In short
The York Region District School Board screens for giftedness in two stages. Stage 1 is the CCAT, a group test for grade 3 students. Stage 2 is the WISC-V, an individual test for children who scored high at stage 1.
To move on to the Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC), a child needs a General Ability Index at or above the 98th percentile on the WISC-V.
Parents do not need to sign up for stage 1, but they do need to give consent for the individual assessment. Watch for that letter.
Key facts
| Step | What happens | Who is involved |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | CCAT group test in class, grade 3 | Classroom teacher and school team |
| Results review | School looks at CCAT scores against the board criteria | School team |
| Consent | Parents are asked to agree to an individual assessment | Parents |
| Stage 2 | WISC-V one-on-one | Board psychology staff |
| Threshold | GAI at or above the 98th percentile | Psychology staff |
| IPRC | Formal identification and placement decision | Committee, parents invited |
What happens at stage 1?
Grade 3 students take the CCAT 7 in class. It covers verbal, quantitative and nonverbal reasoning in timed multiple-choice sections. Most children take it alongside their classmates and think of it as another school activity.
The school uses the results to decide who goes on to an individual assessment. The CCAT result on its own does not identify a child as gifted.
What happens at stage 2?
A member of the board’s psychology staff gives the WISC-V one-on-one. It takes about an hour or more and includes blocks, pictures, spoken questions and memory tasks.
The key number is the General Ability Index, or GAI. It is built from verbal comprehension, visual spatial and fluid reasoning, and leaves out working memory and processing speed. A GAI at the 98th percentile is roughly 130 to 131. For how those numbers relate, see CCAT vs WISC-V in Ontario.
What happens at the IPRC?
If the threshold is met, the case goes to the Identification, Placement and Review Committee. Parents are invited and can bring a support person. The committee decides whether the child is identified as exceptional in the giftedness category and recommends a placement. Our guide to the IPRC for gifted students covers the timelines and your rights.
Can parents prepare a child for York Region screening?
For stage 1, familiarity with the question formats helps a child stay calm and use the time on reasoning, not on reading instructions. Original practice questions in the same formats do that without touching the real test.
For stage 2, the honest advice is rest, breakfast and a relaxed morning. Rehearsing WISC tasks can make a result unusable.
Common mistakes
- Missing the consent letter for stage 2. Without consent there is no individual assessment.
- Treating the CCAT score as the decision. It only decides who goes forward.
- Coaching for the WISC-V. It can make the result invalid.
- Telling a child the test decides their future. A calm child shows their reasoning best.
- Booking a private assessment without asking the school first. Ask how the board treats private reports before you pay.
What to do next
Read how grade 3 gifted screening works across Ontario and what the 98th percentile means. If your child does not reach the threshold, this guide covers the next steps.
FAQ
The York Region District School Board uses two stages. Grade 3 students take the CCAT as a group test. Children who score high are offered an individual WISC-V assessment. A General Ability Index at or above the 98th percentile sends the case to the IPRC for a formal decision.
Stage 1 screening with the CCAT happens in grade 3. Children who score high then move to an individual WISC-V assessment, which may happen later in grade 3 or in grade 4 depending on scheduling. Ask your school for this year’s timeline.
At stage 2, York Region asks for a General Ability Index at or above the 98th percentile on the WISC-V. That is roughly a GAI of 130 to 131. The Identification, Placement and Review Committee then makes the formal identification decision.
Not for stage 1, which is given to grade 3 students in class. Parents are asked for written consent before the individual WISC-V assessment at stage 2. Read school letters carefully during grade 3 so the consent form is not missed.
You can help your child get familiar with the general question formats, such as number series or figure matrices, using original practice questions. Avoid materials that copy real test items. For the WISC-V stage, do not rehearse tasks; let your child arrive rested.
The child stays in the regular program, and the school can still offer enrichment. Ask the school whether a later review is possible and how it treats private assessments. Many strong reasoners just below the threshold do well with enrichment at home and in class.
Boards often consider private assessments from registered psychologists, but rules on timing and acceptance vary. Ask the school before booking, and make sure the report includes the General Ability Index and percentile ranks the board uses.
Sources
Two-stage process, CCAT at stage 1, WISC-V at stage 2 and the 98th percentile GAI: YRDSB Gifted Screening Procedure. CCAT 7 structure: Nelson, CCAT 7. IPRC rights: Justice for Children and Youth, IPRC guide. Board procedures change, so confirm details with your school. Checked 30 October 2026.
Prep4Gifted practice questions are original and written by our team. Prep4Gifted is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Riverside Insights (CogAT), Nelson (CCAT) or Pearson (WISC, NNAT, OLSAT). Test names are trademarks of their owners.
Grade 3 screening ahead? The free readiness check uses original questions in the CCAT formats and shows which areas feel easy and which need practice.
[…] The principal must reply within 15 days. In boards with screening, such as York Region, the school usually starts the IPRC itself after the individual assessment. See how York Region screening works. […]