Highly Capable Services

In accordance with state guidelines, students are referred, assessed, and identified for Highly Capable Services based on their demonstrated achievement or potential ability in terms of general intellectual ability, academic aptitude, and creative or productive thinking.

The program is based on the following objectives:

Expansion of academic attainments and intellectual skills;
Stimulation of intellectual curiosity, independence, and responsibility;
Development of positive attitude toward self and others; and
Development of originality and creativity.

Students who are highly capable may possess, but are not limited to, these learning characteristics:

1. Capacity to learn with unusual depth of understanding, to retain what has been learned, and transfer to new situations;

2. Capacity and willingness to deal with increasing levels of abstraction and complexity earlier than peers;

3. Creative ability to make unusual connections among ideas and concepts;

4. Ability to learn quickly in their area(s) of intellectual strength; and

5. Capacity for intense concentration and/or focus.

Hoquiam School District Continuum of Highly Capable Services K-12

On-Site K-5 Services:
School based highly capable services are curriculum and instruction that is modified in a general education classroom. Students who are recommended for services will be served in math, reading, or both based on individual learning needs. Teachers receive professional learning in the areas of differentiation, curriculum compacting and universal design for learning so they can address the unique learning needs of their highly capable students.

Middle School Services:

Beginning in 6th grade, all students have options for enrichment and individual choice through electives. Middle school highly capable students are served in math, reading, or both based on individual learning needs. Students will placed in academic classes where the rigor and complexity best matches their individual learning needs which are identified in collaboration with the school counselor.

High School Services:

At grades 9-12, options for services vary depending on the needs and interests of each student and includes a wider array of enrichment opportunities and electives. Students may be served through Honors courses, Advanced Placement (AP) options, College in the High School (CHS) offerings, and/or Running Start. There are a variety of pathways for students to explore.

Homelink Services:

Students enrolled in Homelink who are identified as Highly Capable have access to an additional online enrichment program. Their classroom based learning is differentiated to meet their individual learning pathway.

Final Eligibility:

The Hoquiam School District, in compliance with Washington State rules for Highly Capable Programs (WAC 392-170-076), has an appeals process. If a parent/guardian does not agree with the final eligibility decision and wishes to appeal, they are asked to submit a detailed written explanation regarding why an appeal is being filed. Appeals are reviewed and considered by the district's Multidisciplinary Team (MDT). The MDT is chaired by the Director of Teaching and Learning. The MDT's final decision will be sent by mail to the parent/guardian submitting the appeal. Appeals will only be considered for the following reasons:

During the testing window, there was an extraordinary circumstance (e.g., a death in the family, an illness that prevented the student from completing the test during administration, or a traumatic event) that may have affected the validity of the test results.
The birthdate or grade level listed on the student’s results notification is incorrect.
The student has a 504 Plan or an IEP that has test accommodations, and these accommodations were not provided during Highly Capable Testing.
A misapplication, miscalculation, or misinterpretation of the scores.

Appeal Process:

Appeal forms are mailed with the notification of score results letter, and can also be found on the district website. The deadline for submission of appeals is ten (10) business days from the date of the notification of score results letter.