Students Not Currently Enrolled in a CPS School

Thank you for your interest in Walnut Hills High School. Students must earn qualifying scores on the CPS administered Iowa Assessment to be eligible for enrollment in Walnut Hills High School. Please see the information below to register your child for the Walnut Hills Entrance Exam (WHEE).

Once registration for the Walnut Hills Entrance Exam (WHEE) opens September 1, 2026, please register during the applicable open registration periods. Families may register for only one testing date at a time.

The following students have the opportunity to take the Walnut Hills Entrance Exam on Saturday test dates offered from October through January each school year:

CPS students grades 7 - 10.
Non-CPS students grades 6 - 10.

View and download Registration Quick Guides: English | Spanish | French | Arabic

View and download Registration Extensive Guide: English

*WHEE test scores may also be reviewed for entrance to Spencer Center for Gifted and Exceptional Students.

Test Dates & Information

CLOSED: Test Registration Fall (First Time) - Test Date @ Walnut Hills Saturday, Oct. 10 2026

Register in Focus: https://focus.cps-k12.org/focus/auth/

Saturday, October 10, 2026 Test Date @ Walnut Hills High School

Registration Window: Tuesday, September 1 - Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Students who test October 10, 2026 can retest December 12, 2026 or January 9, 2027. (Students are permitted to test two times per school year.)
Students needing to retest must wait two months after the first attempt to take their second test.
If you need results by mid-December 2026 to support educational decisions for your student, we recommend registering for the October 10, 2026 test. This provides an opportunity to retest on December 12, 2026, if necessary, and still receive results by early January 2027.
Test results are available and sent out via email approximately 6 weeks after the published test dates. Please plan accordingly.

Beginning this 2026-2027 school year, all students (excluding CPS 6th grade students) will be charged a $40 fee each time they sign up to take the Walnut Hills Entrance Exam (WHEE), regardless of address. Students may test up to twice in a school year, and will be charged for each test unless the student is enrolled in a CPS school and meets the criteria for economically disadvantaged status as indicated on the student’s state reporting page of Focus. These applications will have a fee waiver applied and these families will not be prompted to pay for Saturday test sessions.

NOTE: If a student does not attend the scheduled exam and fails to provide at least 48 hours' notice, the $40.00 exam registration fee is nonrefundable.

Final confirmation with Testing details including time and location will be emailed one week prior to the scheduled test date.

Test Registration Fall (First Time) - Test Date @ Walnut Hills Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026

Register in Focus: https://focus.cps-k12.org/focus/auth/

Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026 Test Date @ Walnut Hills High School

Registration Window: Tuesday, October 13 - Tuesday, October 27, 2026
Students who test November 7, 2026 can only retest January 9, 2027.
Test results are available and sent out via email approximately 6 weeks after the published test dates. Please plan accordingly.

NOTE: If a student does not attend the scheduled exam and fails to provide at least 48 hours' notice, the $40.00 exam registration fee is nonrefundable.

Final confirmation with Testing details including time and location will be emailed one week prior to the scheduled test date.

Test Registration First Time & Retest (Winter) - Test Date @ Walnut Hills Saturday, Dec. 12, 2026

Saturday, December 12, 2026 Test Date @ Walnut Hills High School

Register in Focus: https://focus.cps-k12.org/focus/auth/
Registration Window: Tuesday, November 10 - Tuesday, November 24, 2026
Students who take the test for the first time on Saturday, December 12, 2026, or Saturday, January 9, 2027, will not have an opportunity to retest during the 2026–2027 school year for enrollment consideration in the 2027–2028 school year.
Test results are available and sent out via email approximately 6 weeks after the published test dates. Please plan accordingly.

NOTE: If a student does not attend the scheduled exam and fails to provide at least 48 hours' notice, the $40.00 exam registration fee is nonrefundable.

Final confirmation with Testing details including time and location will be emailed one week prior to the scheduled test date.

Test Registration First Time & Retest (Winter) Test Date @ Walnut Hills Saturday, Jan. 9, 2027

Saturday, January 9, 2027 Test Date @ Walnut Hills High School

Register in Focus: https://focus.cps-k12.org/focus/auth/
Registration Window: Tuesday, December 15 - Tuesday, December 29, 2026
Students who take the test for the first time on Saturday, December 12, 2026, or Saturday, January 9, 2027, will not have an opportunity to retest during the 2026–2027 school year for enrollment consideration in the 2027–2028 school year.
Test results are available and sent out via email approximately 6 weeks after the published test dates. Please plan accordingly.

NOTE: If a student does not attend the scheduled exam and fails to provide at least 48 hours' notice, the $40.00 exam registration fee is nonrefundable.

Final confirmation with Testing details including time and location will be emailed one week prior to the scheduled test date.

Test Information

The Iowa Assessments are nationally normed achievement tests approved as gifted assessments in the State of Ohio. Cincinnati Public Schools administers the paper version of four parts of the Iowa assessments on select Saturdays to determine eligibility for enrollment into Walnut Hills High School. All questions on the Iowa are multiple choice format.

Admission to the program is based on student performance on these areas of the assessment:

Reading & Vocabulary (Reading Total score)
Mathematics & Computation (Mathematics Total score)

Reading:

Test content includes both literary and informational passages
Questions focus on identifying, interpreting, analyzing and extending the information in passages.

Vocabulary:

Questions emphasize general vocabulary words in the context of a short phrase or sentence.
Students select the answer that is the closest synonym for the given word.
Nouns, verbs and modifiers are included.

Mathematics:

Questions are drawn from the areas of number sense and operations, algebraic patterns and connections, data analysis/probability/statistics, geometry and measurement.

Computation:

Questions emphasize addition, subtraction, multiplication or division using whole numbers, fractions and decimals in alignment with on-grade level standards.

More detailed information on the Iowa Assessments can be found in the FAQ section.

The sum of the Reading Total and Mathematics Total national percentile rankings on this test must equal 140 or higher, and each individual test percentile ranking must be 65 or higher. A percentile rank score indicates the percentage of pupils in the national norm group whose scores fell below your student’s score. The national percentile rank scores of the Reading Total and Mathematics Total will be used to determine eligibility for the Walnut Hills High School Special College Preparatory Program that begins in 7th grade. Students must have a minimum composite national percentile rank score of 140 across the Reading Total and Math Total scores– with a minimum of a 65th national percentile rank on each part. Both scores (Reading/Vocabulary, Math/Computation) must be from the same school year. Parents will be notified by the Testing & Assessment Department approximately six weeks after the test date via the parent/guardian email associated with your student in Focus.

Documentation for WHEE Registration

*All applicable documents and payment must be uploaded by the REGISTRATION DEADLINE in order for the student to be confirmed for the test date selected. Confirmation emails are sent once provided information is verified.

1. Accommodation: IEP/504 plan/English Learner plan

If a non-CPS enrolled student is applying to take the Walnut Hills Entrance exam and the student has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), a 504 Plan or an English Learner (EL) plan, all required documentation must be emailed to: whee@cps-k12.org by the 3:00 p.m. Registration Deadline. This information is necessary to verify and confirm testing accommodations for the Walnut Hills Entrance Exam.

Accommodation: If a student has an accommodation (IEP, 504, LEP) and does not attend a CPS school, the plan must be submitted with the application to test. The accommodation plan must be active and have a date within the current 2026-2027 school year.

Students testing with an accommodation should arrive by 7:45 a.m. and begin testing by 8:00 a.m. We follow a student accommodation as listed in the provided IEP, LEP or 504 plan with the following exceptions:

Extended time accommodation is limited to 1.5x. Not 2x or unlimited.
Test booklets may not be written in (no highlighting or underlining). Scratch paper will be provided.
Calculators, if specified in the accommodation, will be supplied for the Math subtests. Calculators are not allowed for the Computation subtest.
Students will not receive read aloud accommodation on the Reading test.
Students with limited English proficiency, will be provided a word-to-word dictionary if it is specified in the LEP.

2. Beginning this 2026-2027 school year, all students will be charged a $40 fee each time they sign up to take the Walnut Hills Entrance Exam (WHEE), regardless of address. Students may test up to twice in a school year, and will be charged for each test unless the student is enrolled in a CPS school and meets the criteria for economically disadvantaged status as indicated on the student’s state reporting page of Focus. These applications will have a fee waiver applied and these families will not be prompted to pay for Saturday test sessions.

NOTE: If a student does not attend the scheduled exam and fails to provide at least 48 hours' notice, the $40.00 exam registration fee is nonrefundable.

*To complete registration - Upload and email required documentation to: whee@cps-k12.org. All required documentation and fees are due by 3:00 p.m. of the Registration Deadline listed above. Final confirmation with Testing details including time and location will be emailed one week prior to the scheduled test date. Exam results are emailed approximately six weeks after the scheduled Test Date via the parent/guardian email associated with your student in Focus.

Retest Information

Students are permitted two test opportunities per school year. Students needing to retest must wait two months after the first attempt to take their second attempt. The highest scores from both attempts are utilized in creating the combined percentile rank.
Students who earned above the minimum score of 65 but below a 75 in a subject area (i.e. scores of 65-74) are encouraged to retest in that subject to give them the best chance of reaching a composite score of 140. (i.e. if a student earned a score of 67 in Reading and 60 in Math, the student should retest in both subject areas even though they met the minimum score for reading.)
Maximum score of each part from both attempts will be used for the composite score.
Only 1 retest is allowed per school year. (Retest must be scheduled at least two months after the first test.)
Both scores must be from the same school year.
Beginning this 2026-2027 school year, all students will be charged a $40 fee each time they sign up to take the Walnut Hills Entrance Exam (WHEE), regardless of address. Students may test up to twice in a school year, and will be charged for each test unless the student is enrolled in a CPS school and meets the criteria for economically disadvantaged status as indicated on the student’s state reporting page of Focus. These applications will have a fee waiver applied and these families will not be prompted to pay for Saturday test sessions.

NOTE: If a student does not attend the scheduled exam and fails to provide at least 48 hours' notice, the $40.00 exam registration fee is nonrefundable.

NOTE: This Entrance Exam can qualify the student for the SCPP program at Walnut Hills, but it does not guarantee enrollment. That decision is made by Walnut Hills High School– parents must follow the registration instructions and deadlines set by Walnut Hills High School. Students entering after grade 9 must also be able to meet the SCPP (Walnut Hills) graduation requirements to graduate on time.

For complete Retest registration - email required documentation and fee to: whee@cps-k12.org by 3:00 p.m. Registration Deadline. Final confirmation with Testing details including time and location will be emailed one week prior to the scheduled test date. Exam results are emailed approximately six weeks after the scheduled Test Date via the parent/guardian email associated with your student in Focus.

Walnut Hills High School Prospective Families

Eligible In-District Students:

For additional information regarding Walnut Hills High School in-district school enrollment guidelines for eligible students, shadowing programs, tours and/or academics, please visit their website or call 513-363-8400.

CPS welcomes Out-of-District Students, for more information, visit the CPS website:

CPS Open Enrollment Details

Eligible out-of-district students must complete the Open Enrollment application in April and follow the Open Enrollment procedure to be considered for enrollment.

Once a student is Eligible based on scores from both parts of the test in the same school year, the student does not need to take the exam again. For example, if a student earns an eligible score while in 6^th grade, but does not enroll at Walnut Hills for 7^th grade, the student can still use the 6^th grade scores to enroll at Walnut Hills for 9^th grade. Please save the Eligible Letter for your records to provide a copy to Walnut Hills High School Registration.

Walnut Hills High School Probationary Enrollment Process

WHEE Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the test take?

Do you recommend any specific test preparation?

There aren’t any formal test preparation materials provided by the manufacturer or by CPS. The examination covers reading comprehension, vocabulary, mathematics and computation. It is multiple-choice, and is paper-based (not computer-based). There may be third-party materials out there – the Testing & Assessment Department has not vetted those products. Parents and guardians should proceed with caution. As this test is paper based, families are encouraged to work with their students to practice filling out a “bubble sheet” answer document as we have found this is a skill many students do not regularly use.

Which grade level Test will my student take?

What are the Iowa Assessments?

What materials do I need to bring?

What items are allowed during testing?

Electronic Devices: Cell phones and all Smart Devices—including Apple Watches, Samsung Galaxy Watches, and Smart/META Glasses (even if prescription)—must be turned off and stored away during testing and breaks. Devices may only be turned on after testing is complete and the student’s answer document has been submitted.
Medical Need: Students who need access to a cell phone for a documented medical need should sit near the examiner, with the phone face down on the examiner’s desk.
Finishing Early: Students who finish a section early may not use outside materials, such as books. They should use the remaining time to review the section and check their answers.
Scrap Paper: All scrap paper must be returned to the designated collection box for secure shredding.

How are exams scored?

When will we receive the Exam Results?

My student passed one subject area but not the other. Do they need to retake both?

Students who earned above the minimum score of 65 but below a 75 in a subject area (i.e. scores of 65-74) are encouraged to retest in that subject to give them the best chance of reaching a composite score of 140. (i.e., If a student earned a score of 67 in Reading and 60 in Math, the student should retest in both subject areas even though they met the minimum score for reading. Maximum score of each part from both attempts will be used for the composite score.)

How many times can my student retest?

Contact Walnut Hills Entrance Exam Test Administration

Hours: Monday-Friday 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Phone: 513-363-0186

Email: whee@cps-k12.org

Supported by Cincinnati Public Schools - Family Technology Support Center