I just wanted to share this with everyone.
A few weeks ago I was reading some articles online and found myself on the Gifted Development Center's website. I know several of you have actually gone there for testing, and others may have read articles written by people from the center. Anyway, I saw that they offer advocacy consultations. I immediately called. Some of you may recall my recent trouble with the GT program and some test discrepancies between my daughter's WPPSI and her group test results from the school. In anticipation of the district appeals committee meeting we decided to use their services.
We're so glad that we did. We live in Texas and are not really able to take off and go to Colorado for testing. I haven't had much luck in finding someone here who specializes in gifted children, so for us it was worth paying the $150/hr fee for the consultation. That's what I likely would have paid someone here had I found the right person, so I was willing to do it. Anyway, they emailed me 11 forms to complete over the weekend, then we faxed them back (over 40 pages in all!). She looked over everything--including our test results--before our phone conversation, spending about an hour with the information. Then we talked for two hours and I got a tremendous amount of personalized support and advice about my DD6.
Obviously this is not perfect; they did not meet my daughter. But I got SO much more advice about my daughter than I ever had from any doctor, including the one who had tested her with the WPPSI. They addressed sensory issues, behavior issues, academic issues, and the advocacy stuff. She gave me book recommendations and things to follow up about perhaps with future testing. I went in to that appeals meeting last week at the district feeling very prepared and knowing exactly what to say, what to ask for, and what I was talking about. I don't know if it will make a difference to the school district but it truly helped us in understanding our daughter.
It's certainly not something that's for everyone; most people may not need that much hand holding and may not be willing to pay for it. But if you have test discrepancies, testing questions, or need educational advice, it may be worth considering, especially if you don't live in an area where there's someone specialized or who you trust. I just wanted to let people know that it's another option to consider.
Last edited by AmyEJ; 04/15/08 11:05 AM.
