Palm Beach Gifted Program Class Requirements

The Palm Beach School District is one Florida school system that offers gifted classes for children and adolescents that academically work significantly above their same age peers.  Here (gifted_criteria_palm_beach_schools) are the specific documents that the Palm Beach School System had approved from the Florida Department of Education. These pages outline the exact criteria you need to know to qualify.  Here are the Palm Beach gifted program requirements in a nutshell; 1.  IQ must be 130 or above. 2. Your child’s current teacher must complete a gifted child checklist and endorse a majority of characteristics.

The Palm Beach Schools gifted programs include the geographic area of Boca Raton, Delray
Beach, Boynton Beach, Gulfstream, Wellington, Royal Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, Palm
Beach Gardens, and Jupiter.  Each school has a point person for the gifted classes.  In Palm Beach this person is called the ESE contact.  ESE stands for Exceptional Student Education and this department in the Palm Beach School System handles the gifted programs.  If your child is currently enrolled in the public schools but just not in gifted then the ESE contact is the one you should talk to.

The Palm Beach School System will test your child for the gifted classes but it just takes them quite a while to do it.  That’s why most parents prefer to have private gifted testing.  I believe private gifted testing is preferred for several reasons.  First, you accompany your child to the gifted testing session.  While you are not present in the room while the testing takes place, your child knows you are close by. They are less nervous.  Second, you choose the time for the gifted testing.  Most parents choose the morning hours.  The public school gifted testing takes place at any time during the day so it may not be the optimal time for your child.  They could be pulled from recess, art, or even an academic area and then worry about what they are missing.  Third, private gifted class testing is typically a quieter and calmer setting.  Public school gifted testing could be in room with lots of noises just outside the door.  Most public school psychologists don’t have their own office and are placed in a conference room or even a tiny closet like space.  This can make your child feel uncomfortable.

If you use me for testing I’ll make your child feel comfortable and at ease, we take drink and snack breaks, I give you the results that day in summary form.  You receive the written report by mail.  Email or call if you’d like to schedule.  625-4125.