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FAQ

                                          Selah’s Highly Capable Services 

Frequently Asked Questions

Selection and Appeals Processes, Services and Exit Procedures

What is the Highly Capable Services referral and testing process?

Highly Capable referrals for grades K through 11 will be accepted until mid December. Referrals will be screened using district assessments (IRLA/ENIL, SBA, I-Ready for Reading and Math). Once referrals are screened and it is determined that further testing is recommended, notification of COGAT testing is mailed home to families in January with the actual testing taking place in February and March. Families will be notified of COGAT results and placement decisions regarding Highly Capable services before the beginning of the next school year.

What data does the district use to determine qualification for Highly Capable Services?

  • Results from the most recent state (Smarter Balanced Assessment), 

  • District and school assessments (IRLA/ENIL,  I-Ready in ELA and Math)

  • Cognitive Test of Abilities or COGAT (K-11). 

Qualification for services is determined by a Multidisciplinary team made up of principals, school psychologists, school counselors, teachers  the Highly Capable Services Coordinator, and the Executive Director of Teaching and Learning.

Once a student meets the criteria for Highly Capable qualification, they may participate in any challenging services the district offers for the duration of their K-12 school years. 

Students who do not qualify for HiCap services may be referred again for consideration during the following school year’s referral window.

What services does the Selah School District offer Highly Capable students?

  • Grades 1-5 John Campbell Primary, Selah Intermediate School 

Both schools provide a menu of options to meet the academic, social and emotional needs of students that qualify as highly capable. Such options may include cluster grouping, extension and differentiated instruction. JCP and SIS provide a designated block of time to content areas (reading/math) for extension opportunities. These services are designed to address the unique learning needs of each student and therefore, may vary from one student to the next.

  • Grades 6-8 Selah Middle School 

English Language Arts (ELA) periods are provided for students at 6th, 7th and 8th grade and are designed for students that qualify as Highly Capable utilizing the district adopted curriculum.  Enrichment time each day during the Humanities period provides Highly Capable students the opportunity to extend their learning in various ways.  During each science block, students are engaged in additional engineering and design challenges and project-based learning options.  Students in 8th grade will be placed in an Algebra course which will earn high school credit.  

  • Grades 9-12 Selah High School provides a menu of services in grades 9-12 that include Advanced English classes in grades 9 and 10, and accelerated math opportunities for students who have completed Algebra in grade 8.  College in the High School courses are offered in multiple subject areas.  Running Start is also an option for Highly Capable students. 

Specific questions regarding services at each school should be directed towards the building principal at the school as each school offers a unique service from the menu of options listed above.

Is there an appeal process if we don’t agree with the team’s decision regarding placement?

Yes! Appeals must be submitted within three weeks of notification of placement decisions. It is recommended that parents/guardians meet with the Highly Capable Services coordinator and building principal to discuss the appropriateness of an appeal and the items that might be included in the process. Contact the Highly Capable Services coordinator, Rachel Dibble ( RachelDibble@selahschools.org)  to set up a meeting either in person or via Google Meets.

Should an appeal be determined appropriate after the initial meeting, the Highly Capable Services coordinator will set up a meeting with the multidisciplinary team and parents/guardians. At this time parents must provide documents to support the appeal. These may include:

  • Letter of support from the parent/guardian providing compelling information that demonstrates that the scores determined by the COGAT, SBA and district assessments are not representative of your student’s abilities.

  • Copies of progress reports/report cards/additional appropriate assessments from the two years of school previous to testing.

If during the appeal meeting, a consensus is not reached in regards to placement or non-placement, a further appeal may be made in writing to Hunter Sissom, Executive Director of Teaching and Learning, HunterSissom@selahschools.org

Do students need parental permission to test for and participate in Highly Capable Services?

YES! All students who test for Highly Capable services must have a written parental/guardian permission to test form before any testing. If your student has been referred, screened and invited to take the screening test, a permission form is included with the testing invitation letter.

When students qualify for Highly Capable services, participation requires parental permission. A permission form is included with the notification letter. This is the only permission form required for the duration of your child’s school career through graduation.

Can my student take a break from participation in HiCap services or must they exit? How does this affect their HiCap qualification?

All reasonable efforts are made to keep participants in services.  Parents may request a pause or break in participation in a service, K-12 for any reason. A pause or break does not affect the student’s qualification as Highly Capable. However, at Grades 11 and 12, a pause in participation may impact class scheduling and college credit if the student is participating in College in the High School or attending Running Start. 

If exiting is requested by either the parent and/or a teacher, reasons for the request must be made in writing with supporting data included. A conference will be held with parents, teachers, school counselors and the school’s principal to discuss concerns, evaluate the problem, and consider service options for the student. The parent's decision to exit the student from services is final. 

Does the State of Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction offer any resources regarding Highly Capable programs?

Absolutely! Please check out OSPI’s website: http://www.k12.wa.us/HighlyCapable/default.aspx 

Who are the Selah School District Highly Capable contacts?

Rachel Dibble, Highly Capable Coordinator ( RachelDibble@selahschools.org) 698-8056

Hunter Sissom, Executive Director of Student Learning (HunterSissom@selahschools.org), 698-8003