ITASCA, Ill., Feb. 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Riverside Insights is introducing the WJ V Nonverbal Cognitive assessment, a fully nonverbal cognitive solution designed to provide fair, comprehensive evaluation for students when language-based assessments may not accurately reflect their abilities. The assessment extends the trusted Woodcock-Johnson V system to serve English learners, non-speaking students, students with speech and language impairments, deaf and hard of hearing students, and others with language limitations.
The WJ V Nonverbal Cognitive assessment addresses critical evaluation challenges through several key innovations. The assessment requires no spoken directions and no verbal output from students, making it truly nonverbal throughout the entire testing experience. It provides comprehensive coverage across four critical areas of cognitive functioning: fluid reasoning, visual processing, visual working memory, and processing speed. This breadth gives practitioners a complete picture of student abilities rather than the limited scope offered by assessments that focus primarily on reasoning and visual skills alone.
"For too long, students who are non-speaking or have language barriers have been assessed with tools that simply weren't built for them," said Vivek Kartha, CEO of Riverside Insights. "When we accurately measure and understand what a student's true potential is, we change everything. The WJ V Nonverbal Cognitive assessment ensures educators can see each student's real strengths and abilities, opening doors to the support and opportunities that help every learner grow."
As school districts work to accurately assess increasingly diverse student populations, many existing nonverbal cognitive tools fall short. Current options often require some spoken directions or verbal responses despite being labeled "nonverbal." They rely on dated norms that no longer reflect today's learners and provide limited coverage of key cognitive abilities. Clinicians and educators seek assessments that deliver more comprehensive, defensible, and equitable results for complex cases.
"Practitioners need assessment tools they can trust when making critical decisions about student support," said Dr. Katherine Genseke, Director of Clinical Product Management at Riverside Insights. "The WJ V Nonverbal Cognitive assessment delivers defensible results that practitioners can confidently explain to IEP teams and families. When language barriers are removed from cognitive testing, educators gain clearer insights to make better decisions about student services and support."
Practitioners can use the assessment as a standalone cognitive measure when verbal tasks would be inappropriate, pair it with the WJ V Cognitive assessment to compare verbal and nonverbal abilities, or integrate it within patterns of strengths and weaknesses frameworks for more equitable eligibility decisions.
The WJ V Nonverbal Cognitive assessment is now available for pre-purchase and will be ready for use in schools in late 2026. By extending the trusted WJ V system with a truly nonverbal option, Riverside Insights ensures that every student's cognitive abilities can be accurately measured and understood, enabling educators to make informed decisions that support meaningful growth for all learners. To learn more about the WJ V Nonverbal Cognitive assessment, visit https://riversideinsights.com/.
About Riverside Insights
Riverside Insights is a leading provider of trusted, research-backed assessments that bring the clarity needed to help every student grow. With 14 million students assessed annually, Riverside Insights' tools pinpoint every student's unique needs and reveal what each learner needs next. The company supports early learners, multilingual learners, gifted learners and students receiving specialized services through psychometrically rigorous and clinically validated assessments that measure cognitive abilities, reasoning, communication, early development and life skills. Riverside Insights equips educators to support every learner with confidence through independent, curriculum-agnostic tools designed to guide effective instruction and promote meaningful growth. For more information, visit https://riversideinsights.com/.
