Identification Process

 

Identification

Overview

In accordance with WAC 392-170-055, the Edmonds School District uses multiple objective criteria for identification of students who are Highly Capable. Edmonds School District uses a Totality of Evidence model to determine eligibility for highly capable services. A Multidisciplinary Placement Committee (MPC) made up of teachers, specialists, and administrators reviews multiple indicators of a student’s aptitude and achievement, not just test scores, to determine whether the student is eligible for the program. Elements reviewed include highly capable assessments, district and state assessments, teacher recommendations, and supplemental information submitted by families. Edmond's Highly Capable Services are designed to meet the academic needs of students determined through academic and cognitive testing to be in roughly the 97th percentile and above when compared to the general population. The committee looks for consistent scores and indicators of performance above the 97th percentile and/or work that is substantially above grade level in either area of eligibility (Math and ELA).

 

Assessments and Data Used

Eligibility for Highly Capable Services is determined based on multiple criteria, including scores obtained from the highly capable testing process (CogAT/NNAT3), as well as other information available on students within Edmonds. Examples of such data include district achievement scores (i-Ready, Acadience, WIDA), state testing scores (Smarter Balanced), teacher feedback, and supplemental information submitted by families.

 

i-Ready

i-Ready is an Edmonds district achievement assessment for math and reading. The assessments are administered three times per school year. The i-Ready Diagnostic is a computer adaptive assessment that measures both student performance and growth.

 

Acadience

Acadience is an Edmonds district achievement assessment for reading. The Acadience Assessment (formerly known as DIBELS – Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) is a set of research-based screening and progress-monitoring tools used to measure early literacy students from kindergarten through sixth grade. 

 

SBAC

The Washington State SBAC (Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium) assessment is a standardized test used to measure student proficiency in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics. It aligns with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and is administered to students in grades 3–8 and 10 in Washington state.

 

NNAT3

The NNAT3 (Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test, Third Edition) is a nonverbal assessment used to measure general intellectual ability, particularly for identifying gifted and talented students. It is designed to minimize cultural and language biases by focusing on abstract reasoning and problem-solving rather than verbal or mathematical skills.

 

CogAT

The CogAT (Cognitive Abilities Test) is a standardized test designed to measure a student's reasoning and problem-solving abilities in three main areas: verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal reasoning. It is commonly used for gifted and talented program identification, as well as for assessing cognitive development in students from kindergarten through 12th grade.

 

WIDA

The WIDA (World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment) is a set of tests designed to measure English language proficiency (ELP) in students who are multilingual learners (MLLs). It is used to identify, monitor, and support students who are developing English proficiency in academic settings.