Here is the web content for Identification & Assessment, revised to remove the source links.

 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

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

• Referal ​​​​​​​
• Testing Opt Out Form
• Program Opt Out Form
• 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.

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)

• What I Need (WIN) Time: All students, including those identified for HC, are grouped with students of similar academic need for 30 minutes of ELA and 30 minutes of math daily.

• Clustering: As appropriate, students identified for HC services are clustered together in a classroom. The teacher provides classroom services to these clustered groups.

• Pull-Out Services: Depending on their need, some students meet with a highly capable teacher once a week for uniquely highly capable services.

  • Please note: Students who enter the program in Kindergarten or 1st grade are reassessed in 2nd grade to determine eligibility for continued pull-out services.

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 placed in a uniquely highly capable social studies class.

  • 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.
• 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.”

Jennifer Kuntz

Director of Teaching & Learning

jennifer.kuntz@esd401.org

(509) 925-8008