Who and which grades
Published coverageGrades 1 and 4 screening; Grades 3-4 weekly pull-out and elementary enrichment
Hackensack Public Schools parent navigator Official local sources · reviewed 2026-09-08
Elementary Gifted and Talented Program,
made navigable.
Hackensack administers CogAT in Grades 1 and 4 and combines the results with reading, achievement, and report-card evidence. Published benchmarks distinguish access to some enrichment offerings from the higher threshold used for the Grades 3-4 pull-out.
Independent from Hackensack Public Schools. Official district instructions always control.
What the official record confirms
Know the program.
Know the route.
Applicable school year: 2026-27. Bloomfield separates official requirements from our preparation guidance.
How students are considered
Published processCogAT scores from Grade 1 support decisions for Grades 1-3, while Grade 4 CogAT supports middle-school enrichment decisions. The district publishes 112 as a benchmark for some offerings and 120 for pull-out. Additional measures include proficient or advanced Reading Inventory performance, meeting or exceeding ELA and mathematics report-card expectations, and Grade 4 NJSLA scores of at least 765 for some offerings or 780 for pull-out. A parent who did not receive an identification notice may request review in writing to the principal and complete the district questionnaire.
What service can look like
Published modelElementary classrooms use Depth and Complexity strategies across content. Some qualifying students join Junior FIRST LEGO League; identified students in Grades 3-4 attend a 40-minute weekly pull-out integrating science, technology, humanities, mathematics, fine arts, higher-order thinking, and problem solving.
Your starting checklist
Turn the published process into clear next steps.
Confirm current instructions with the district before submitting. Bloomfield does not predict placement or reproduce protected assessments.
01Ask the principal for the 2026-27 Grade 1 or Grade 4 CogAT date and the expected family-notification date.
02Request the complete CogAT profile, Reading Inventory result, report-card indicators, and any applicable Grade 4 NJSLA scores used in the decision.
03Clarify whether the decision concerns classroom enrichment, Junior FIRST LEGO League, the Grades 3-4 pull-out, or a middle-school course because the published benchmarks differ.
04If requesting review, write to the principal and complete the district parent packet with concrete examples of learning, motivation, creativity, leadership, and any language, disability, or testing circumstance.
05For pull-out placement, confirm the weekly 40-minute schedule, missed-class expectations, learning goals, and how continued eligibility is reviewed.
Primary sources
Read the published language yourself.
01K-4 Gifted and Talented Programs ↗02Gifted and Talented Parent Referral Packet ↗032026-2027 District Calendar ↗
Last reviewed 2026-09-08. Program rules can change; verify the current school year with Hackensack Public Schools before acting.