Transfer and New-to-District Students
Information about the Referral Process for the 2024-25 school year will be updated in the next couple of months.
Transfer Students
If your student was identified for or received HiCap services in their previous school district before enrolling in Lake Washington School District, they may be considered a transfer student.
Students who provide documentation of recently being identified and/or receiving Highly Capable/Gifted and Talented services in another district or state will be provided differentiation in the general education classroom. Any consideration of additional services will be based on the student’s comprehensive body of evidence and additional data.
The LWSD Highly Capable team works with parents and the school, if necessary, to gather information and determine the services that best meet the student’s academic needs.
Please note, not all students identified for highly capable services in their previous district will automatically qualify for the same services in LWSD.
- Step 1: Complete Lake Washington School District Enrollment
- Step 2: Provide documentation
- Step 3: Wait for a response from Accelerated Programs
Step 1: Complete Lake Washington School District Enrollment
- Register your student in LWSD: New Student Registration Help & FAQ.
- On the registration paperwork, indicate if your child was enrolled in a gifted or highly capable program.
Step 2: Provide documentation
- Complete and submit a Transfer Form.
- Provide the following required documents to Accelerated Programs - AccPro@lwsd.org:
- HiCap identification letter and confirmation from your previous district showing that your student was identified for HiCap and received services within the last 12 months. This must be on official district letterhead and include a point of contact.
- If your child was recently identified, submit proof of acceptance into a highly capable or gifted program within the last six months.
- Submit the Residency Verification Form along with two documents from the Residency Checklist.
- Standardized ability assessment scores to identify the student in the previous district (e.g., CogAT, NNAT).
- Current and previous school year's standardized achievement scores (e.g., Smarter Balanced Assessment, district diagnostic reading and math scores, report card grades).
Important Note: Private test scores (from external sources beyond the school district) are not accepted; further testing within our district may be necessary.
WAC 392-170-055 & WAC 392-170-075 allows districts to create identification criteria specific to the needs of their most highly capable students.
Step 3: Wait for a response from Accelerated Programs
Once all required documentation is submitted and the transfer application is complete, a committee will review your student's file to determine the most appropriate service model for their needs. Please be aware that this process may take several months, so we ask for your patience.
The committee may request additional information as necessary.
If you disagree with the placement decision, you may submit an appeal. The appeals process and requirements will be included in the decision letter.
If your student is not identified for additional services through the transfer process, they may still be referred during LWSD’s annual formal referral process.
New-to-District Students
Families new to Lake Washington School District (LWSD) can participate in the Highly Capable identification process in two ways:
- Direct Placement:
Students who received highly capable or gifted services in their previous district may be evaluated for similar services in LWSD. For more information, please refer to the Transfer Students tab.
- Referral:
LWSD uses a comprehensive body of evidence, including multiple data points, to ensure we provide appropriate HiCap services to students. However, if your child has been in the district for less than a year and was not actively enrolled during the universal screening/testing window, there may not be enough information available to make a determination. In such cases, their score report may indicate "Insufficient Evidence."
For more information, please contact: AccPro@lwsd.org.
Contact Accelerated Programs
Phone: 425-936-1238
Fax: 425-936-1325
Department email: AccPro@lwsd.org
| Myra Arnone | Director |
| Crystal Batlle | Program Specialist |
| Erin Fleshman | Program Specialist |
| Ryan Smith | Program Specialist |
| Britt Galen | Psychologist |
| Laura Morgan | Program Supervisor |
| Amanda Olson | Admin. Professional |
| Carla Yamashiroya-Hedges | Admin. Professional |
Mailing address:
Lake Washington School District
Accelerated Programs Office
P.O. Box 97039
Redmond, WA 98073
Location:
Lake Washington School District Resource Center
16250 N.E. 74th Street
Redmond, WA 98052