Gifted/Intellectual Evaluations
There are times when children benefit from a more challenging and enriched educational environment. Many schools offer programs specifically designed to meet the needs of advanced learners. In public school settings, these are typically referred to as "gifted programs," while private schools may use different terms to describe similar opportunities. As a parent, you may notice signs that your child is thinking ahead of their peers, asking complex questions, grasping concepts quickly, or showing an intense curiosity about the world. Recognizing and nurturing a child’s intellectual potential is essential. Gifted children often thrive when their unique cognitive needs are identified early and appropriately supported. Gifted testing is an important step in determining whether your child qualifies for these specialized programs and helps ensure they are given opportunities to reach their full potential. Early identification empowers parents and educators to provide the stimulation and challenges gifted learners need to grow, thrive, and stay engaged in their education.
Identifying Traits of Gifted or Advanced Learners
- Learns rapidly, easily and efficiently
- Provides very alert, rapid answers to questions
- Has a wide range of interests
- Is venturesome, wanting to do new things
- Tends to dominate peers or situations
- Needs little outside control – applies self discipline
- Is resourceful – solving problems by ingenious methods
- Displays a great originality and curiosity about objects, situations or events
- Is involved with many exploratory type activities
- Shows superior judgment in evaluating things
- Is a good guesser
- Retains and uses information which has been heard or read
- Uses a large number of words easily and accurately
- Asks many questions of a provocative nature
- Has an interest in cause-effect relations
- Is persistent and has a high energy level
- Is independent
Is Your Child a Good Fit for a Gifted Program?
Every child has unique talents and ways of learning. However, to qualify for gifted programs in public and many private schools, students must meet specific criteria based on standardized intelligence testing. Our gifted evaluations are designed to identify a child’s cognitive strengths and challenges while also determining whether they meet the eligibility requirements for gifted placement. These assessments measure skills such as verbal and nonverbal reasoning, working memory, and processing speed. Beyond qualifying for programs, the evaluation also offers insight into your child’s learning style and areas of strength.
What Our Gifted Testing Includes:
- Parent and Child Interview
A brief conversation is held to better understand your child’s learning preferences, school history, and current academic environment.
- Standardized Intelligence Testing
We typically use the Wechsler Intelligence Scales unless a different assessment is recommended. Our evaluations meet the requirements of the Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach County school systems. The fee for our gifted evaluation is $600.
- Same-Day Verbal Feedback
After testing, we review the results with you and answer any immediate questions.
- Detailed Written Report
A full written report is provided within five business days and is tailored to meet local school system requirements.
What to Expect at the Appointment:
Testing usually takes between two and one-half to three hours. This time frame allows for breaks and ensures your child is not rushed. We recommend scheduling the appointment in the morning or early afternoon, ideally when your child is well-rested and has eaten. A child who feels energized and comfortable is best prepared to participate.
Next Steps:
If your child qualifies, we will discuss whether a gifted program would be an appropriate fit. Gifted classrooms vary, and placement should reflect your child’s specific strengths, needs, and learning style rather than just a test score.
Questions or Ready to Schedule?
We are here to help guide you through the process. Please contact us to learn more or to book an appointment.
- learns rapidly, easily and efficiently
- provides very alert, rapid answers to questions
- has a wide range of interests
- is venturesome, wanting to do new things
- tends to dominate peers or situations
- needs little outside control – applies self discipline
- is resourceful – solving problems by ingenious methods
- displays a great originality and curiosity about objects, situations or events
- is involved with many exploratory type activities
- shows superior judgment in evaluating things
- is a good guesser
- retains and uses information which has been heard or read
- uses a large number of words easily and accurately
- asks many questions of a provocative nature
- has an interest in cause-effect relations
- is persistent and has a high energy level
- is independent
All children are gifted in their own ways. However, public schools (and many private schools) require intelligence testing to identify whether or not a child meets the gifted programming criteria in order to enter this type of classroom. Gifted (often referred to as IQ) testing measures various thinking ability skills including verbal and nonverbal abilities, working memory and processing speed. A gifted evaluation will provide a breakdown of intellectual strengths and weaknesses and indicate whether criteria are met for placement in a gifted program. In addition to the test identifying whether or not your child meets giftedness criteria for the school system, the report will also highlight their style of learning, strengths, and weaknesses which your child may have.
Our office provides gifted testing for such placements. Our gifted evaluation includes the following:
1. A brief interview with parent and child about their learning styles, past school experiences, and current academic placement.
2. A standardized intelligence test. The test that is generally provided are the Wechsler Intelligence Scales, unless another test has been requested or is necessary. In addition, the Palm Beach County school system has other requirements that our office also meets. The fee for gifted evaluations is $600. However, the Palm Beach County School System has other requirement that our office also meets, and which may require an additional fee.
3. Following the administration of the test, we provide immediate verbal feedback of the results to the parent.
4. A written report is provided within five business days after testing. Our reports are in accordance with Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach County School Systems' requirements.
When coming for a gifted evaluation appointment in our office, approximately 2½ to 3 hours should be allotted. While all of the time may not be needed, we want to make sure your child has opportunities to take breaks, or if the child works at a slower pace, they will not be rushed. We set aside time to give the parent opportunities to discuss the results and answer any questions the parent may have. We request on the day of the child's testing, that the testing be done either in the morning or early afternoon, but not after a long day of school. It is important that the child be well-rested and has had a healthy breakfast or lunch, so that the child has energy and can focus adequately.
Following this evaluation, if the child meets school system criteria for a gifted program, the parent along with the psychologist discuss whether or not the child would benefit from an advanced curriculum. No single gifted class is appropriate for all children. This will vary by educational system and the individual student. However, whichever classroom is selected, it must be based on the needs, abilities and talents of the child.
If you have any additional questions regarding the process of testing gifted children or our gifted evaluation program, or would like to make an appointment, please contact us.
