Referral Process:
New and Students Reenrolling to 番茄影视 Public Schools
If your child is new to the 番茄影视 Public Schools and was a part of a gifted/highly capable program in a former district we would like to know.
- If new to our district: please send previous district test scores and/or documentation to Joe Sawyer.
If your child is reenrolling in the 番茄影视 Public Schools and was previously identified within our district they will be automatically reenrolled in highly capable services.
- If reenrolling: please email Joe to expedite this process and reenroll your child in highly capable services.
How to Refer a Student
Referrals are open for students September to December of each academic year. To refer a student for assessment, members may complete the online referral forms below and submit electronically. Referrals need to be received by Dec. 31 of each academic year to be assessed in winter of that year.
- Teachers, parents, or community members may refer any student through grade 12 for assessment
- Secondary students may also self-refer.
- Assessment for all referred students takes place annually each year in late January / early February.
Referral links: 听补苍诲听 available in both English and Spanish.
Referral forms must be received on or before Dec. 31 of the current academic year to be assessed in the Winter of that school year.
Identification:
Universal Screening for Grades 2 and 6
- All second grade students will automatically be screened in January so no referral is needed.
- All students entering grade 6 are screened in the fall of each school year.
Process for identifying students for Highly Capable
- Referral (referral flow chart)
- Evidence Collected
- Team examines evidence
- Students identified as Highly Capable generally fall in the 1-3 percent of their same age, grade, experience and/or environment in the three academic areas used by 番茄影视 Public Schools, which are: verbal (literacy), quantitative (math) and non-verbal (spatial reasoning).
- Student receives access to services after qualification
- Goals and Plans created next academic school year
- Review of student progress
Referrals
- Students may be referred on an annual basis by families, teachers, staff or community members.
- Students in grades 6-12 may self-refer.
Determining which students should be referred for highly capable
Students who perform or show potential for performing at significantly advanced academic levels when compared with others of their age, experiences, or environments qualify for Highly Capable identification. (WAC 392-170-035) A student who is highly capable might possess a number of learning characteristics.
Students in grades K-12 may be referred by completing the referral form (link above). Once a student is referred, both the school and family are contacted notifying them of the student’s participation in the process for identifying potential need for the continuum of services. Students may be referred for highly capable services once per 24 month period.
Who may refer students for highly capable:
- Teachers
- Families
- Community members
- Students in 6th-12th grade may also self-refer. (WAC 392-170-045).
Referral Steps:
1. Referral is submitted by teacher, family, community member or student in 6-12th grade.
2. Referrals must be submitted within the referral window to be considered for the school year.
3. A portfolio of evidence will be collected for referred students. This may include, but is not limited to, assessment data, parent survey responses, and teacher input.
Evidence Collected
Based on the 番茄影视 Promise, with the whole child in mind, we use a portfolio of evidence to determine a student’s need for the continuum of highly capable services.
Three forms of evidence are compiled into the portfolio (aptitude scores, achievement scores and qualitative input from families and staff).
- Aptitude (Natural Ability)
- Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) 97th Percentile OR top 3% of same age, experience and environment
- Achievement (Testing)
- Standardized Achievement Test standard based on specific measures: i-Ready, SBA
- Qualitative (Descriptions)
- Evidence of Product聽Teacher HOPE Scale, Family Survey, Additional Work Samples
Identification Process
- The portfolio is reviewed by a multidisciplinary team (MDT) including (OSPI: ):
- Director working with students identified Highly Capable
- HCL Liaison
- District Psychologist
- Multilingual Educator
- Additional Educators
- The MDT reviews a students portfolio of qualifications. Students identified highly capable perform or show potential for performing at significantly high academic levels when compared with others of their age, experiences, or environments. Outstanding abilities are seen within students’ general intellectual aptitudes, specific academic abilities, and/or creative productivities within a specific domain. These students are present not only in the general populace, but are present within all protected classes.
- Students not identified highly capable will continue to be supported in the general education setting.
- Upon identification as highly capable, family and teachers work collaboratively to give students access to the continuum of services. Students will receive a student learning plan the next academic year.
Appeals:
Families may appeal the decision of the multidisciplinary team by completing an appeal form. () Please click here for the appeal form.聽Por favor haga clic aqu铆 para obtener el formulario de apelaci贸n en espa帽ol.聽
- Appeal forms must be received by the District Office within 15 days of notification.
- Appeals will be reviewed and a determination will be made within 30 days of receipt.
- Appeals are reviewed and considered by the district multidisciplinary team.
- The MDT’s final decision will be sent to the person submitting the appeal.
Programa de Estudiantes Altamente Capaces Formulario de Apelaci贸n
If you have questions, please contact Joe Sawyer at joseph.sawyer@bellinghamschools.org or by calling our office at 360-676-6542.