Highly Capable Eligibility Process Frequently Asked Questions

How does Seattle Public Schools (SPS) identify students for Highly Capable (HC) services?

SPS uses a comprehensive, multi-step identification process. This means looking at different data points over time-not just one test score.

We consider:

• Academic achievement
• Academic growth
• Student strengths and learning needs

This ensures that the process is consistent, equitable, and reflective of each student ‘s learning needs.

Who makes the final decision?

Final recommendations are made by a district-level Multi-Disciplinary Placement Committee (MPC), as required by state law.

The MPC includes:

• Current Teachers
• School leaders
• Central office staff

Decisions are based on multiple educational data collected during the 2024-25 school year and the first assessment window of the 2025-26 school year.

What are “multiple pathways” and why are they important?

Multiple pathways help ensure no student is overlooked in the process. This includes students who may be underrepresented such as those who:

• Qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch
• Receive McKinney-Vento services
• Receive Special Education services
• Are Multilingual Learners

What data sources are used for HC services identification?

The MPC reviews the following data sources if available and applicable for each student:

• Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)– Reading and Math
  • RIT scores
  • Growth Ratio
• Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA, only for grades 4-8)
  • Percentiles (how well did student perform compared to other students in the state)
• WaKIDS Kindergarten Assessment (only for first graders)
• Educator assessment via the Demonstrated Performance Tool (DPT)
• WIDA Language acquisition and/or growth data (only for multilingual learners)
• Additional standardized assessments used in the SPS Special Education evaluation process

Families can access this information for their students on the Assessment Score page in The Source.

What changed about MAP scores?

NWEA, the organization that creates the MAP assessment, recently re-normed MAP percentiles. Because of this change, SPS now uses MAP RIT scores instead of percentiles.

RIT scores:

• Show students’ instructional level needs
• Reflect what a student is ready to learn next
• Measures student achievement on a continuous scale
• Align with the Common Core learning continuum

More details can be found in the following NWEA links:

• Six commonly used MAP growth terms worth knowing
• 2025 Norms quick reference

What is standard deviation (SD)?

A SD is simply a measure of dispersion of scores around the mean (average) value; the smaller the SD, the more compact the scores are around the mean. SDs are particularly useful when comparing student-level norms, school-level norms, district-level norms, and national level norms.  For example, knowing the spread of the data can help educators understand the extent to which student achievement or growth exceeds or falls short of student- or school-level mean (averages). In other words, SDs help the MPC determine which students have significantly unique learning needs that differ from the majority of the students in the class.  

The norms in the tables below have a very straightforward interpretation. For example, in the achievement norms for reading, grade 2 students in the fall had a mean score of 170 and a standard deviation of 17. To get a sense of how much variation there was, the SD of 17 can be subtracted from the mean and added to the mean to produce a range of about 158–187. Since the norms are based on the bell curve, we know that 68% of all grade 2 reading scores are expected to fall within this range. You can find the 2025 MAP Growth Norms here: https://www.nwea.org/resource-center/fact-sheet/87992/MAP-Growth-2025-norms-quick-reference_NWEA_on…

What level of achievement is typically seen for HC services eligibility?

The table below represents the baseline criteria scores for students identified as HC in the 2025-2026 academic year.

• For grades 1-3 ELA: Academic achievement of 2.2 or more standard deviation above the national norm.
• For grades 4-8 ELA: Academic achievement of 2.0 or more standard deviation above the national norm.
• For grades 1-8 Math: Academic achievement of 2.2 or more standard deviation above the national norm.
• For example, if your student is a fourth grader, the RIT score for Fall 2025 MAP in math required to meet baseline criteria is 229.

Math RIT Score Baseline

Grade	MAP 2025 F	MAP 2025 S	MAP 2025 W	MAP 2024 F
1	188	187	180	168
2	206	206	199	188
3	220	223	217	206
4	229	237	229	216
5	238	250	242	229
6	242	256	250	238
7	251	260	254	242
8	258	266	261	251

Reading RIT Score Baseline

Grade	MAP 2025 F	MAP 2025 S	MAP 2025 W	MAP 2024 F
1	184	181	171	158
2	208	204	194	184
3	225	220	215	208
4	232	230	226	221
5	238	238	235	232
6	243	242	240	238
7	246	246	245	243
8	250	249	248	246

When baseline criteria are not met, supporting criteria may be used if applicable and/or available. For details, please visit the Eligibility Criteria webpage.

What are the next steps for families with newly identified students during the 2025-26 school year?

State regulations (WAC 392-170-047) require written parental consent before confirming HC eligibility.  Families will need to complete the HC provided consent form by the established timeline communicated in the eligibility notification.  

Families have two options for HC services:

1. Neighborhood/Option Schools:
   • Students remain at a neighborhood or option school. When a family consents for HC services and chooses to remain at their neighborhood school, it means the student is formally identified as HC in one or more domains and is eligible to receive HC services within the general education classroom. In this model, services are provided through differentiation, enrichment, and—in some cases—targeted acceleration, rather than accelerating a full grade level or beyond in a subject area.
   • Because neighborhood schools serve students with a wide range of profiles, HC services are intentionally responsive rather than prescriptive. Teachers may use strategies such as flexible or cluster grouping, tiered assignments, open-ended problem-solving tasks, independent projects, and deeper analysis of content. What this looks can vary by classroom, subject area, and student need.
   • We encourage families to connect directly with their child’s school to ask:
     • How are students typically grouped in the classroom
     • What enrichment or extension looks like in literacy and/or math
     • How student growth is monitored across the year
   • Those conversations often make the abstract language feel much more concrete.
2. Highly Capable Specific Schools
   • Highly Capable eligible students in elementary and middle school may be served through grade level acceleration in both math and ELA. Accelerated instruction is provided at specific Highly Capable sites in a learning environment where HC students learn alongside peers with similar academic profiles.
   • Students in middle and high school receive services at Highly Capable sites through a cluster group model within an inclusive school setting with a focus on enrichment and differentiation. Students are placed into the appropriate math placement per previous course taking patterns.

If I keep my child at their current school, why should I consent for services?

When a family consents:

• The school is informed of the student’s identified strength area(s), which helps teachers plan instruction more intentionally.
• The district can provide targeted professional learning, planning support, and coaching connected to HC services.
• The district can continue to monitor the needs and growth of HC students at local elementary schools.