happy family
IQ TESTING & GIFTED SCREENINGS
IQ Testing and Gifted Identification

IQ Testing in Denver & Westminster, Colorado for Local School Admissions

If your child needs IQ testing and/or achievement testing to apply to a charter, magnet, or private school in the Denver area, you’ve come to the right place!

IQ testing is offered as part of our “Gifted Screening” process. We typically use the Wechsler Intelligence Scales (WPPSI-IV, WISC-V, or WAIS-IV – depending on the student’s age). These are accepted by local schools and are the most widely recognized and accepted IQ tests in use today.

For academic achievement testing, we typically administer the WIAT-4 or the KTEA-3. Keeping up with the latest technology, we offer the digital version, using two iPads, of the WISC-V and WAIS-IV and academic achievement tests.

We work closely with parents who are looking to find a school that is the best fit for their child’s needs.

In our school admissions screenings, we ask parents to fill out background questionnaires as part of the IQ testing process. These questionnaires help us understand your child better and make our recommendations more meaningful.

Rather than just giving you IQ scores that, by themselves, are not nearly as meaningful or helpful to parents or schools, our testing looks at the bigger picture of your child’s abilities and needs.

We write very detailed reports (typically 8-10 pages long) with clear explanations of your child’s abilities, strengths, and challenges. Recommendations are included to help you advocate for their needs, wherever they attend school in the Denver-Boulder area.

Gifted & Talented Assessments

Schools or specialized programs that require IQ tests for children are typically focused on educating students who are gifted. Students who do best in these programs or schools for gifted children are those who truly meet the criteria for giftedness. For this reason, we never do IQ testing in isolation.

We are passionate about helping parents understand the full range of their children’s abilities and helping them make educational decisions that are in the best interests of their children. While many providers will do IQ testing and offer you a summary of your child’s scores, PEAK provides assessments to screen for or determine giftedness, not just IQ scores.

Giftedness is not determined through IQ testing alone.

If you or your child’s teachers suspect that they may be gifted, the next step is to obtain a formal assessment to document your child’s cognitive abilities (or aptitude) as well as other characteristics that would indicate giftedness. Or, if you are considering admission to a school or educational program in or near Denver specializing in gifted students, a formal assessment will help you learn more.

Testing for giftedness will provide verification of your child’s abilities and offers objective evidence for school officials of their educational needs. Our assessment reports are very detailed and provide you everything you need to understand and advocate for your child’s educational needs and choose a school or program in the Denver area.

IQ testing for gifted schools

Comprehensive Assessment of Giftedness

Identifying giftedness is complex because there are many different types of gifted abilities. The gifted and talented testing for children we offer takes this into account. We provide Gifted Screenings as well as comprehensive educational assessments to examine gifted abilities.

As part of the Gifted Screening process, we include the IQ test and also obtain several parent questionnaires for examining characteristics of giftedness, as well as information on your child’s developmental history, because giftedness is not identified on the basis of IQ testing alone.

Comprehensive educational assessments for gifted identification also include achievement testing, which is required by some schools. Our detailed testing also provides the necessary body of evidence for school districts in Colorado to formally identify children as gifted.

Both of these testing options allow us to provide you with a detailed overview of your child’s overall cognitive abilities, including strengths and any areas for growth, as well as recommendations for schools, programming, educational needs, as well as social and emotional needs that are unique to gifted children.

Even if the testing does not reveal gifted intellectual abilities, you and your child will benefit from a comprehensive assessment of how they learn best and what changes you may wish to make in the school or home to optimize their functioning.

What’s Involved in an IQ Test for Children?

The IQ test itself consists of multiple subtests that measure a wide range of factors related to an individual’s cognitive strengths and aptitude. Areas measured include: factual knowledge, abstract reasoning, visual-spatial abilities, short-term memory, common sense, and processing speed.

We always administer the complete test, including all subtests, in order to provide the most comprehensive understanding of your child’s abilities and learning style. This allows us to gain valuable information on your child’s abilities that is much more detailed than is possible when only the “standard” subtests are administered.

Our goal is to test your child while they are at their “best.”

The standard testing time for the IQ test typically ranges from two to three hours, although this can vary. Please allow for up to three (3) hours of face to face time for the testing session. For children, we do IQ testing in the morning in order to ensure that they are well-rested. Over the many years we have been providing testing services, we have learned that children do not perform as well when they are tested in the afternoon or evening.

If your child appears to be getting fatigued or is overly distracted during our testing session, we will take a break from the testing process and/or decide if it would be better to schedule the remainder of the test on another day. Usually, taking breaks allows them an opportunity to recharge and re-focus and we are almost always able to complete the testing in one appointment.

We Work with Gifted Children: Child Psychologists in Denver & Westminster, CO

Don’t trust your child’s assessment to someone who doesn’t specialize in giftedness.

Working with gifted students is our passion and our primary focus – every day. If you have a special need, you go see a specialist in that one topic, right? Our assessments are individually administered by one of our highly qualified providers, and overseen by Dr. Terri Lucero, our executive director for both locations in Denver and Westminster, Colorado.

The test results give us an excellent overview of your child’s strengths and weaknesses and provide the basis for recommendations for addressing their needs. As a result of the assessment, we may recommend (for example) gifted identification through the school district, advanced curriculum instruction in an area of strength, opportunities for individual passion research, single subject acceleration, or grade skipping. Modifications can also be recommended for weaknesses, such as extra time on standardized testing or the use of audio books.

Take the Next Step with Your Child

If you are interested in having your child tested in Denver or Broomfield, call or schedule online today to reserve an appointment. We offer IQ testing for the Adams 12 charter and magnet schools, the 27J school district, Boulder Valley schools, and all other Colorado public and private schools that require or accept IQ testing for gifted identification. Our providers typically use the WPPSI-IV or the WISC-V to test children who are applying for one of these schools or programs. The busiest testing months are October thru January, so plan ahead and get an appointment scheduled early.

Gifted Assessment & IQ Testing in Denver and Westminster, CO

Our child psychologists at PEAK Exceptional Services provide gifted assessments and IQ testing for kids in Denver and Westminster, Colorado. Our north metro office is conveniently located near Hwy 36 and Sheridan Blvd. in Westminster, and is easily accessible from Broomfield, Thornton, Arvada, Erie, and Boulder and the surrounding areas. We also offer testing at our centrally located Denver office, right off I-25 and Speer Blvd.

Call or Email Today for More Information about IQ Tests and Gifted Tests for Children

720-377-3250 or testing@peakgifted2e.com

What Others Are Saying:

Pursuing gifted testing for the first time, I felt anxious and overwhelmed. I picked Dr. Terri Lucero because she seemed both professionally accomplished and relatable. Even though I initiated contact by email, Terri took the time to speak with me by phone and answered all my questions. She effortlessly accommodated my scheduling needs, and the process was smooth from start to finish. I especially appreciated her excellent communication regarding the comprehensive report, giving me an opportunity for feedback and follow up. Terri has a true passion for her work, and I feel confident that if I ever have further questions, she will be a great resource. My daughter seemed to quickly develop a rapport with Terri and was so comfortable, she since has asked if she can go back to “that place where I learned things that were hard but fun.”

Rebecca, parent