quantitative concepts and relations and nonverbal - figural concepts expressed in pictures. 
Testing time is about 2 hours for kindergarten and first grade students, divided up into six 20 minute sections.  Breaks may be given between the sections. Questions on the verbal and quantitative sections are read to the students at these grade levels.  They choose an answer in the answer booklet by making a mark in a circle under the picture or letter that they think is the correct answer.  In the non-verbal section, students see three pictures and choose the next picture in the pattern from four choices.  
Testing time for 2nd - 9th graders is about 2 1/2 hours with some breaks given between sections.

The IOWA test of Basic Skills Reading subtest(s) are administered to students in grades K-7.  The Iowa Test of Educational Development Reading subtest(s) are administered to students in grades 8 and 9.  Testing time is about 20 minutes for Kindergarten students, about 40 minutes for 1st graders and 55 minutes for 2nd - 4th graders.  Testing time for 5th - 9th graders varies from 70 to 92 minutes.