K-8 Highly Capable Program Review

​​​​​​​Committee Purpose/Charge

The K-8 Highly Capable Program Review Committee will provide findings and recommendations for current and future K-8 Highly Capable Program design in the areas of state compliance and district alignment. Specific areas of focus will include:  

  • Program eligibility 
  • Affective domain 
  • Program effectiveness 
  • Curriculum and instruction 
  • Professional development 
  • Resource and finance 
  • Contract implications 

The K-8 Highly Capable Program Review Committee will analyze current practices, challenges and opportunities in LWSD’s K-8 Highly Capable program and identify potential systemic improvements that are research-based, effective practices and supported through rigorous dialogue with community stakeholders. Stakeholders will engage in the exploration of evidence-based best practices, gap analysis with existing programs and quantitative and qualitative data analysis, to develop a set of findings and recommendations for the program moving forward. The committee will build consensus recommendations and considerations for systemic changes to our current programs to improve program policies, practices, eligibility, and design and lead to more equitable and effective practices. The recommendations will be delivered in the form of a final report and presentation to the superintendent or designee.

   

Program history

2023-2024 data: 

  • 2961 students in Highly Capable services.
  • 10% of LWSD population.
  • Legislature emphasizes accelerated learning as basic education for qualified students.

Over time changes in legal requirements to Highly Capable programs resulted in:   

  • Three service programs in elementary: K5HC, Pull-out Quest (POQ), and Full-time Quest (FTQ).
  • One service program at the middle school level: Middle School Quest (MSQ).
  • 2022-23 Middle School Quest Program Review, approximately 20 members.
    • Integration of students receiving MSQ services into general education science courses with differentiation in the general ed classroom as the service model.

2023 legislation required: 

  • Universal screening at two grade levels.
  • Use of multiple points of data for eligibility.
  • Districts prioritize the equitable identification of low-income students.

Enrollment Issues:  

  • Considerations, over time, have resulted in complex, and often overlapping curricular scopes and sequences.
    • FTQ may alternate years of curriculum to address a class of split students (ex. 2/3 FTQ)  .
    • Adds to the complexity and sometimes inconsistency of services  .
  • Black, Indigenous, (and) People of Color (BIPOC) students and students in free and reduced programs significantly underrepresented in the program.

Meetings

The K-8 Highly Capable Program Review Committee will meet on a monthly basis in generally alternating 3-hour and 8-hour sessions. From Winter to Spring 2024, subcommittees will be formed. Additional meetings may be held more frequently for these subcommittee meetings based on the topic explored. Members are expected to attend all sessions in order to support effective collaboration and clear outcomes.

Afternoon/Evening Sessions:  4:30-7:30 p.m. 

  • October 3, 2023 
  • December 5, 2023 
  • February 22, 2024 
  • June 4, 2024 

Full-day Sessions: 8:00-4:00 p.m.  

  • November 9, 2023 
  • January 11, 2024 
  • March 14, 2024 
  • April 4, 2024 

Membership

The committee will have approximately 35 members representing various groups with balanced representation from across the district. Some members will be appointed because of their role and others will be selected through an application process. Committee members are expected to attend all meetings and work sessions.

Group represented Appointed/Application Approximate #
Parents Application 8
GEAC Appointed 2
Program teachers Application 14
District department representative: Equity, ML, SEL, SPED, Teaching and Learning Curriculum Specialist, Accelerated Programs Specialists  Appointed 6

Building administrators: Elementary (2), Middle (1) 

 Appointed 3
District administrators: Level Directors – Elementary (2), Secondary (1); Director Accelerated Programs, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction, additional TBD Appointed 6

Technical Team/District Staff: 

  • Project Sponsor: Dr. Jennifer Rose, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction 
  • Project Lead: Myra Arnone, Director of Accelerated Programs, Teaching and Learning 

Facilitation: 

  • Erich Bloch and Roni Rumsey, Center for Educational Effectiveness 
  • Dr. Tamra Stambaugh, Associate Professor, Whitworth University 

Ideal applicants should:

  • Add diverse perspective to the Committee and engage in deep, respectful and productive discussions about the HiCap program.
  • Have a desire to affect change in a positive manner for all students in LWSD who currently and in the future will receive HiCap services.
  • Prioritize and act upon their role as a representative for a group, bringing the collective interest of the group into Committee conversations and decisions while considering a diversity of perspectives and other interests. 
  • Work in a subcommittee to review research-based practices in HiCap and Gifted and Talented programs.
  • Collaborate with other committee members fully in the development and possible presentation of findings and recommendations to the Board and Superintendent.