• The CogAT provides a measure of a student’s learned reasoning abilities. Subtests are Verbal, Quantitative and Nonverbal
• It is a norm-referenced test and the national average is the 50th percentile
• Typical threshold of those students identified for services: CogAT Composite SAS between 132-160 (98-99 Age Percentile Rank)

For more information about the CogAT visit: https://www.riversideinsights.com/solutions/cogat?tab=0

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. The NNAT3 is a 30-minute online test that will be administered during the school day. When used as a screening instrument, it can be administered to entire classrooms, in the classroom, and proctored by the classroom teacher. When used during the assessment process, trained proctors will administer the NNAT3 at a predetermined location and time of day, within the student’s school. 

The score obtained from the NNAT3 is called the Naglieri Ability Index, which ranges from 40 to 160 with an average of 100.

Typical threshold of those students identified for services: Age Percentile Rank (APR) of 98th to 99th percentile.

More information about the NNAT.

• The Iowa Assessments provide a measure of a student’s achievement across a continuum of rigorous learning standards. LWSD administers the Reading, Vocabulary and Math subtests.
• They are norm-refernced nationally standardized tests to allow comparison of each student's performance to that of students across the nation. The national average is the 50th percentile.
• Typical threshold of those students identified for services: Total Reading score at or above 98 percentile and Math score at or above 95 percentile OR Math score at or above 98 percentile and Total Reading score at or above 95 percentile.

For more information about the Iowa tests visit: https://www.riversideinsights.com/

• FastBridge is a district-based assessment given in the student’s classroom.
• Typical score range of those students identified for services: 85th percentile or higher.

• Washington state-mandated assessment provides a measure of developing skills in six areas: social-emotional, physical, cognitive, language, literacy and mathematics.
• Typical threshold of those students identified for services: At or above grade level standard.

Highly capable services are designed to meet the unique needs of students beyond general education. One way to explore if this program would be a good fit for your student is to discuss your student’s academic abilities and performance with his or her teacher(s). Aside from high academic performance, here are some typical intellectual characteristics of highly capable children:

• Unusually large vocabulary for their age
• Ability to read earlier than most children
• Greater comprehension of the subtleties of language
• Longer attention span, persistence and intense concentration
• Ability to learn basic skills more quickly and with less practice
• Wide range of interests
• Highly developed curiosity and a limitless supply of questions
• Interest in experimenting and doing things differently
• Tendency to put ideas together in ways that are unusual and not obvious (divergent thinking)
• Ability to retain a great deal of information
• Unusual sense of humor

For more information on traits of highly capable students, see Traits of Giftedness.

To be eligible to apply for highly capable services, students must

• Reside in Lake Washington School District
• Attend Kindergarten
• Be 5 years old by Aug. 31 of the entrance year or qualify for Early Entrance to Kindergarten per Kindergarten Early Entrance Instructions

The application period is held early in the school year. Check the "Selection Process" tab for dates.

The highly capable application must be submitted online. If you do not have access to the Internet or if you need an application in a language other than English, please contact the Accelerated Programs Office for an application form. If you need assistance uploading required documents, please contact the Accelerated Programs Office.

No. Applications are only accepted from students who reside within Lake Washington School District boundaries. To reside in the district means that the student lives at an address within the school district boundaries.

No. Applications are only accepted from students who currently reside in the district. If your student receives highly capable services in your current school district and you move to LWSD, you may apply for these services as a transfer student. See the transfer student information.

Parents are not allowed to observe K5HC services. Visitors can be a distraction to any group, so it is important to keep visits to a minimum.

The Gifted Education Advisory Council (GEAC) is a good source of information about the highly capable program, especially from the perspective of parents. GEAC holds monthly general meetings, provides parent information and support and maintains a GEAC Facebook page.

Students residing in LWSD and attending private schools may apply for and receive highly capable services.

For students in kindergarten, please upload the following documents when you complete the online application:

• Proof of Residency – Residency Verification Form with two documents listed on the Residency Checklist. These documents must be for the location where the student resides.
• Proof of Age – a copy of your child’s passport or birth certificate

Please note that K5HC services are LWSD school based and occur at various times during the day and during the week. Qualifying private school students would need to be present in their neighborhood LWSD school when the services are offered. The dates and times that services are offered may change over the course of the school year.

Testing dates for assessments are generally determined and announced before the application window opens.  

For the 2021-22 school year, assessment dates will be posted as an update on the Accelerated Programs main page when determined.  

Once your application is complete, you will receive an email with the information for your assessment window. All assessments will be held at the student's home school.

Appeals will not be considered for illness. Please email quest@lwsd.org before the test begins if your child is going to miss a scheduled test due to illness. Students who are not feeling well on the date of the original test are given one opportunity to test on the makeup date within the assessment window. Only one makeup date will be scheduled for each test. The district sets the date for that makeup test. Applications for students who miss a regularly scheduled test and the makeup test will be closed.

Appeals will not be considered for a family emergency. Please email quest@lwsd.org before the test begins if your child is going to miss a scheduled test due to a family emergency. Students who are not feeling well on the date of the original test are given one opportunity to test on the makeup date within the assessment window. Only one makeup date will be scheduled for each test. The district sets the date for that makeup test. Applications for students who miss a regularly scheduled test and the makeup test will be closed.

All communication will be emailed from the Accelerated Programs department.

The district does not accept private testing results in place of the highly capable identification process. All students must go through the district's identification process to be eligible for highly capable services.

Highly Capable assessment criteria are applied equitably to all applicants. Appeals for reconsideration of students who have not met the assessment criteria are reviewed by the Multidisciplinary Selection Committee after notification of screening results and after notification of the Multidisciplinary Selection Committee placement decision. Appeals must be submitted to the Accelerated Programs Office in writing within 10 calendar days of notification of results using the online LWSD Highly Capable Program Appeal Form. If you do not have access to a computer, please contact the Accelerated Programs Office at 425-936-1238 or email quest@lwsd.org. Appeals must be based upon a specific criteria related to the screening/testing conditions, or to a misapplication or miscalculation of the scores. Appeals outside of this will not be processed. The decision of the appeal review team is final.