Highly Capable

Identification & Assessment

Our identification process uses multiple measures to ensure we get a complete picture of each student's abilities.

Universal Screening

In 2nd grade, all students participate in universal screening. This screening uses a non-verbal assessment (NNAT3) and our District benchmark assessments (NWEA math, NWEA reading, and BAS).

Referral-Based Assessment

Students in other grades who are referred for the program will be assessed to determine eligibility. This testing only occurs after the district receives written parent permission.

Assessment Tools

The district's multidisciplinary selection committee uses multiple measures to make placement decisions. No single test score determines eligibility. Data points may include some or all of the following:

• ITBS

• NNAT3

• CogAT

• NWEA MAP (reading and math)

• NWEA Fluency

• BAS

• WIDA

• Other district data

• TAG Creativity test

• SBA

• Teacher rating forms

• Parent rating forms

Important Notes:

• Private Assessments: Privately administered assessments will not be substituted for district-administered assessments.

• Multilingual Students: Students demonstrating multilinguality are given appropriate consideration during both the screening and assessment stages.

• Professional Review: Test results are reviewed by a psychologist or other qualified practitioner trained to interpret cognitive and achievement tests. If district personnel believe test results are inaccurate due to factors like test measurement error, or environmental, cultural, or economic factors, they will use professional judgment to determine the student's ability or achievement. This determination will be documented in a written narrative.

Referrals

Highly Capable referrals are accepted each year from September through the last Friday in January. 

Each year in January, all second grade students in the Ellensburg School District are screened during class time to determine eligibility for further testing and possible identification for Highly Capable services. 

Additionally, all fifth grade students are screened universally using classroom, district, and state assessment data.  

The referral form is below and can be submitted electronically. You can also ask your child’s building secretary for a referral form and submit it to the District Office at 1300 E 3rd Avenue, Ellensburg, WA 98926.

Referrals will be screened. Permission to test forms, along with the parent and teacher surveys, will be sent out if the student meets the screening criteria.

Prior to completing the referral form, please consider these guiding questions.  If the answer is “yes” to many of these questions, please submit the referral below.  

1. Does this student gain skills or knowledge with very little practice or repetition?
2. Does this student demonstrate a pattern of exceptional performance and/or achievement?
3. Does this student function well beyond their peers in certain areas, yet lag behind their peers in other areas?
4. Does this student generate insightful questions, complex connections, creative ideas, or clever humor?
5. Does this student show curiosity and interest in a variety of ideas and activities and/or an unusual persistence in a single topic?
6. Does this student reason things out, recognize relationships, comprehend meanings, and make logical associations?

Forms

• Referral 
• Program Opt Out Form
• Highly Capable Appeal
• Testing Opt Out

Retesting & Appeals

Retesting: Students may re-test the CogAT given the following conditions:

1. It has been over 6 months since the student last tested and

2. The student is enrolled in at least one grade level higher than when they last tested.

Appeals: Appeals are considered annually for students who did not meet the criteria. The multi-disciplinary team will examine provided evidence of high ability and need for program placement. Parents will be notified of the appeal process and timeline in the placement decision notification letter. Appeal decisions will be either to maintain placement decision, change placement decision, or allow students to retest in the late summer/early fall. Private testing as well as testing from other districts are accepted for appeal review.

• Highly Capable Program Appeal/Review Request Form

Transfer Students

Students who transfer in from out-of-district and have qualified in that district’s highly capable program are not automatically enrolled. Test scores and placement letters from the other district may be used as long as they meet our placement criteria. Testing will be available to those transfer students whose previous district’s placement scores or measures do not meet ESD’s criteria.

Highly Capable Program: Service Models

Ellensburg Public Schools provides a continuum of services to meet the unique needs of Highly Capable (HC) students. Once a student is identified, they will be served until they graduate.

The service model may change depending on student need. Students will receive one or more of the following services based on their grade level.

Elementary School (Grades K-5)

• Grades 3-5: Challenge- Students receive services at their home school for 90 minutes once a week.

  Grades K-2: Discovery- Students receive services at their home school for 45 minutes once a week. 

Middle School (Grades 6-8)

• Advisory Class: Students identified for HC services are clustered into a uniquely highly capable advisory class that meets four times a week.

• Advanced Math: Students are scheduled in advanced math if their academic achievement meets the requirements.

• Social Studies:

  • 6th Grade: Students are scheduled in the advanced social studies class with other high-achieving students.

  • 7th-8th Grade: Students are scheduled in the advanced social studies class with other high-achieving students.

High School (Grades 9-12)

• Advisory Class: Students identified as HC are clustered in a uniquely highly capable advisory class.

• In-Class Services: Students receive services in the general education class through differentiated instruction.

• Acceleration Opportunities: Students have the opportunity to accelerate their learning. Options include Honors, AP, College in the High School, or Running Start.

• Critical and Creative Thinking - Bloom’s Taxonomy
  • An explanation, examples and links for applying higher order thinking skills in lesson planning.
• Torrance Framework for Creative Thinking
  • Defines the creative thinking processes and gives examples of application activities.
• Johns Hopkins University for Talented Youth
  • Since 1979, the Center for Talented Youth (CTY) at Johns Hopkins University has focused on the needs of students with exceptionally high academic abilities.
• WAETAG
  • The Washington Educators of Talented and Gifted organization offers links for teachers and parents as well as advocacy at the state level and an annual conference.
• TAG Families of the Talented and Gifted
  • Excellent resource for parents who want the background information to advocate for their student.
• MENSA
  • Information about the Mensa organization.
• Stephanie Tolan.com
  • This website has links to a series of articles by different authors and gifted organizations written on topics pertinent to issues that affect gifted children. They are geared toward the adults living and working with these children.
• Alliance for Childhood
  • Research and advocacy suggestions promoting the importance of play as a learning tool for young children.
• Academic Games League
  • “Academic Games Leagues of America (AGLOA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to developing “Thinking Kids” of character, excellence and integrity.”
• Hoagie’s Gifted Education Page
  • Information and links for parents, teachers and students.
• Davidson Institute
  • “We are a national nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting profoundly gifted students under 18.”

Explore these trusted resources to challenge your thinking, investigate new interests, solve complex problems, and create original work. Some resources are designed for particular grade levels, so students may need help from a parent or teacher selecting an appropriate starting point.

• Khan Academy
  Free lessons, videos, and practice in math, science, computing, economics, history, and other subjects. Students can explore topics beyond their current grade level.
• Art of Problem Solving: Alcumus
  Challenging, adaptive math problems for advanced students, especially in grades 5–12. A free account may be required.
• Desmos
  Interactive graphing and mathematics tools that help students explore patterns, functions, geometry, and advanced mathematical concepts.
• NASA Learning Resources
  Current STEM activities, games, challenges, articles, videos, and opportunities organized for students at different grade levels.
• Science News Explores
  Age-appropriate reporting about current discoveries in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, health, and the environment.
• Smithsonian Learning Lab
  Millions of Smithsonian images, recordings, videos, texts, artifacts, and curated collections covering science, history, art, and culture.
• National Geographic Kids
  Articles, videos, games, and activities about animals, geography, science, history, and cultures for elementary and middle school students.
• Code.org for Students
  Coding activities, courses, and creative computer science projects for students at all experience levels.
• Scratch
  A creative coding platform from MIT where students can program stories, games, animations, and interactive projects.
• The Source at the Library of Congress
  Primary sources, research activities, historical collections, and learning experiences designed for children and teens.

• TAG Families of the Talented and Gifted
  • Excellent resource for parents who want the background information to advocate for their student.
• MENSA
  • Information about the Mensa organization.
• Stephanie Tolan.com
  • This website has links to a series of articles by different authors and gifted organizations written on topics pertinent to issues that affect gifted children. They are geared toward the adults living and working with these children.
• Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted
• Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth
• Alliance for Childhood
  • Research and advocacy suggestions promoting the importance of play as a learning tool for young children.
• Kidsource Gifted Page
  • Links to articles about gifted children for both parents and teachers.
• Academic Games League
  • “Academic Games Leagues of America (AGLOA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to developing “Thinking Kids” of character, excellence and integrity.”
• Hoagie’s Gifted Education Page
  • Information and links for parents, teachers and students.
• South Sound Regional Science Fair
  • Information about the local science fair held annually at PLU.
• Davidson Institute
  • “We are a national nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting profoundly gifted students under 18.”