Gifted Testing/evaluation

GIFTED TESTING/EVALUATION

Let’s start with some general information regarding your special little student’s rights, because we believe that a well informed parent is an effective advocate for their child. An EP is a written plan for each child who is identified as eligible for gifted education describing the student’s educational needs and the services that will be provided to meet those needs. Districts continue to have the responsibility to provide students in kindergarten through Grade 12 who are gifted with an appropriate EP. The EP is to be developed by the district based on procedures that must be specified in each district’s Special Programs and Procedures (SP&P) for the Provision of Specially Designed Instruction and Related Services to Exceptional Students document and be consistent with the requirements of State Board of Education Rule 6A-6.030191, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.). The EP should provide detailed information that is useful to school personnel and to the student’s parents. It should identify the special needs of the student related to the student’s areas of giftedness and should identify the services that will be provided to ensure the student will progress appropriately. Learn more about Florida State Laws and Regulations from the Florida Department of Education at http://www.fldoe.org/academics/exceptional-student-edu/gifted-edu.stml

The term 'gifted and talented' when used in respect to students, children, or youth means [those who show] evidence of high performance capability in areas such as intellectual, creative, artistic, or leadership capacity, or in specific academic fields, and who require services or activities not ordinarily provided by the school in order to fully develop such capabilities.

Tests should be aligned within the characteristics of gifted and talented students within a specific domain area. The variety of characteristics within the federal definition—intellectual, creative, artistic, leadership, and specific academic fields—require more than one assessment to identify. Quantitative instruments such as those listed below use scores to describe the student's performance in relation to others or the degree to which a student possesses a particular characteristic in relation to a standard level of performance.

Gifted testing is conducted to determine if a child meets the gifted criteria in order to enter this type of academic program in a public or private school. To identify intellectual giftedness, we administer and intelligence test or IQ test. IQ (Intelligence Quotient) tests measure various cognitive abilities, such as verbal reasoning, visual/spatial reasoning, memory, and processing speed. These tests yield Full Scale IQ scores, and also, cluster or index scores separating the different areas. An IQ test is not an academic test, but a test of cognitive functioning. The following are IQ tests used to assess for giftedness.

  • Wechsler Intelligence Test for Children-Fifth Edition (WISC‑5)
  • Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence- Fourth Edition (WPPSI‑IV)
  • Woodcock Johnson‑IV

Upon completion of the IQ test, parents/caregivers are then provided with a comprehensive report detailing test results and recommendations during a feedback session.
Gifted Testing : The Process

Total of 2 Sessions:

  • Session 1: Parent Interview and IQ Test Administration
  • Session 2: Report Presentation and Feedback Session

First, parents/caregivers meet briefly with the psychologist to providing relevant background information.

Subsequently, the child/adolescent is given the Intelligence test (IQ), which can take anywhere from 90-120 minutes.

After we’ve obtained the needed information, we get to writing! A report detailing the results of this intellectual evaluation as well as recommendations regarding school placement is available for parents within 2 weeks after IQ testing.

Note: Rushed reports are available if needed.

To Test or Not to test, that is the question!

So, now that you're an expert on giftedness, should you have your child evaluated? Deciding to test your child for a Gifted program is a personal decision. There is no right or wrong answer. The student should not feel pressured into taking the test.

What happens if my child doesn’t meet the IQ requirement for the Gifted program?

Absolutely Nothing☺!!! He or she is still a precious and smart little joy! Many parents and students are happy with regular or advanced (honors) classes. Also, depending on the age of the children, some parents do not tell them the test is specifically for the Gifted program. Regardless of the outcome, we are sure that after the evaluation, parents will have a better understanding of their child’s cognitive strengths and weaknesses.

What is the required score for a Gifted program?

Miami-Dade and Broward Counties have different criteria. Nationally speaking, a student meets the criteria if he or she obtains a Full Scale IQ score of 130.

How much does it cost?

Our rates are average. The fee includes test administration, scoring, interpretation, report writing, and a feedback session to discuss the results. As a reminder: Gifted evaluations are offered for free in the public school system.