Definition
Students identified as highly capable are those who perform or show potential for performing at significantly advanced academic levels when compared with others of their age, experiences or environments. Outstanding abilities are seen within students’ general intellectual aptitudes, specific academic abilities and/or creative productivities within a specific domain. These students are present not only in the general populace but are present within all protected classes.
Students who are highly capable may possess, but are not limited to, these learning characteristics:
A. Capacity to learn with unusual depth of understanding, to retain what has been learned and to transfer learning to new situations.
B. Capacity and willingness to deal with increasing levels of abstraction and complexity earlier than other peers.
C. Creative ability to make unusual connections among ideas and concepts.
D. Ability to learn quickly in their area(s) of intellectual strength; and
E. Capacity for intense concentration and/or focus.
The following procedures will be employed to refer, evaluate and select students to access highly capable services:
Referral
The district will conduct universal screenings to identify students who may qualify for potential highly capable program placement. Referrals must be available for all grade levels not being universally screened and may be submitted by teachers, other staff, parents/guardians, students and members of the community. Referral forms are submitted to the program administrative assistant for highly capable to begin the process of compiling a portfolio of evidence.
Screening
In their second-grade year, all students will be screened using the CogAT 7 online screener to identify students who qualify for further assessment. In their sixth-grade year, student data will be reviewed to identify students who need screening for highly capable services. Available assessment data from previous years will be reviewed as additional screening information. Students considered for further assessment are those performing at the top of their peer group when ranking performance data by score, age, school, ethnicity, gender and languages spoken.
Assessment and Portfolio of Evidence
The district will obtain written, electronic or verbal permission prior to conducting the full CogAT (cognitive exam) to determine highly capable identification. A portfolio of evidence will be compiled for all students identified through the referral or screening process. Each portfolio will include multiple sources of data intended to reveal each student’s unique needs and capabilities demonstrating a potential benefit of the continuum of services provided for students identified highly capable.
- Aptitude Data: CogAT 7.
- Quantitative Data: WaKIDS (kindergarten), i-Ready diagnostic, Smarter Balanced Assessment and other classroom-based measures as appropriate.
- Qualitative Data: Family survey, staff and narrative work samples.
Selection
A multi-disciplinary selection team comprised of a district administrator, psychologist or other individual who can interpret cognitive and achievement test results and teacher representation will review data that has been collected for each of the referred students. The committee will select those students who would receive the most benefit from services provided to students identified highly capable.
The district must have identification procedures for their highly capable programs that are clearly stated and implemented by the district using the following criteria:
A. Districts must use multiple data points to identify students who are among the most highly capable.
B. The district must base highly capable selection decisions on consideration of criteria benchmarked on local norms, but the district will not use local norms as a more restrictive criterion than national norms at the same percentile.
C. The district will not use subjective measures, such as teacher recommendations or report card grades to screen out a student from assessment or to disqualify a student from identification. However, the district may use these data points alongside other criteria during selection to support identification; and
D. To the extent practicable, the district must give screening and assessments in the native language of the student. If native language screening and assessments are not available, the district must use a nonverbal screening and assessment.
The multi-disciplinary selection committee will evaluate the results of the universal screening, any further individual student assessment, any available district data and make the selection decision based on:
A. A preponderance of evidence from the profile data demonstrating that a student is among the most highly capable.
B. Evidence of clear need for highly capable services; and
C. Determination of which students would benefit the most from inclusion in the district’s services.
A single assessment score or indicator will not prevent a student’s selection for the highly capable program; however, individual pieces of evidence, if strong enough, can indicate that the student would benefit from these services.
Any screenings or additional assessments will be conducted within the school day and at the school the student attends.
Process for Appeal
Parents/guardians may appeal the identification decision of the multidisciplinary team by completing an appeal form. Appeal forms must be received by the district office within 15 days of notification.
The Multi-Disciplinary Committee will review the appeal and make a decision within 10 consecutive school days after receipt of written request for reconsideration and will notify the parent/guardian of the decision in writing. The parent/ guardian may appeal the decision of Multi-Disciplinary Committee to the deputy superintendent who will make a final decision within 10 workdays.
Exit Procedures
A student may be exited from highly capable at any time by parent/guardian request. The district will obtain written confirmation of this request. Families may also opt-in after discontinuing services.
Program Design
The district will offer a continuum of services to students identified highly capable that may include but are not limited to:
Tier I: Classroom experiences which all student’s access.
Tier II: Differentiation to extend/enrich classroom experiences, intentional grouping arrangement for collaboration, menu of learning options and/or alternate curriculum.
Tier III: Single subject acceleration, advanced placement courses, whole grade level acceleration and individualized approach.
Each second through eighth grade student will have a unique Student Learning Plan developed in collaboration with the student, teacher and family to nurture the identified area of strength or to strengthen an area where the student may struggle.
Reporting
Identified students will be assigned the appropriate CEDARS Gifted values(s) in the district’s student information system for the end of the year reporting activities.
The superintendent or designee will provide an end-of-the-year report to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) that includes:
A. Number of students served by grade level K-12.
B. Student demographic information.
C. Data to determine if students who are highly capable met the goals set and if the programs provided met the academic needs of these students.