Highly Capable Program

Washington's Highly Capable Program is a component of the state's program of basic education. School districts provide instruction, activities, and services that accelerate learning for young learners identified as Highly Capable. To be eligible for identification, students must be enrolled in a school district, charter school, or tribal-education compact school. Districts must define an educational program for Highly Capable students, and comply with specific program-related provisions that, integrated as a whole across the K–12 continuum, will deliver a comprehensive and equitable education for Highly Capable students.

WAC 392-170-035 Definition—Students who are highly capable.

As used in this chapter, highly capable students are students 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 according to chapters 28A.640 and 28A.642 RCW.

WAC 392-170-036 Definition—Learning characteristics.

As used in this chapter, the term learning characteristics means that students who are highly capable may possess, but are not limited to, these learning characteristics:

(1) Capacity to learn with unusual depth of understanding, to retain what has been learned, and to transfer learning to new situations;

(2) Capacity and willingness to deal with increasing levels of abstraction and complexity earlier than their chronological peers;

(3) Creative ability to make unusual connections among ideas and concepts;

(4) Ability to learn quickly in their area(s) of intellectual strength; and

(5) Capacity for intense concentration and/or focus.

Universal Screening

All 2nd and 5th grade students are screened (reviewed) in February for Highly Capable eligibility with services to begin the following school year.  Students in 2nd grade will be given the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT3) assessment as part of the screening.  

If you do not want your student to be screened for highly capable eligibility, please complete the online Opt-Out Form. 

Note: Makeup screening for 2nd grade students who were absent is in April.

Early Entrance to Kindergarten 

Washington state law requires that students entering kindergarten in the fall turn five before midnight of August 31 of the enrollment year (WAC 392-335-010). Tacoma Public Schools offers an exception testing process for children whose fifth birthday falls between September 1 and October 31 of the current year and resides in district boundaries (WAC 392-335-025). 

Early Entrance to Kindergarten (EEK) is a rigorous screening process to find out if a student is ready to start kindergarten early.  In order to qualify, your child will need to complete and score highly on an advanced series of rigorous assessments and demonstrate an exceptional readiness for school.  To increase the likelihood that your child will have a successful first year of school, he or she will be expected to meet standards at least six months above their chronological age in these assessed areas.  Family's Guide to Kindergarten Readiness

If your student meets all of criteria above, please visit the Kindergarten Early Entrance Testing website in April for more information and instructions for applying and scheduling an appointment.  

Referrals

Students in all grades can be referred for Highly Capable screening.  Students can be referred by their parent/guardian, teachers, community members, or through self-referral by submitting the Online Referral Form.  Referrals are completed in April with services to begin the following school year. 

Current student referrals are accepted and reviewed all year and if additional data is required, a cognitive assessment may be given in April.  

Note: All 2nd and 5th grade students will be screened in February and a referral is not required. Referrals received after April 1st that require additional testing will be processed the following school year.  

New Students

Students new to Tacoma Public Schools interested in Highly Capable services can take the new student screening in late August for services to begin the start of the school year.  Contact the Highly Capable office to schedule a screening appointment.  Students entering mid-year, please complete the Online Referral Form and your student will be placed on the list for screening in April.

Students that qualified for Highly Capable services in another district or state, please complete the Online Referral Form and email identification documentation to hcservices@tacoma.k12.wa.us.  The Highly Capable office works with families to gather information and place transfer students into the appropriate Highly Capable services.

How is Eligibility Determined?

Students who are identified through referral and screening are placed on the Highly Capable Multidisciplinary Identification Committee (MIC) calendar for review in March.  The MIC reviews all student data including but not limited to cognitive scores, assessment scores, iReady, SBA, other district and state assessments and referral data (as applicable) and makes the final decision for eligibility and services.

What is the standard score to qualify?

There is no standard score required to qualify, and a student may not qualify or be disqualified using one data point or score, multiple data points and scores must be used.

When will I find out if student qualifies?

Eligibility letters are mailed to parents/guardians approximately 60 days of the screening and/or review date with services to begin the following school year.

Appeals

To appeal the MIC decision, complete the Online Appeal Form. Appeals must be submitted within 15 school days of receiving a non-eligible decision.

 

Identified students receive services in one of two models.

General Education Classroom Services - Clustering Grouping 

In the General Education classroom, students are clustered in a class with other identified highly capable and/or high achieving students, when applicable. The classroom teacher works with families to create a learning plan, using a variety of instructional strategies, to meet their students unique highly capable learning needs. 

Highly capable classroom structures can vary from school to school and teachers have the flexibility to adapt learning environments based on their students' needs and enrollment.

SAIL - Self-contained Advanced In-depth Learning Classroom 

SAIL is a multi-grade classroom for identified Highly Capable/Gifted students in 3rd, 4th and 5th grade. Students follow the same curriculum as their peers, but at an accelerated pace. SAIL classrooms are differentiated from the general education classrooms by lesson extensions and creative expression and supports leadership skill development. Students can expect to experience increased levels of complexity and discussions rich in critical thinking.   

Currently SAIL classes are located at Browns Point, Edison, Jefferson, Mann and Sherman Elementary Schools. Placement is based on home school and transportation is provided within school and district boundaries. 

Exit Services

To exit your student from receiving Highly Capable services for the current year or permanently, complete the online Exit Services Form.  If a student has been receiving services, a conference will be scheduled with the teacher, principal and Highly Capable director before a student is exited from services.

Middle School 

Tacoma Public Schools provides a continuum of services for highly capable students and opportunities for all students to have access to accelerated programs and courses.  Depending on your student’s middle school, they have the option of participating in AVID-Advancement Via Individual Determination, AP-Advance Program classes, or IB-International Baccalaureate. Check with your student’s counselor for specific options available. 

• Highly Capable Pathways for Middle School   
• Advanced Academics Parent/Student Checklist

Highly capable classroom structures can vary from school to school and teachers have the flexibility to adapt learning environments based on their students' needs and enrollment.

High School 

Tacoma Public Schools offers a variety of advanced courses for students that not only challenge them but prepare them for college and career and automatically enrolls qualified students into advanced programs or courses in high school.  Find out more about Advanced Programs.

Exit Services

To exit your student from receiving Highly Capable services for the current year or permanently, complete the online Exit Services Form.  If a student has been receiving services, a conference will be scheduled with the teacher, principal and Highly Capable director before a student is exited from services.

Highly Capable Resources

• 2e Seattle Parent Support Group
• Challenge Parents Association
• Center for Talented Youth – John Hopkins University
• Council for Exceptional Children
• Davidson Institute for Talent Development
• Duke University Talent Identification Program
• Hoagie's Gifted Education Page
• Mensa of Western Washington
• National Association for Gifted Children - NAGC
• Northwest Gifted Child Association
• Odyssey of the Mind
• Parenting for High Potential newsletter
• TPS Policy 2190 -Highly Capable Services
• Prodigy Northwest
• Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted
• University of Cambridge NRichs Math
• University of WA Coding Camps & STEM Programs
• University of WA College of Engineering Program
• University of WA Robinson Center for Young Scholars
• Washington Administrative Code WAC 392-170 Highly Capable Students
• Washington Association of Educators of the Talented and Gifted - WAETAG
• Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction - OSPI Highly Capable

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