Beginning in the 4th grade, those students who apply and qualify are placed in the 4/5/6 Highly Capable Program. This program is offered at each elementary school and is a multi-age, full-time class that emphasizes abstract thinking, complexity and depth. Differentiated instruction within each classroom may include one or more of the following strategies: pre-assessment and tiered lessons, open-ended questioning strategies and higher level thinking skills. There are opportunities for students to make independent choices when appropriate in content, process and product. 

Snohomish School District students who will be in the 4th through 6th grade next year (2024-2025) are invited to participate in the district’s 4/5/6 Elementary Highly Capable Program which provides learning opportunities around depth, complexity, and acceleration. If interested, the following dates and information are important. Students currently enrolled in the 4/5/6 Elementary Highly Capable Program do not need to complete the referral process.

Snohomish School District students who will be in the 4th through 6th grade next year (2025-2026) are invited to participate in the district’s 4/5/6 Elementary Highly Capable Program which provides learning opportunities around depth, complexity, and acceleration. If interested, the following dates and information are important. Students currently enrolled in the 4/5/6 Elementary Highly Capable Program do not need to complete the referral process. 

2025-2026 referral packets and dates will be posted by late January 2025.

Learn more at www.sno.wednet.edu/hicap. Questions can be directed to Brianne Loomis at 360-563-7296 and Belinda Kelly at 360-563-7258.

Testing information
Referred students will be assessed on the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) in their current school during regular school hours. Test dates and times will be in the early spring. Families will receive notification of testing date(s) by email from your child’s school or from the district office. All testing materials are provided. Students already identified for K-3 highly capable services do not need to complete a referral packet and will receive placement information for the 4/5/6 Highly Capable Program at the end of May. 

Notification of Recommended Assignment
Once the multidisciplinary selection committee meets and makes a recommendation for placement, a letter is sent directly to parents/guardians in late May 2024.

Appeal Process
Parents/legal guardians have the right to appeal the multidisciplinary selection committee's decision. Individuals appealing the selection committee's decision must submit a letter requesting review of selection/placement decision. The written request must include reasons for the appeal and any outside standardized assessment data that represents evidence of significantly advanced cognitive or academic levels and/or outstanding intellectual, academic or creative abilities. The appeal request and supporting evidence must be submitted to the highly capable program specialist by June 20, 2024.

The district's appeals committee will review the student's file, assessment profile data, and additional evidence provided in the request for appeal. The appeals committee is composed of: the highly capable program specialist, two administrators, a highly capable program teacher, and a psychologist or other qualified practitioner with the training to interpret cognitive and achievement test results.

The decision of the appeals/multidisciplinary selection committee may include:

• Upholding the original decision of the multidisciplinary selection committee.
• Reversing the decision of the multidisciplinary selection committee.
• Request for further testing.

A decision will be made by the appeals committee within ten school business days after the final due date of written appeals. The parent/legal guardian will be notified of the decision in writing. The decision of the appeals committee is final.

Exit Process
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. A multidisciplinary selection committee will convene a meeting to review the student’s profile to determine if the placement and services are appropriate for the student, based on academic, social/emotional, behavioral and/or attendance information. The multidisciplinary 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 is exited from the program. The parent will be notified in writing of the committee’s decision and any steps to appeal the decision will be provided.

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 specialist or school administrator 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. A multidisciplinary selection committee will determine if identification procedures are necessary for students wishing to reenter the program in the future.