If you are considering applying for a public choice school or gifted program, please keep reading.
No matter where I go, I hear parents talking anxiously about having to test their child to get into the gifted program. There is so much unnecessary pressure put on kids today with consequences down the line. Frequently the information that parents are sharing is inaccurate. When parents call me to schedule or inquire about gifted testing, they are overwhelmed and confused. I want to share the basics of gifted testing so that you have accurate information.
In Palm Beach County, a gifted or advanced program begins in Kindergarten. There are three requirements for gifted eligibility. These include: 1. An overall IQ score of 130 or greater on a standardized intelligence test such as the Wechsler tests (WPPSI-IV, WISC-IV) and the Stanford Binet. 2. Scoring at the 90th percentile in either reading or math on a test of achievement such as the Woodcock-Johonson III. 3. The child’s teacher must complete a checklist that states that this child demonstrates the need for an advanced curriculum.
For children entering Kindergarten, testing can be done as early as January of the calendar year entering school. Many schools have a deadline around the beginning of May. They want the paperwork completed so that they can plan for the upcoming school year. Timely completion of this paperwork will assure that your child will start their Kindergarten year correctly placed. A space must be provided for a child who meets these three criteria. Children who are evaluated after the deadline can still be eligible for the gifted program, but may have to start off the year in a different class until their paperwork is processed. All other school-aged children can be evaluated at any time.
For four and five year-olds, the complete evaluation takes around one hour and is always completed in one session. I always spend additional time with the child establishing rapport and will only begin once a child is comfortable enough to shine. The majority of the children I evaluate enjoy their time in the evaluation and ask to return for a playdate. Older children take longer because the math and reading portions become longer and more intense.
The gifted test can offer you very valuable information to helping you determine the best school placement for your child. Please note that IQ is not reliable at a young age, is often inflated, and so must be interpreted with caution. For more information, please feel free to contact me at 561-699-4639 or visit www.mindandbodydoctor.com/
