Getting tested.
Understanding the assessments — and why identifying gifted children early matters so much.
What the tests measure.
The standard tools for evaluating cognitive potential are generally referred to as IQ tests. Commonly recognized tests include Stanford-Binet, Wechsler, and Woodcock-Johnson. Other measures — such as outstanding standardized test scores at grade level — often predict superior IQ scores or academic potential, though some children simply don’t test well even with exceptionally high ability.
If your child has been identified through G.A.T.E. (gifted and talented education) testing at a public school, they may be a good candidate for GATE Academy.
Experienced, gifted-aware assessors.
GATE Academy works with an experienced licensed psychologist to administer standardized IQ tests as part of our admissions process. Local licensed psychologists can also administer them — it’s important to choose a professional experienced with gifted assessment, since certain portions (processing speed in particular) may be less useful in gauging academic potential.
You may use an outside tester; we accept other reports. Options include The Summit Center (multiple California locations) and The Gifted Development Center in Colorado.
Recognized early, so they can thrive.
GATE focuses on academically exceptional children as young as four — long before most schools consider evaluating giftedness. K–8 is a critical window, and exceptional children need to be recognized early in order to thrive.
“Almost without exception, experts in the education of the intellectually gifted agree that early identification of such talented students is important.”C. J. Mills · Pediatrics, 1992
Research shows gifted students whose needs aren’t met early can fall into patterns of underachievement. The Davidson Institute notes as many as 40% of gifted students are underachievers, and 10–20% of high-school dropouts test in the gifted range. Addressing this gap for California’s gifted students was the motivation behind founding GATE Academy.
Email or call us — we’d love to hear from you.