Parents of gifted children often have specific questions about their gifted child and his or her education, such as:

• My child has participated in your Talent Search and scored very highly on the SCAT. She is doing very well in school, but complains about being bored. What can I do to make sure she is challenged in school? How can I approach her teachers with my concerns?

• My gifted child has recently been diagnosed as having a learning disability. The school has some ideas about how to strengthen his weaknesses, but I worry that they are not paying much attention to his gifts. Can a child be both gifted and learning disabled? What is the best way to work with a child like this?

In situations like these, parents sometimes feel that it would be helpful to talk with an expert in gifted education to discuss strategies to help meet the needs of their child.

The Diagnostic and Counseling Center offers consultations to help students and their families with:

• Interpretation of test results: the results of previous testing are interpreted, and assistance in evaluating the educational implications of test findings is provided.

• Development of educational plans: students’ performance on standardized tests, achievement in school, and interests and motivation, as well as available resources in the community, are evaluated to develop educational plans that meet their needs.

• School advocacy: guidance is provided to families seeking to work with their child’s school in developing and implementing an appropriate educational program.

Consultations are most effective when accompanied by the results of previous assessments of the student’s intellectual capability and academic development. Such assessments may have been conducted at school or through another agency.

Educational consultations can be conducted in person at CTY headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland, or over the phone. The fee for this service ranges from $175 to $350 (depending on the complexity of the case) and includes a review of records and a one-hour counseling session. A written report is also available for an additional fee.

If you would like to pursue an educational consultation, please download and complete the Intake Form and return it to our office.