I was wondering if the confidence interval score was considered when identifying gifted children. I realize this could be different for different schools, but I need something to obsess about while I wait for a decision. My son's FSIQ is below the cutoff, but the upper end of the CI is above the cut off.
Thanks!

Well, if you feel very strongly that the program in question is one that would benefit your child educationally in a really substantial way, I'd be collecting additional supporting documentation-- portfolio items, basically.

"Gifted" is a range, and it isn't really something that is very well captured by conventional numerical methods. So the short answer is that yes, it should matter since most programs have more than one means of qualifying. Not all children test well.

The longer answer is that a lot depends on just how close that FSIQ value is to "the" magic number, how rigid those who decide tend to be about the numbers, and how much your child is in need of the things it would gain him to qualify.

Also worth considering-- is this a one-time thing? Or is it something that can be revisited in a year?

Having been on the selection committee side of this question, I can confidently say that the answer is, "it depends." Admission decisions may consider, among other things:

1. objective criteria, like the exact FSIQ/GAI/NAI, ITBS, etc.;
2. semi-objective data, like grades, score on a rubric for a performance assessment, score on the GRS;
3. subjective data, like teacher/parent recommendations; and,
4. practical/political factors, like the SES/CLD balance of the class, how many slots are left over after using the strict criteria (thus how many shoulder candidates can be included), and whose parent is an influential school committee member.

The practical implication of this is that, how much you advocate for the CI being a consideration, and to what extent you compile secondary supporting data, depends on how many of those pieces are accessible to you, and how much you think placement in or out of this program will affect your child's global well-being.

Depends whether the cutoff is the 99th percentile or the 95th percentile.