The following list details the eligibility process for the 2022-2023 school year. For a more detailed look at the timeline for testing, please refer to the Assessment Calendar tab above. 

1. All LWSD students K-7 who want to be considered for entry into any Highly Capable program must apply through the LWSD website. Current students wishing to change their program eligibility must also apply.  
2. All Kindergarten through 7th graders take the Fall FastBridge assessment. FastBridge is used as an outreach tool, not a screener, so it does not eliminate any student from the eligibility process. Invitations to apply will be sent to students who meet or exceed the 85th percentile as assessed through FastBridge.   
3. All students who have submitted a complete application within the open application window will take the CogAT Screener (approximately 30 minutes). Any student who meets the threshold on the CogAT Screener (95^th percentile), will be invited to continue in the eligibility process. 
4. Students continuing in the eligibility process take the Iowa (1-2 hours depending on grade level of the student) and NNAT (approximately 30 minutes) assessments. 
5. Once all testing is complete, the Multidisciplinary Selection Committee will convene to determine eligibility for all students who completed the entire assessment process. 

Evidence of need for highly capable services is determined by a Multidisciplinary Selection Committee. Members of the committee include, at  minimum, a school psychologist, a teacher, and the Director of Accelerated Programs. All decisions are based on the body of evidence to provide a clear picture of each student’s ability and to determine whether the data indicate a need for services beyond the scope of the general education classroom. Private testing results are not accepted. 

All district assessments are administered online via a computer by a trained proctor. The district-accepted assessments are as follows: 

Cognitive assessments 

Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)

• The CogAT provides a measure of a student’s learned reasoning abilities.

More information about the CogAT.

Naglieri Non-Verbal Ability Test (NNAT)

The NNAT3 is a nonverbal measure of general ability. The Highly Capable Department uses the NNAT3 to predict student’s cognitive potential, irrespective of their verbal ability, primary language, or time spent in school.

More information about the NNAT. 

Academic assessments 

Iowa Assessments 

• The Iowa Assessments provide a measure of a student’s achievement across a continuum of rigorous learning standards. LWSD administers the Reading and Math subtests.

More information about the Iowa tests.

FastBridge

FastBridge is a district-wide diagnostic academic assessment given to all students K-8. For the 22-23 school year, our program will use FastBridge data as an outreach tool to notify/inform families that their child/children may be candidates to participate in our highly capable assessment process.

Please note that Winter FastBridge data will no longer be used as an additional academic measure in the highly capable assessment process.  

WaKIDS (Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills)

• Washington state-mandated assessment provides a measure of developing skills in six areas: social-emotional, physical, cognitive, language, literacy and mathematics.

In order to continue in the eligibility process, students must meet the 95^th percentile threshold on the CogAT Screener. 

Once all Highly Capable assessments are completed, the Multidisciplinary Selection Committee (MSC) will meet to determine the qualification status of each student based on their body of evidence. When this process is complete, families will be contacted by the Accelerated Programs office for notification of their application status.

For the 2022-23 school year, LWSD Accelerated Programs MSC will use a matrix during the eligibility and placement process.

Please note that Fastbridge Winter assessment and scores have been removed from the eligibility matrix and testing process and the updated matrix reflects appropriate adjustments to accommodate for the same level of program eligibility.

The matrix the MSC uses to make eligibility and placement decisions is shown below:

Full Time Quest (FTQ), Middle School Quest (MSQ), and K5HC Kinder Eligibility Requirements  
A student must score at least 26 points to be eligible for these programs.  
  
Pull Out Quest Eligibility Requirements  
A student who does not meet eligibility requirements for FTQ, MSQ, and K5HC Kinder will be eligible for Pull Out Quest if they score 23 – 25 points.  
  
K5HC Single Domain Service (Not Kinder)  
A student who does not meet eligibility requirements for the other programs will be eligible for K5HC in either Math or Reading if they score at least 9 points in the Cognitive Domain and at least 4 points in either (or both) academic domain(s).