Identification Assessments

Executive summary of required procedural changes

All districts in Washington State are required to modify their procedures for the identification of highly capable students. Previously, students were identified for highly capable services based on single test scores. The law now requires school districts to engage in a review of multiple criteria (universal screener, any further assessment and any available district data). However, the state does not specifically define specific screener(s), assessments or the term “any available district data." The total set of information is then reviewed by a team of professionals to make a determination about identification . This is a significant change from past practice. The body of evidence identification criteria specific for LWSD is outlined in the highly capable FAQ. Additionally, when parents are considering the likelihood of identification for highly capable programing, assessment scores do play a significant role in this evaluation. Students identified for self-contained services (ie. Full-Time Quest), typically score in the top 1 percentile. Students identified for pull-out highly capable services typically score between the top 2nd-5th percentile.

5/20/24