C.A.T.S. Program Philosophy

The C.A.T.S. academic enrichment program for 3rd–6th graders focuses on fostering higher-level thinking, creativity, logical reasoning, leadership, and social-behavioral skills through project-based learning. The program aims to cultivate a love for lifelong learning by introducing students to topics that go beyond the regular curriculum. It also provides the chance for students to work alongside intellectual peers, helping them better understand and assess their own abilities.

Testing for C.A.T.S.

All second-grade students participate in a universal screening to identify students who are eligible for C.A.T.S.  This screening uses the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) to measure reasoning skills. The CogAT evaluates how well students can learn new tasks or solve problems across three domains: verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal reasoning.

The Flowing Wells School District C.A.T.S. program is for students in 3rd – 6th grades who score in the 97th percentile or above in at least one of those three categories, or scores in the 93rd percentile or above in at least two of the categories. (A percentile ranking represents how well a student performs compared to other students in a nationwide normative sample for their grade.)  This test is also administered each semester to students in 3rd-6th grades who have been referred for gifted services. Qualifying test scores from other gifted programs may qualify students transferring into the district for the Flowing Wells C.A.T.S. program.

Tiffany Camarena
Gifted Education Teacher
520-696-8437