About the Test
The Gibson Assessment of Cognitive Skills (GACS) is a screening tool that informs clinicians, educators, and parents about performance on tasks that measure 1) working memory, 2) processing speed, 3) visual processing, 4) auditory processing, 5) logic and reasoning, and 6) word attack skills. 
The 35- minute paper-and-pencil assessment includes eight different mental tasks presented like puzzles and games. The tasks provide a snapshot of primary cognitive skills as well as auditory processing and word attack skills that serve as the foundation for reading.
The first version of the test was developed in 2002 by pediatric behavioral optometrist, Dr. Ken Gibson as a screening assessment for his cognitive training program. To establish a baseline of cognitive skill functioning in his patients, Gibson used a variety of different commercial tests. Desiring a single tool that could provide multiple measures, he designed the Gibson Cognitive Test Battery which has been administered more than 90,000 times. The test has been validated and normed twice by experts in the fields of learning and cognition and has strong psychometric properties. In 2014, his team began the process of collecting updated norms for the original test, culminating in a complete normative update in 2020 along with an updated look, an optional automated scoring system, and a new name—the Gibson Assessment of Cognitive Skills.
Dr. Gibson devoted his entire career to helping people with learning disabilities overcome their learning challenges. He knew that assessment was a critical piece of that process. The Gibson Assessment is used to identify cognitive strengths and weaknesses in children and adults ages five and older. The test scientifically measures functioning in key foundational cognitive skills. The root of many learning problems is typically revealed by identifying cognitive weaknesses. In turn, the most appropriate intervention can be selected. For example, weak cognitive skills can be strengthened through intense, one-on-one brain training. Learn more about brain training here.
Whether you are a clinician seeking a new assessment for your practice, an educator looking for a cognitive screening tool for your school, a researcher looking for an affordable cognitive assessment alternative, the parent of a struggling student, or an adult looking for a baseline test of current cognitive functioning, The Gibson Assessment of Cognitive Skills will give you invaluable information about cognitive performance to help you determine the next best step on your journey to promoting better thinking and learning.
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Note. The Gibson Assessment of Cognitive Skills is a paper-and-pencil test administered in person or remotely by a clinician. There is also a digital cognitive test in the Gibson family of tests called the Gibson Test of Cognitive Skills that can be purchased online and taken anywhere with internet access. Click to learn about the digital test.