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Challenge Application and Assessment Criteria

Procedures for applying as well as testing and placement information
 

 Application Process

 

Many highly capable students have been selected for the 2010-11 school year. If you would like to refer your child for our highly capable programs, please fill out the Referral for Highly Capable Program Services application.  The referral form is available online, in elementary school offices, and at the Highly Capable office in the Central Administration Building. Referrals will be accepted beginning September 1, 2010.  With your application please include the Parent Information Form and the Teacher Referral for Placement Form.  You may ask your child's current teacher or a former teacher to complete the teacher referral form.  After your application is received by the Highly Capable Programs office, you will receive a letter stating the date that your child will be tested and who will be administering the test.  Testing is held at your child's school.

Please contact the Highly Capable Office (253-571-1120) for program placement information if enrolling new students into the district.

 

Referral and Assessment Timeline for the 2010-2011 School Year

Elementary 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade (except GATE)
Middle School 6th and 7th grade

Referral Form Available

September 1, 2010

Referral Form Due

See the 2010-11 Referral and Testing Dates

CogAT (Ability) Test TBD
ITBS (Achievement) and SOI (Creativity) Testing TBD
Notification of Placement Middle of June

 

Elementary 2nd grade*

District Wide Assessment (CogAT) January 2011
Referral Due March 25, 2011
ITBS (Achievement) and SOI (Creativity) Testing TBD
Notification of Placement Middle of June

 

* All second grade students take the Cognitive Ability Test (CogAT) in January. Parents of students receiving a composite score around the 85th percentile or higher will be mailed a highly capable program referral form and informed that their child is eligible for further program testing and consideration.

Referral screening procedures
Applicants must meet the screening criteria in order to be considered for Highly Capable assessment.

Private school students
Academic performance is reviewed along with standardized testing results. Arrangements must be made through the TPS Highly Capable office. For referral information contact our office at 253.571.1156 or 253.571.1120.

Home school students
Academic performance is reviewed along with standardized testing results. Arrangements must be made through the TPS Challenge office. For referral information contact our office at 253.571.1156 or 253.571.1120.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Assessment process

 

Elementary applicants who meet the screening criteria are scheduled for Challenge assessment. There are two rounds of assessment:

Round I: Cognitive Ability Assessment
The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) is used to measure how well the student uses general thinking and problem-solving skills to solve verbal, quantitative and nonverbal problems. CogAT is a group ability test. Students who meet the CogAT ability criteria will be scheduled for Round II of assessment, the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) and a creativity assessment (SOI).

Round II: Academic Achievement Assessment
The Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) is used to measure academic achievement in reading and math. Student scheduled for Round II testing will also take a short creativity assessment (SOI). This assessment obtains an estimate of a student’s expression in the areas of creative fluency, originality and flexibility.

Superintendent Arthur O. Jarvis, Ed.D., ajarvis@tacoma.k12.wa.us
Superintendent-Elect (Interim) Carla Santorno, csantor@tacoma.k12.wa.us
Central Administration Building, P.O. Box 1357, Tacoma, WA 98401-1357, 253.571.1000
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