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ESD Highly Capable Program Parent Handbook
WAC 392-170-047 requires that the following information is
included when requesting parental permission to assess a
student’s eligibility for Highly Capable Program services
and parental permission to place a student within the Highly
Capable Program to provide services.
Identification
The identification of highly capable students is a multi-step
process that takes in notification, referral, screening
(optional), parent permissions, assessment, selection, and
the procedures necessary to appeal a selection decision
and exit a student.
Notification
 Testing windows will be posted on the district website,
the local newspaper, and in the main office area of each
school.
Nomination referrals
 Referrals for grades K-12 are taken throughout the year
to request highly capable testing for either the Fall or the
Spring testing windows.
 Parents, teachers, students, and/or community members are eligible to nominate a student for Highly Capable Program consideration using the district’s nomination form. The form is located on the district website under Highly Capable Program (HCP).
Parental permission
 Written permission from a nominee’s parent or legal
guardian is required before any evaluations are given or
collected for inclusion in the student assessment profile.
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Extracurricular Enrichment Opportunities: Identified students in grades 6-8
will be invited to participate in an extracurricular enrichment, such as, but not
limited to book study focusing on classic literature, advanced vocabulary
skills, and literary analysis and Math Olympiad.
APEX Learning: Identified students in grades 6-12 have the opportunity to
enroll in virtual courses through APEX Learning, a rigorous, standards-based,
on-line curriculum. These courses will not apply towards high school credits
nor be calculated into student GPA.
Advanced Placement Courses: The Advanced Placement (AP) program exposes high school students to college-level materials and then offers an exam
each May, which may count for credit or course waiver at colleges. Students
earning a 3 on AP exams usually earn college credit, placement, or a waiver of
required courses at many colleges. Students should check with prospective
colleges as to how AP is credited, since college rules vary. Advanced Placement courses require more homework and are more challenging to students.
Students should consider carefully before enrolling in more than one AP class
at a time. Students who sign up for AP classes will be required to sign a commitment form that they understand the course consists of a rigorous curriculum and in depth test at the end of the course. They are expected to remain in
the class for the entire year.
Running Start Program: Eleventh and twelfth grade students may apply to
enroll in courses or programs in a community or technical college without
charge. Both high school and college credits may be obtained. Evidence of
successful completion of each course in a community or technical college will
be included in the student’s high school records and transcripts. Transportation to and from the college, books and fees are the responsibility of the student. To be classified as a student of eleventh grade standing in the Enumclaw
School District and therefore, eligible for Running Start, a student must have
earned a total of 12 credits and have passed the following 7 core courses:
Physical Science or Physics; Biology; Algebra 1; Geometry; English 9; English
10; World History.
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Highly Capable Continuum of Services
WAC 392-170-078 requires the district to serve identified students from the point of identification
through grade 12. Districts shall make a variety of appropriate program services available to
enrolled students who participate in the district's program for highly capable students. Once services are started, a continuum of services shall be provided to the student from K-12. Districts shall
periodically review services for each student to ensure that the services are appropriate.
Classroom Differentiation: Individual classroom teachers (K-12) may enhance,
enrich, or accelerate highly capable students through differentiated content,
process, or products. These types of differentiation are most commonly seen
through cluster-grouping by ability levels, higher-order thinking and questioning, allowing students to choose specific pathways based on their learning
profiles or interests, or by challenging students with more abstract thinking or
complexity within a given problem or concept.
Team Teaching, Co-Teaching or Coaching: The Highly Capable Teacher will
offer support in the regular classroom through team teaching, co-teaching or
coaching.
Pull-Out Services: Identified students in grades 3-5 will receive pull-out services weekly at Southwood Elementary School. Service delivery will include
access to grade-level, Common Core standards, while providing enrichment,
above grade-level opportunities, and promoting product-based, investigative
learning anchored in the interests, strengths, and talents of the individual
child.
Accelerated Mathematics: Beginning in 6th grade, identified students will
have the opportunity to test into accelerated mathematics by demonstrating
mastery of above grade level content, allowing them to skip one year’s content in mathematics. Skipping Algebra is not an option as it is a graduation
requirement.
Project Lead the Way: In grades 6-8, students have the opportunity to participate in Project Lead the Way. “In PLTW Engineering, students engage in openended problem solving, learn and apply the engineering design process, and
use the same industry-leading technology and software as are used in the
world’s top companies. Students are immersed in design as they investigate
topics such as sustainability, mechatronics, forces, structures, aerodynamics,
digital electronics and circuit design, manufacturing, and the environment,
which gives them an opportunity to learn about different engineering disciplines before beginning post-secondary education or careers.” (pltw.org)
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Screening:
 All 2nd Grade students will be screened in the Spring
using the CogAt 7 screener to determine potential need
for pull-out services as 3rd grade students.
Assessment:
The use of multiple objective criteria from a variety of
sources will be considered to identify each nominee’s
unique needs and capabilities.
 The student assessment profile consists of multiple objective criteria, both qualitative and quantitative and formal
and informal, such as, but not limited to, CogAT Testing,
DRA, SBAC scores, report card, classroom work samples,
Renzulli scales, and parent and teacher observation checklists.
 Referred students with CogAT scores of 96th percentile
or higher and/or additional evidence that indicate the student is performing one or more grade levels above will be
considered for services.
Selection:
As per (WAC 392-170-070), a multidisciplinary selection
committee will review all data for each nominated student.
The selection committee consists of a teacher, administrator, school psychologist and additional professionals who
may provide content. The selection committee will evaluate
the individual student assessment profile and make a decision on selections based on a preponderance of evidence
that the student is among the most highly capable, a clear
need for highly capable services, and student would benefit
the most from inclusion in the district’s continuum of services.
 Parents will be notified regarding evaluation results
through writing. Parents will receive an explanation of identification procedures, an explanation of the appeal process,
and procedures for exiting the highly capable program.
 Before services begin, written parent permission for services to identified students must be obtained.
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Annual Review:
The HC coordinating teacher will communicate with K-5
classroom teachers of the highly capable at least once
each grading period, and 6-12 at least once a semester regarding progress in the regular classroom environment, as
well as in the pull-out classroom, as necessary. Documentation of the meetings may be used during the annual review, or mid-year to guide or determine future placement
needs for the student.
 An annual review will be conducted to review and determine each student’s educational plan for the following
school year.
 Parents will receive written documentation of annual review determinations.
Process for Appeal
The Enumclaw School District in compliance with the
Washington State rules for Highly Capable Programs (WAC
392-170-047) has an appeals process. If there is a disagreement with selection decision, an Appeal form needs to
be completed. It can be found on the district website under
School Board Policies 2190F.
The appeal must be based on one of the following conditions:
1.
A condition or circumstance believed to have caused
a misinterpretation of the testing results (for example, an
incorrect birthday or grade level).
2.
An extraordinary circumstance occurred during the
testing period that may negatively affect the test validity
(such as death of a family member or physical ailment).
3.
The suspicion of error in the administration of the assessment.
4.
A misapplication or miscalculation of the score by the
selection committee.
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(Process for Appeal continued):
The deadline for submission of appeals is 4 PM, August 15
(or the day before or after if it falls on a weekend). Appeals
submitted for reasons other than above will be denied without further consideration. No outside testing is considered.
The decision of the appeal review team is final.
Exit Process
The exit process may be initiated for students who no longer demonstrate a need for HCP services.
A written request may be made by a teacher or program
administration for placement discontinuation.
 The selection committee will convene a meeting to review the student’s profile to determine if the student qualifies for program services based on current assessment data and selection criteria.
 A request for additional evidence of student capabilities
or willingness to participate in the program may be made.
 The parent will be notified in writing of the committee’s
decision to either continue services, place the child on probationary status, or to exit the child from the highly capable
program.
 A parent or guardian may request the student be withdrawn from the program at any time. A meeting to discuss
the request with the HCP Coordinator will be scheduled.
Afterwards, if the parent desires to withdraw the student
from the program, the student will be exited immediately.
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