Gifted evaluation
A close look at a child who learns fast
For a child whose reasoning runs ahead of their grade, and for a family or school that wants to understand how.
Dr. Paschal tests how your child reasons with words and with shapes, how they hold information in mind, how quickly they work and what they have learned in school. He puts it together with what you and your child's teachers have seen.
Who it helps
A child who reads, counts or asks questions well beyond their grade
A family weighing a new classroom, a skip or a gifted program
A school that has asked for a fuller picture
What sessions look like
Three kinds of visit
Dr. Paschal sets the pace for your child. There is no fixed number of visits.
The parent interview
You, without your child, for about an hour. Your child's history, what you have noticed and what you are asking.
Testing visits
Your child, at a small table with Dr. Paschal: puzzles, questions, drawing, reading and math, with breaks whenever they are needed.
The feedback visit
You, and your child if you choose, hear the results in person, with time for every question.
What is looked at
What an evaluation measures
A gifted evaluation looks at ability and at how your child works, because both shape what school should feel like.
Reasoning with words
Vocabulary, ideas and how your child explains what they know.
Reasoning with shapes and patterns
Puzzles that need no reading, which show thinking apart from language.
Memory
How much your child can hold in mind while working on something else.
Speed of working
How quickly your child copies, matches and decides, and what happens under time.
School skills
Reading, writing and math, measured against the grade your child is in.
How your child works
Persistence, what they do when stuck and what helps them keep going.
The method
How the testing is done
Dr. Paschal gives standardized tests one on one, chosen for your child's age, and watches how your child works as well as what they answer. The report lists every test used and who made it.
What this is not
What an evaluation isn't
Not pass or fail
There is nothing to study for, and no result your child has to earn.
Not a placement
A report describes your child. Whether a program offers a place is the school's decision.
Not therapy
Dr. Paschal evaluates; he doesn't provide therapy. He can suggest where to ask.
Questions
Three questions about gifted evaluations
Does my child need to prepare?
No. A good night's sleep and a snack are all it takes. Studying for the visit can make the results harder to read.
At what age can my child be tested?
Dr. Paschal tests children from kindergarten through high school. For a younger child, ask us at the interview.
Will the school accept the report?
Schools decide for themselves what they accept and which programs they offer. The report describes your child; a school letter says what the school asked about, once you ask for it.
How this is paid
Testing is one fee for the whole evaluation. You have it in writing before you start, and the Good Faith Estimate is part of it.