ESD uses multiple objective assessments for identifying students for Highly Capable services. Nationally normed assessments (i.e.assessments that compare skill levels to those of individual students across the country of the same age or grade”) that may be used for identification decisions are the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT),  Naglieri Noverbal Ability Test (NNAT3), Measurement of Academic Progress (MAP) for math and reading, Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA), and/or World-class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) for multilingual learners.

In second grade we screen all students using the NNAT3 and MAP. Students identified through the screeners are evaluated further to determine eligibility of services. The NNAT3 is a nonverbal assessment which allows us to assess each individual’s processes, strengths and needs without relying on language skills. This is particularly beneficial to students who have speech, language, and communication difficulties or those who are a multilingual learner.

Remember that no multiple choice test is perfect and your child may have gifts that are hard to identify on a test! The assessments we use for identification are, however, some of the best and most current tests available.

Referrals

Each year in January or February, all second grade students in the Ellensburg School District are screened during class time to determine eligibility for further testing and possible identification Highly Capable services. No referral is needed for second grade students.

Kindergarten referrals are accepted until December 1st. For all other grades, Highly Capable referrals are accepted each year from September through the first week of March.

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.

To assist you in determining whether to refer a student, please read the information below.

Students who qualify for highly capable services typically:

1. Have passed state and district Math and Reading testing with a Level 3 or 4.

2. Are performing at high levels within the classroom.

3. Show an aptitude for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and the Arts (music, performing arts, and visual arts).

4. Are quick, efficient learners who can move quickly from understanding the simple to the more complex and from the concrete to abstract.

5. Show curiosity and interest in a variety of ideas, topics, and activities.

6. Show unusual persistence or interest in a topic or activity.

7. Show interest and industry in developing original or unusual ideas or methods for expressing oneself.

8. Show powers of self-direction and can set goals to find own way of learning.

9. Can draw from within oneself the knowledge of how a problem is to be solved.

10. Reason things out, recognizes relationships, comprehends meanings, and makes logical associations.

Forms

• Opt Out Form — English
• Opt Out Form — Spanish (Formulario para Exclusión de la Prueba)
• Highly Capable Appeal

Placement Notes

Once students are identified for services, they will receive services until they graduate high school.The service model might change, however. Additionally, ESD may have students retest to ensure the particular service model being provided is appropriate. For example, any student who is identified in kindergarten or first grade will be tested as a second grader to determine which third grade service model is most appropriate.

Ability Testing

Ability testing for all referred students will take place during the school day. The school will schedule testing as well as notify parents of the testing times. Parents must give permission for testing. Kindergarten testing will occur in January while all other grades will occur in March. The test used for ability testing is the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT 8).

Teacher Rating Scales

Teachers complete the CLED (Culturally, Linguistically & Economically Diverse) rating scales as well as Renzulli Rating Scales for Creativity and Learning. These scales are standardized tools for identifying highly capable students. High ratings on these scales are considered as an additional factor for highly capable placement.

Placement Notification

Students and parents should be notified of highly capable identification decisions by early May (Note: Kindergarten notification will occur by late March). This notification will be sent home through the mail. Upon notification, parents will have to give permission for the student to receive highly capable services.

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.

Once students are identified for services, they will receive services until they graduate high school.The service model might change, however. Additionally, ESD may have students retest to ensure the particular service model being provided is appropriate. For example, any student who is identified in kindergarten or first grade will be tested as a second grader to determine which third grade service model is most appropriate.

Elementary School Programs

Kindergarten - 2nd Grade: Discovery: Discovery is a 30-40 min per week pull-out program.The Discovery teacher pulls students by grade level to focus on critical thinking, problem solving, puzzles, and challenging activities.

3rd - 5th Grade: Challenge: Challenge is a 1-day per week pull-out program. Students are bused from their home school to where they attend class with peers from other elementary schools. Buses return to the home school at the end of the school day. While at Challenge students focus on lessons and projects that require critical thinking. Students participate in creative problem solving through performance projects, puzzles, mind –benders, and class activities. In addition, both fiction and research writing are emphasized.

Differentiation in Classroom (K-5):  Students receive differentiation in the classroom setting and/or advancement in the core subjects

Middle School Programs

​​​​​​​Student programs include one or both of the following programs.

Highly Capable Advisory (Grades 6-8): Every student has an advisory class, but Highly Capable kids are assigned to a uniquely highly capable advisory class. This allows them to focus on the particular needs of highly capable students and engage in projects and activities aligned with highly capable needs. 

Advanced Social Studies (Grades 6-8):  Highly Capable students are automatically enrolled in the Advanced Social Studies classes. Students work with similar topics as other classes, but at more depth and faster pace. Integrated projects are often included in these courses.

Advanced Math: Advanced Math: Students are placed in above grade-level mathematics for all who qualify in the area of mathematics and meet current academic achievement standards in math.

High School Programs

Student programs include the following. Students work with counselor and advisor to develop their 4-year plan for course of study.

HIghly Capable Advisory/CCR (Grades 9-12): Every student has an advisory class, but students identified for highly capable services are assigned to a uniquely highly capable advisory class. This allows them to focus on the particular needs of highly capable students and engage in projects and activities aligned with highly capable needs. 

Advanced Placement (Grades 9-12): Advanced Placement (AP CollegeBoard) courses give students access to rigorous college-level work. AP students build confidence and learn the essential time management and study skills needed for college and career success. AP courses provide the opportunity to dig deeper into subjects that interest them, develop advanced research and communication skills, and learn to tap their creative, problem-solving, and analytical potential. AP courses are available in multiple subjects in grades 11-12 (additional AP social studies course available in 10^th grade) for all students meeting the prerequisites. These courses prepare students for AP exams.

Advanced Math (Grades 9-12): Students are placed in above grade-level mathematics for all who qualify in the area of mathematics.

Running Start (Grades 11-12): Running Start is intended to provide students a program option consisting of attendance at certain institutions of higher education and the simultaneous earning of high school and college/university credit. Running Start Students and their families do not pay tuition, but they do pay college fees and buy their own books, as well as provide their own transportation. Students receive both high school and college credit for these classes and therefore accelerate their progress through the education system.

• 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.
• John 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.”

• National Geographic Kids
  • Information as well as fun and games for kids about animals, science, geography and much more.
• Cool Math
  • “An amusement park of math and more…” Explains math concepts in a fun way and has many games which reinforce math concepts.
• America’s Library
  • Library of Congress resources for kids, including great information, activities, and games.
• The Ultimate Puzzle Site
  • Puzzle site loaded with different kinds of challenging puzzles, riddles and exciting interactive quizzes and tests.
• MENSA for Kids
  • Children’s branch of the Mensa organization website with activities and links to other information.

Academic Websites

Literature:

• The Children’s Literature web page
  • This page provides Internet Resources related to books for children and young adults.
• Hoagies Reading List
  • Comprehensive list of recommended reading for exceptionally able children of all ages.
• ALA | Great Web Sites for Kids
  • Great Web Sites for Kids main page .... An authoritative resource for finding the best, current literature for children of all ages.
  • ***This site below is great for science and WRITING as it has great info for writing thoughtfully about current science topics.
• Science News for Kids
  • Science News for Kids helps kids stay up-to-date on scientific trends. Written in an accessible way, the articles can help kids understand topics like the decline of the honeybee population and how police use forensics to solve crimes. The site is most appropriate for middle school and above, as many of the topics are too complex for younger children. But it’s also a great way for parents to learn what’s happening so they can help explain it to curious children.

Art:

• Inside Art
  • This is a great interactive role playing website that teaches style and technique through the art of Van Gogh. It is a role playing game in which the student is trapped inside one of Van Gogh’s paintings and must work their way out.
• The Artist’s Toolkit
  • This is a very comprehensive site in teaching the elements and principles of visual art. There are videos of artists at work and explaining what they are doing.

Science:

• Reeko’s Mad Scientist Lab
  • Fun, educational science experiments in astronomy, chemistry, physics, and earth science.
• NASA Kids Club
  • NASA information, space related activities and games, and free membership to the NASA kids club.
• How Stuff Works
  • How Stuff Works covers all sorts of interesting topics, but the science section includes space, earth science, life science and even paranormal science.

Math:

• Math Resources
  • A site of links to mathematics resources for children.
• Figure This
  • Includes math challenges for families.
• Math Cats
  • Math Cats provides playful explorations of important math concepts through games, crafts and interactive projects. Includes a magic chalkboard and an art gallery.

• 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
• John 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.”