Highly Capable Program

The Renton School District uses multiple measures to identify students who perform or show potential for performing at significantly advanced academic levels when compared with others of their age, experiences, and/or environments. Student data for this school year includes district-required in-class assessments in literacy, math, and cognition. 

Following assessment, the Multi-Disciplinary Committee (MDC) thoughtfully reviews student data. The MDC is made up of classroom teachers, a building principal, a school psychologist, the Highly Capable Program Team, district administrators, and Director of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment (CIA), Jon Stadler. 

Our goal is to identify academically highly capable students who would most benefit from a continuum of Highly Capable services in the Renton School District. There is no single cut score or threshold a student must meet.  We look at trends over time, focusing on student growth while considering the demographics of underrepresented student populations in an effort to ensure equity and remove barriers for low income students, as required by state law. 

Following the team’s decisions, families receive communication via email or letter regarding a student’s qualification for services, with the option to appeal the committee’s decision if desired.

For more information about specific assessments and their accompanying scores, please visit our district's Assessment page and use the "Understanding Assessments" tab. 

English-Learning students: In addition to ability and achievement assessments, the Washington English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA21) is used to evaluate students whose first language is not English to determine their ability for rapid language acquisition which can be a characteristic of highly capable learners.

Special Education students: Students who qualify for Highly Capable program services and also qualify for either special education services or a 504 plan are often referred to as twice-exceptional students. Additional data available for students with IEPs may be used in the identification process when relevant to determine a need for highly capable program services.

Parents/legal guardians have the right to appeal the district’s Highly Capable decision. Individuals appealing the selection committee’s decision must submit a completed appeals form or letter requesting a review of selection/placement decision. The written request must be provided within two weeks of the parent/legal guardian’s receipt of the decision (see form for exact date), include reasons for the appeal and provide additional evidence of significantly advanced cognitive or academic levels and/or outstanding intellectual or academic abilities. 

Parents/guardians are encouraged to contact HiCapID@rentonschools.us when initially pursuing an appeal so that our team can help identify which data points could help strengthen the appeal.

Appeal forms can be found on the right-side tool bar at the top of this page.

The exit process may be initiated for students who no longer demonstrate a need for highly capable program services. A request may be made by a teacher or program administrator for highly capable student identification and placement discontinuation. The Multi-Disciplinary Selection Committee will convene a meeting to review the student’s profile to determine if the student qualifies for program services based on assessment data and selection criteria. The multi-disciplinary selection committee may request additional evidence of student capabilities and/or willingness to participate in the program. If the committee determines that the student no longer qualifies for highly capable program services, it may be recommended that the student be exited from the program. The parent will be notified in writing of the meeting, the committee’s decision, and the appeal process.

A parent/legal guardian may request that the student be withdrawn from the program or a student may voluntarily withdraw from the program. A meeting will be convened by the Highly Capable Program Director to discuss the request. If the parent/legal guardian desires to withdraw the student from the program, the student will be exited from the program.

Students are enrolled in a general education classroom & placed in like-peer groupings of 2-8 members based on their area(s) of strength including: English Language Arts (ELA), Math and cognitive abilities. Students’ Highly Capable Program screening data points and related building-based data are considered when forming student groupings. Based on a student’s area(s) of strength and classroom performance, their teacher will design and implement a student learning plan as they partner with families to best meet their student’s needs. As a student progresses in their learning, student learning plan may be revisited and revised as necessary over the course of the school year. This model is offered at all elementary schools in the Renton School District.

NOTE:  Strength-Based Student Grouping is the only service model available to K-2 students.

Starting in grade 3, students who qualify for services may also be served in a Discovery self-contained classroom offered in grades 3, 4 and/or 5 at assigned district locations. Assignment to schools offering Discovery classrooms is based on a student’s home address school path. These classes are unique in that all students have qualified for Highly Capable Program services per district processes. Students in Discovery classrooms may expect to experience increased levels of depth and complexity across content, project or problem-based learning, discussions rich in critical thinking and faster pacing at multiple points over the course of the school year. Beginning in the 2020-2021 school year, Discovery classrooms will only be offered at Kennydale and Talbot Hill; this model is offered to the highest-performing Highly Capable students in each Discovery schools' feeder pattern.

All highly capable 6^th-8^th graders will automatically be enrolled in Honors English Language Arts (ELA) and Honors Social Studies with the option to withdraw from one or both if they so choose. The goal is to provide students greater opportunities to take courses that match their area(s) of strength and/or interest. Students will have the option to make changes to these course selections as part of their middle school’s spring orientation/registration process.

·       6^th grade students may register for Honors 6 Math. They must select this course during their middle school’s spring orientation/registration process.

·       7^th & 8^th grade students may register for Honors Science courses. They must select this course during their middle school’s spring orientation/registration process.

Self-select Honors courses are available to all students attending middle school in-person.

All students can register for Honors, Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) and Running Start courses offered by their specific high school. Advanced course offerings vary by high school. Qualification for Highly Capable Program services with students at this level will be indicated in their records.

Please Note: The courses included here are offered for in-person students. Options may vary for students enrolled in Talley Virtual School.