ACSI Research Fellow Program

Data-driven instruction is a crucial component to enable student success in private school settings, where educators often have greater instructional flexibility and a mission to meet students' individual needs. Among the most valuable tools in an educator’s portfolio are the rich insights provided by the Iowa Assessments™ and the Cognitive Abilities Test™ (CogAT). While each provides meaningful data on its own, together they can unlock a deeper understanding of student learning when interpreted side-by-side. 

Why Ability and Achievement Go Hand in Hand 

Achievement scores, such as those from the Iowa Assessments, tell us what a student has learned. In contrast, CogAT measures reasoning abilities that underlie learning across three domains that contribute greatly to student learning and success in school: verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal/figural reasoning. By examining students’ current achievement through the lens of students’ potential, educators gain a more complete view of a student's learning profile. 

This is especially important in private school environments, where the diversity in curriculum, enrichment offerings, and student backgrounds may result in wide variation in both ability and achievement. CogAT allows educators to better understand whether a student's performance aligns with their potential and where targeted support or enrichment might be needed. 

The Power of Predicted Achievement Scores 

One of the most powerful features of administering the Iowa Assessments in conjunction with CogAT is access to Predicted Achievement Scores. These scores provide an estimate of how a student might be expected to perform on the Iowa Assessments based on their cognitive ability. 

When a student's actual achievement score matches their predicted score, it suggests that they are performing in line with their cognitive potential. If there is a significant mismatch where the student’s demonstrated achievement is lower than might be expected from their ability, it may indicate the presence of barriers to learning, such as gaps in prior instruction, language acquisition challenges, or engagement issues. Conversely, when students attain achievement that is higher than expected, this could highlight the impact of strong instruction, motivation, or other supports helping the student exceed expectations. 

A Lens for Instructional Differentiation and Student Growth 

An assistant school principal in Charleston County, South Carolina, Corrie Glover, reflects on her experiences using CogAT ability data to drive instruction for her students:  

Focusing on ability allows schools to look for students who aren’t living up to their potential, the underachievers, the overachievers, and the outlier students. It helps us apply the intervention and enrichment necessary for their ability level. 

The cognitive data gave us a broader perspective of our students. It allowed us to identify gaps that we might not have seen with achievement data alone. It also helped us uncover potential in students who were underperforming but had the ability to excel. 

For private school educators, this dual-data approach supports both instructional differentiation and student growth. It helps educators: 

• Identify twice-exceptional learners whose high ability may be masked by low achievement 

   

• Provide data-driven enrichment for students performing at or above predicted levels 

   

• Offer targeted intervention for those not yet reaching their cognitive potential 

   

• Facilitate more nuanced conversations with families about student progress and needs 

   

Moving from Scores to Action 

The CogAT Guide for Teachers offers practical guidance for schools ready to take the next step. It outlines how to: 

• Interpret ability-achievement discrepancies using CogAT scores and instructional guidance based on each student’s Ability Profile™ 

   

• Use predicted scores for context-specific analysis 

   

• Plan instruction that supports both content mastery and cognitive development 

   

Final Thoughts 

In a data-rich environment, the challenge isn't the lack of information—it's knowing how to connect the dots. By using CogAT ability data as a lens through which to interpret Iowa Assessments scores, private school educators can move from data collection to meaningful student insight. 

This insight fuels differentiated instruction, supports student agency, and empowers schools to fulfill their mission of helping each student reach their full potential. 

For more resources on interpreting CogAT and Iowa Assessment data together, visit Riverside Insights and CogAT.com.