Testing for Gifted in Palm Beach

In Palm Beach the schools offer gifted classes for kids that are creative, inquisitive, and very advanced.  So, how does a child qualify as gifted?  In Palm Beach it’s based on an individually administered IQ test.  Your child must score above 98% of kids his or her same age.  All scores are based on your child’s age.  What is the minimum gifted IQ in Palm Beach?  The minimum IQ for gifted classes in Palm Beach schools is 130.  This assumes your child is on plan A which is for most kids.  The Palm Beach schools gifted classes do have a plan B which is for kids on free and reduced lunch programs.  I have another article that describes the Palm Beach gifted plan B requirements.

A mom recently asked me, “Is the main difference between gifted classes and regular classes more work?”  I understand the gifted programs quite well since my daughter went through the Palm Beach gifted program at Lighthouse Elementary School, Beacon Cove Elementary School, and Jupiter Middle School.  I answered this mom and explained the gifted classes are much more than just added work.  I rave about my daughter’s gifted teachers and one of her favorite gifted teachers was Mrs. Holly Shaw.  Mrs. Shaw created amazing projects with her second grade students at Lighthouse Elementary School.  The entire gifted class acted out a play for The Giving Tree as well as songs and dances.  It was an amazing and creative expression of what gifted classes in the Palm Beach Schools should be like.  I understand that even the gifted teachers feel the FCAT pressure and are not able to do as many of these types of creative events but somehow many gifted teachers still work them in after FCAT.  These are the types of experiences that often set apart the gifted classes from the traditional classes.  We were fortunate to have many awesome teachers like Mrs. Shaw.

Contact me if you’d like to discuss gifted Palm Beach evaluations for these areas in Palm Beach: Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, Wellington, Royal Palm Beach, Delray Beach, or Lake Worth.  The gifted process is enjoyable for the child and very informative for the parent.  While I don’t believe teaching to the test I do believe in preparing your child for the gifted testing experience. (561) 625-4125