Evaluaciones de inteligencia y superdotación
Gifted & Intelligence Evaluations
Evaluaciones de inteligencia y superdotación
Gifted & Intelligence Evaluations
Gifted Testing and Intelligence (IQ) Testing & Evaluations
Your child is smart… really smart.
And it’s not just you that thinks so. Most people say that s/he thinks and speaks like a little adult. Even their teacher has mentioned that a gifted class may be a good fit next school year. As a parent, you want to make sure that you give your child every opportunity to achieve their potential in school.
Gifted testing can help you do that.
Having your child complete an IQ test to determine if s/he qualifies for placement in a gifted program is a good idea if they excel significantly beyond their peers in school. The results of these evaluations can help parents and teachers understand a child’s areas of relative strength and weakness, allowing for more individualized instruction. Gifted programs can challenge academically talented children and allow them to make the most out of natural abilities.
Won’t my child’s school do the gifted test?
While the local public school district can perform a gifted evaluation for free, a teacher has to recommend that your child be tested for gifted. Even if the teacher makes the recommendations, it may take them a long time to get around to testing your child. Most private schools don’t offer gifted testing at all.
Private gifted testing gives you control.
Private gifted testing reduces wait times and allows you to control what day and time of day your child is tested so s/he can perform their best. It also lets you, as a parent, decide if the gifted evaluation becomes a part of your child’s academic records.
Based just outside of Coral Gables, FL, our team of psychologists are former teachers and psychologists that worked for Miami-Dade County Schools. They have extensive knowledge of gifted testing, as well as the gifted program eligibility and requirements of Miami-Dade County Schools and local private schools.
Won’t my child’s school do the gifted test?
While the local public school district can perform a gifted evaluation for free, a teacher has to recommend that your child be tested for gifted. Even if the teacher makes the recommendations, it may take them a long time to get around to testing your child. Most private schools don’t offer gifted testing at all.
Private gifted testing gives you control.
Private gifted testing reduces wait times and allows you to control what day and time of day your child is tested so s/he can perform their best. It also lets you, as a parent, decide if the gifted evaluation becomes a part of your child’s academic records.
Based just outside of Coral Gables, FL, our team of psychologists are former teachers and psychologists that worked for Miami-Dade County Schools. They have extensive knowledge of gifted testing, as well as the gifted program eligibility and requirements of Miami-Dade County Schools and local private schools.
Click the image above to read The Ultimate Guide to Gifted Testing in Miami article.
Our IQ tests aren’t just for children.
Sometimes adults also want or need IQ testing. The common reasons include joining Mensa International (or similar organizations), meeting qualifications for egg/sperm donation and/or surrogacy, or to establish cognitive abilities for workplace settings.
This evaluation includes:
- 60 – 70 minute of IQ/Intelligence test administration
- 30 minutes to score and write the final report
- 30 minutes Feedback session with parents to review the report and answer questions
Total Time for completion = 2 hours, Same Day Results
Please Note:
- Our private gifted evaluations meet both public and private schools’ requirements for gifted placement.
- Please note that choosing private gifted testing does not guarantee your child will qualify for gifted placement.
- The same intelligence test cannot be repeated within 12 months. If you or your child is being re-tested, please let us know which test was previously administered in advance. Failure to do so will lead to your child’s school rejecting the results of our gifted testing.
You probably have more questions about our gifted evaluations.
Here are some of the most common questions that people ask us about our gifted/IQ testing.
How old should my child be for gifted testing?
Our doctors require that a child be at least 5 years-old for gifted testing. Before age 5, there’s a higher likelihood of false-negative and false-positive results. False-negative results suggest that a kid isn’t gifted when they really are! No one wants that. On the other hand, false-positive results suggest that a kid is gifted when they really aren’t.
You’re probably thinking, “What’s the harm in that? My kid will be in a smaller class with all the smart kids and a better teacher!” Well, yeah, BUT there’s a downside to this. Your child’s academic performance and self-esteem may suffer when they realize they can’t perform as well as their classmates. It’s common for these children to begin to feel stupid, sad, or anxious about school. Their grades drop and things just snowballs from there.
What’s the benefit of doing gifted testing privately?
#1 Time By doing private gifted testing, you won’t have to wait for the understaffed school district to get around to your child. And you’ll get results within 7 days which is pretty much unheard of with the overworked school district’s school psychologists or other psychologists in the area. This could make your child eligible for a gifted classroom sooner.
#2 Attention to Detail Our psychologists are able to take more time assessing your child and analyzing the results. In some cases, they are able to alert parents of areas of concern that may impact future academic performance, such as early signs of reading and math difficulties and problems with attention and focus. This doesn’t happen when the school district’s school psychologists test your child for gifted.
#3 Optimized Performance Is your child more alert and focused in the morning or just the opposite? Say your child gets sleepy, is just getting or recovering from a cold, or has a stomachache during the evaluation. All of these factors can negatively affect your child’s performance. Our psychologists can schedule testing on a day, at a specific time of day, or to stop testing and reschedule the remainder of the testing for another day when your child is more alert, focused, and feeling better. School psychologists don’t have this luxury.
#4 Fairness In public and charter schools, you have to depend on a teacher to recommend your child for gifted testing to start the process. But what if your child’s teacher doesn’t make this recommendation? There are a lot of reasons a teacher might not make this recommendation, like behavior problems or difficulties with attention. Or maybe your child is quiet and shy and goes largely unnoticed by the teacher in a large classroom.
How much does gifted testing cost?
At our office, we offer 2 types of gifted testing: Basic and Comprehensive. Both types are performed by licensed psychologists with years of experience. It’s comparable to the prices at local teaching clinics where doctoral students are still learning to perform these evaluations. Here’s the difference between the two levels:
- Basic (ages 5+) meets the minimum requirements to determine gifted eligibility. It costs $400 USD.
- Comprehensive (ages 6+) is a more in-depth evaluation of different types of intelligence, and also assesses for personal strengths and weaknesses. It is recommended in cases when the child is being re-evaluated after not meeting gifted eligibility within the last year. It costs $550 USD.
There’s a $150 non-refundable scheduling fee for both types of gifted testing to cover the time spent in preparation for the testing session so you can have the results and final report on the same day of testing. You also have the added benefit of working with Dr. Erika Martinez or Dr. Frank Martinez-Mesa, who have both worked for the public school system and are up-to-date with its requirements for gifted placement.
How long does it take to get the results?
You’ll get results the same day for both Basic and Comprehensive Gifted/IQ tests.
Is gifted testing covered by my insurance?
Not usually. Gifted testing is for educational purposes and your healthcare insurance is for health/medical purposes. However, we can give you a special receipt called a superbill. You can submit the superbill to your insurance company and see if they’ll accept the claim. You may also consider paying with your HSA/FSA card.
What is the difference between the Basic and Comprehensive gifted tests?
The Basic gifted test is shorter (approx. 30-40 mins) and provides verbal, nonverbal, and Full Scale IQ scores.
The Comprehensive gifted test is longer (approx. 60-75 mins) and provides additional IQ scores beyond verbal, nonverbal, and Full Scale IQ scores. It also allows for more advanced statistical analysis to help determine if discrepancies exist among the verbal, nonverbal, and Full Scales IQ scores. If discrepancies exist, then the Full Scale IQ score (used for Gifted eligibility) could be invalid which may provide an opportunity to use one of the other IQ scores to determine Gifted eligibility.
Both the Basic and Comprehensive gifted tests we offer are accepted by Miami-Dade County Public Schools and Broward County Public Schools. Please note that Miami-Dade and Broward have different IQ criteria for gifted programs. Click here to learn everything you want to know about Gifted Evaluations.
Can my child be tested at our home?
We don’t offer in-home evaluations for several reasons.
- Psychological tests must be administered in a standardized way each and every time so that the results are valid. Testing in private homes introduces too many variables (e.g. interruptions, phones or doorbells ringing, dogs barking, neighbors, toys, windows, etc.) that could distract the child and invalidate the results.
- Many schools won’t accept the results of testing that was conducted in private homes.
- As licensed professionals, we have an ethical and legal responsibility to protect the test’s integrity. In private homes, there’s no guarantee test questions and activities won’t be overheard or seen.
What are the requirements to be considered gifted?
Traditionally, an IQ of 130 or more qualifies as gifted. For kids that score above 112 but below 130, Miami-Dade County Public Schools offers “Plan B”, which are alternative criteria for gifted placement. Read The Ultimate Guide to Gifted Testing in Miami to learn everything you could possibly want to know about giftedness.
What IQ test do you use for gifted testing?
Our doctors use the same IQ tests that Miami-Dade County Public Schools school psychologists use. The use of a specific test is at the psychologist’s discretion and depends on whether your child was tested for gifted in the last 12 months.
Will Miami-Dade County Public Schools accept a private gifted evaluation?
Yes, they will as long as the gifted evaluation is performed by a licensed psychologist in the state of Florida. You can check whether a professional has an active license using this link.
Consumer Alert!
Some psychologists will have their testing technician administer the IQ test to cut down on time and cost. This may account for the difference in cost when you’re calling around to get prices and one place charges $200 and another place charges $500. Please note that MDCPS will not accept gifted testing performed by technician even if the final results are signed off by a licensed psychologist.
You’re probably thinking, “Fine, I’ll just have my kiddo re-tested,” and sure you can do that, BUT remember that IQ tests cannot be re-administered for one year.
We’re moving to Sarasota. Will Sarasota Schools accept your gifted testing?
Yes, Sarasota County Schools will accept evaluations from licensed psychologists in the state of Florida.
However, Sarasota County Schools have VERY demanding criteria for its gifted program. In some cases, they may require additional testing (e.g. an Achievement test) in addition to an IQ test for students seeking admission into its Gifted Magnet programs (e.g. Pineview School) than would be required by Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
We recommend that you carefully review the information on Sarasota County Schools’ ESE division’s website and/or contact their office to get specific instructions about your child’s specific testing needs.
What will my child be asked to do during gifted/IQ testing?
Testing will involve some of the following:
- Answering questions out loud or on the computer
- Building designs and completing puzzles
- Answering riddles
- Memory games
What do I tell my child about why they are taking this test?
We recommend that you don’t tell your child anything about the test until a day or so before their appointment so they don’t get nervous. Avoid saying that it’s a test or mentioning anything about “gifted” or “passing or failing”.
It’s important that you remain calm, too, because your child will know something’s up if you’re anxious. If they ask, tell them they’re going to meet with someone who will be helping you make important school decisions so that he or she can do their best in school or so you can provide better help with their homework. That’s it – keep it simple!
How can I prepare my child for gifted testing?
Make sure your kiddo gets a good night’s rest. Avoid them staying up late, watching scary movies, having caffeine, or deviating from their normal routine.
Try to get them to eat a healthy, well-balanced meal before testing. That’s all the prep he or she needs.
IQ test measure potential, not learned information so there’s no way to really prepare or study for them. Online test prep companies like TestingMom.com or Testprep-online.com and gifted prep workbooks are a waste of time and money. We’ve tested children that prepared for weeks (sometimes even months) with these materials and the kids didn’t qualify for gifted. And vice versa. Kids qualify for gifted without any special training or preparation.
When is the best time of day to have my child tested?
It really depends on your child. Just grown-ups, some kids are alert in the morning while others are at their best later in the day. We can start testing as early as 10 AM and the latest start time we offer is 5 PM. We also offer testing on some Saturdays, teacher planning days, and even school holidays. Please call our office for more details.
What happens if my child doesn’t qualify for gifted?
It depends. If your child scores between 112 and 129, he or she may be eligible for gifted placement through Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ Plan B criteria. If your child scores below 112, you can try re-testing in one year when your child has developmentally matured more.
Does the psychologist speak English well/without an accent?
Yes, our doctors speak English clearly with native proficiency. You can watch these short videos of both Dr. Erika Martinez and Dr. Frank Martinez-Mesa to hear them speaking.
Can I be in the room while my child is being tested?
Sorry, no, you can’t be in the room. Here’s why:
- The results are more accurate when the testing environment closes approximates the school environment.
- How your kiddo behaves in your absence provides important information that is part of the evaluation.
- The testing questions and materials are highly confidential and the licensed psychologist has an ethical responsibility to maintain their confidentiality.
But if you’re very curious about doing an IQ test, consider doing one yourself! We have many parents that decide to get tested too after their kids tell them how much fun it was ;)
I don’t feel comfortable with my child in a room alone with a male. Is there a female that can do this evaluation?
Yes, Dr. Erika Martinez offers the comprehensive level of gifted testing. If you prefer the basic level of gifted testing, our female psychometrician can perform the testing and Dr. Frank Martinez-Mesa can score and interpret the results.
Are you qualified to do gifted testing?
Yes, our doctors have all licensed psychologists in the state of Florida. You can verify their licenses with Florida’s Department of Health using this link. Dr. Erika Martinez and Dr. Frank Martinez-Mesa have both worked for Miami-Dade County Public Schools and have a comprehensive understanding of the school system’s requirements for gifted placement.
Can gifted/IQ testing be done in Spanish?
Yes, our Basic Gifted/IQ test can be administered in Spanish. However, testing in Spanish would not qualify for placement in a Gifted program in Miami-Dade County Public Schools and most private schools in Miami-Dade County.
Call or schedule a Consult to learn more and get pricing for this evaluation.
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