Quest - Highly Capable - Lake Washington School District

Quest - Highly Capable Program

Accelerated academics for qualified students in first through ninth grade

Important Dates

November 2, 2009:
Elementary Quest Program to Begin Accepting Applications
The Lake Washington School District Elementary Quest Program for Highly Capable Students (grades 1-6) will accept applications for the 2010-2011 school year from November 2, 2009, through 4 p.m. on November 30, 2009.

November 5, 2009:
Elementary Quest Parent Information Evening
All parents interested in the Quest Program are invited to attend the Quest Elementary Information Evening on Thursday, November 5. Two sessions will be held: one from 4:30 - 6 p.m. and the other from 7 - 8:30 p.m. Both will be held at Rose Hill Junior High (13505 NE 75th St., Redmond, WA 98052). NOTE: If you need to bring your child to this meeting, please plan to attend the earlier session (4:30 - 6 p.m.). This program will explain more specifically what Quest offers to highly capable, academically gifted children.

The Quest program is designed for highly capable students who have been assessed to have superior intellectual, academic and creative abilities. The district screens and selects students for the elementary full time, elementary enrichment pull out and junior high Quest programs.

Elementary Quest
First through sixth grade

Junior High Quest
Seventh through ninth grade

Identifying Quest students
Students must go through the district’s application and assessment process in order to be considered for the Quest program.

Applicants must:

be residents of Lake Washington School District
demonstrate high academic achievement, cognitive ability and creativity
participate in the district’s testing process for selection

Students are assessed and selected for enrollment based on state guidelines for identifying highly capable students. Learn more about the selection process for elementary Quest and junior high Quest.

Application process
Quest students have already been selected for the 2009-2010 school year. The Quest application period for the 2010-2011 school year begins November 2, 2009 for elementary and January 6, 2010 for junior high. Elementary applications will be available online, in school offices and at the Quest office, which is in the Resource Center, located in Redmond Town Center. Elementary applications will be accepted beginning November 2 until 4 p.m. on November 30, 2009. Junior High applications will be accepted beginning January 6 until 4 p.m. on January 22, 2010.

Application screening procedures
To be considered for the Quest program, applicants must first meet the screening criteria. The district reviews most recent report card and standardized testing data to determine eligibility for Quest assessment. Applicants who meet the screening criteria will qualify for Quest assessment. Private testing outside of the district cannot be used to substitute for district testing.

Assessment process
Applicants who meet the screening criteria are scheduled for round I of district assessment. There are two rounds of Quest testing:

Round I: Academic Achievement Assessment
Round II: Cognitive Ability Assessment

Teachers also complete an assessment of the student’s creativity.

Placement
The district uses elementary and junior high assessment criteria to select students for Quest. Placement is limited and students may be placed on a waiting list.

Note: Students who accept placement in the Quest program will be removed from choice school waiting lists.

Appeals process
Appeals for reconsideration of students who have not met the assessment criteria are reviewed by an appeals review team after application screening, after round I of assessment and after round II for of assessment. All appeals must be submitted in writing. Contact the Quest office for specific criteria and deadlines for appeals.

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