Educator Spotlight: Christine Williamson and Her Mission to Transform Gifted Education at KIPP New Jersey

Christine Williamson, Director of Gifted and Talented at KIPP New Jersey, is on a mission to transform how her schools identify and support gifted students. Fueled by a deep commitment to equity and inspired by New Jersey’s 2020 Strengthening Gifted and Talented Education Act, Christine is dedicated to ensuring that every student with the potential to be identified for gifted services has the chance to thrive. As KIPP NJ prepares to administer CogAT for the first time this school year, we sat down with Christine to learn more about her journey to bring CogAT to her district. 

Why CogAT? 

Christine first encountered CogAT at her former district in Texas, where she saw its profound impact on identifying diverse gifted learners. Unlike traditional assessments, CogAT provides a multi-dimensional view of students' abilities through its verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal batteries.

“CogAT provided both verbal context and nonverbal context in one assessment,” Christine explained.

This comprehensive approach allows educators to combine scores into composites or analyze them individually, offering valuable insights into students’ strengths and challenges. Importantly, it equips schools to equitably identify gifted students, including emergent bilingual (EB) and English learner (EL) populations, who are often underrepresented in G&T services.

“We could take all of the data, but we could also parse it out to see where students have strengths and where they might have weaknesses,” she added. 

Building a Case for Ability Testing 

Before adopting CogAT, KIPP NJ relied on teacher recommendations and achievement data like iReady scores. While useful, these tests only showed what students had learned—not their potential to learn.

“We wanted to bring an ability component into play. Achievement tests show what students have learned, but ability tests reveal their potential,” Christine emphasized.

Christine aims to position CogAT as a universal screener for 2nd graders, helping to identify students for gifted services early and equitably. However, she knew implementing a new assessment would require a strategic approach to navigate challenges such as budgeting, logistics, and staff buy-in. 

Starting Small, Thinking Big 

To ease the transition, KIPP NJ will use a combination of iReady scores and teacher referrals to identify candidates for CogAT. Students scoring 90th percentile or higher on iReady or those referred for their classroom performance—despite lower test scores—will be assessed with CogAT.

Christine and her team also focus on training teachers to recognize potential in students who might not fit traditional definitions of giftedness.

“We know we’re going to miss some students at first,” Christine acknowledged. “That’s why it’s crucial to broaden how we think about identification.” 

The Path to Universal Screening 

The ultimate goal is to make CogAT a universal screener for 2nd graders. Christine believes this approach will uncover hidden talent and address the underrepresentation of marginalized groups in G&T services. As part of a data-driven organization, Christine understands the power of evidence to drive change.

“We’re hoping that after the first round of testing, staff and directors will be blown away by the data and reports,” Christine shared confidently. 

Looking Ahead 

This spring, KIPP NJ will take its first significant steps with CogAT, laying the foundation for more equitable and effective gifted education services. Christine hopes this initiative will inspire educators across KIPP to rethink how they identify and support gifted learners.

Stay tuned as we continue to follow Christine Williamson’s journey and explore the transformative potential of CogAT at KIPP NJ!