In our case, the testing was done by the school psychologist, so it wasn't a case of being wary of outside testing. I'm still baffled by it.
Just out of curiosity, how does this school define giftedness if scoring 160 isn't it?
The school didn't deny that DS was gifted, just that he wouldn't be considered for the GATE program until he had taken the test given to the rest of the kids in the spring. It's possible we could have pushed the issue, had we chosen to stay.
Anyway, my point is, for me, he defined the phrase "gifted child." I know other children who are cognitively higher functioning or more of a prodigy in their area of talent but he has always had that aura to him that made him very special/gifted.
DS is exactly not this. He does not appear to be gifted much of the time, and some adults who know him casually (e.g. his Scout leader) don't believe it. And yet he has special gifted needs just as much as those kids who exude giftedness in the way you describe.
