Student Identification Process
Referral Process
Referrals for highly capable services open September 1, 2024 and will close Friday, November 1, 2024. Please read Tips and Instructions if you need help. (Please scroll to the bottom for an audio file with more information on referring a student for testing)
For more information on characteristics of highly capable students, please see the Student Characteristics section below.
If your student is currently a 2nd or 5th grader then a referral is not needed. Each year we perform a universal screening for our 2nd & 5th graders. Contact us if you have questions about our universal screening for 2nd and 5th grade.
Teachers, parents and community members can refer students. You will receive an email response within 10 business days confirming receipt of referral.
Anyone with questions on the referral process should contact the Highly Capable Program at highlycapable@skschools.org.
Please Note: If a student has special testing needs, it is the responsibility of the individual who has referred that student to notify the Highly Capable Testing Coordinator.
Testing Process
Referrals for K-11 students are accepted from September 1, 2024 through November 1, 2024 this school year for our Spring Testing & Identification. Students identified during this process will start services the following school year.
Testing begins in November and runs through December.
General Calendar
Students who are new to SKSD and have been identified as Highly Capable by another school district are eligible for identification screening by the MDSC at the beginning of the school year. The MDSC will convene to go over the incoming student's portfolio of data and identify if the student qualifies for services. New students need to provide records of comparative testing from their previous school district if this information is available. If previous testing information is not available, not similar, or if the information is more than two years old, students will be tested during SKSD's testing window.
*Please note: a student receiving highly capable services in another school district does not automatically qualify them for highly capable services in SKSD. Please contact us at highlycapble@skschools.org if you have a student transferring to SKSD who was previously identified by another school district to find out what documents need to be submitted for review.
Testing Information by Grade Level
All 2nd graders in SKSD will be screened in their regular classrooms with the Naglieri General Abilities Test. This test gives a general indication of each student's abilities in three areas: verbal (language), quantitative (mathematics), and non-verbal (spatial relationships). This assessment is used to determine general ability of students to grasp abstract concepts in advance of their peers.
All 5th graders in SKSD will be screened in their regular classrooms with the non-verbal (spatial relationships) portion of the Naglieri General Abilities Test
All referred students in grades K, 1,3 & 4, with exception of 2nd and 5th graders will also take the Naglieri General Abilities Test. Students in grades 6-12 will be invited to complete the full Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) which gives a general indication of each student’s abilities in three areas: verbal (language), quantitative (mathematics), and figural/nonverbal (spatial relationships). This assessment is used to determine general ability of students to grasp abstract concepts in advance of their chronological peers.
Additional Assessments / Checklists (all grades): A portfolio of state, district and building level academic assessments and teacher/parent observational checklists is also collected to complete the student evaluation profile.
When all testing and data collected are complete, results are evaluated by the Multidisciplinary Selection Committee (MDSC) which will make a decision on whether a student qualifies for Highly Capable services. Students who are identified as needing services will start receiving services in the fall. Parents will be notified of their child's results via regular mail. Please see our program overview page for more information on the service models in our continuum of services.
Referral, Testing and Identification Timelines
General Calendar for Spring Testing & Identification for the 2022-2023 School Year:
- September-November: Referrals accepted for grades K-11.
- November: All second and fifth-grade students are administered the Naglieri in their regular classrooms.
- December: Referred students in grades K, 1, 3, 4, 6 will be administered the Naglieri, grades 7-11 will be administered the CogAT. Parents/guardians of referred students are notified and sent a Permission to Test form. *Referred students do require Parent/guardian permission to be assessed for highly capable services.
- December: All make-up tests administered.
- February: Teacher/State/District data collection. Multi-disciplinary Selection Committee reviews all data.
- March 7: Final selections and notifications.
- March 14: appeals window opens
- April 4: appeals window closes
- April 21: SOAR decisions forms due
- May 16: Appeal decisions sent
- June 12: Second appeal window closes
Appeals Process
Students who are not recommended for SKSD's Highly Capable program have the right to submit an appeal. They may also appeal to be identified for a higher level of service. An appeal form must be submitted within ten school days of receiving the notification letter along with additional data not shared previously must be included with the appeal form. Appeals are reviewed by the district’s Multidisciplinary Selection Committee (MDSC) and parents will be notified of the decision via regular mail. The parent/legal guardian may appeal the decision of the appeals committee to the Executive Director of Teaching and Learning within 10 school days of receiving the appeals committee's decision. The Executive Director of Teaching and Learning will make a decision within 30 school days after receipt of a written request for reconsideration. The Executive Director's decision is final.
Please contact the Highly Capable Services office if you have further questions or need additional information:
highlycapable@skschools.org
or call
(360) 874-6300
Please click the audio file link below for more information on referring your student for Highly Capable services.
The Art Hub in SKDuring the 2024-2025 school year, South Kitsap will pilot a Highly Capable (HiCap) art program, The Art Hub in SK. During our regular HiCap referral window, referrals can also be submitted for students in grades 2 through 5 who demonstrate significantly advanced fine artistic abilities compared to their peers.
Students referred for The Art Hub in SK program, will be administered the Clark's Drawing Abilities Test.
An Arts Selection Committee (ASC), composed of professional artists, will review each student's assessment. Students selected for the program will receive a program decision form allowing them the choice to participate in The Art Hub in SK.
Services for student who demonstrate advanced artistic ability will begin in February 2025. Students who choose to participate in The Art Hub in SK will meet one day a month after school at varying locations, depending on the fine art activity.
THE ART HUB IN SK REFERRAL LINK
Appeals Process
Students who are not recommended for South Kitsap School District's Highly Capable Art Hub have the right to submit an appeal. To begin the appeal process:
- A parent or guardian must complete an appeal form.
- Submit four additional original pieces of artwork to the Highly Capable Program Coordinator by January 30, 2025. You can submit pieces digitally to highlycapable @skschools.org or submit hard copies to the South Kitsap School District receptionist.
Appeals submitted after January 30, 2025 or without the required materials, will not be reviewed or considered. Appeals are reviewed by the district’s Art Selection Committee (ACS) and parents will be notified of the decision via regular mail.