Advanced Learning

Identification and Eligibility

Advanced Learning Identification Process 2022-23

We are committed to transforming SPS Advanced Learning services, so every student, particularly Black, Brown, and Native American students, has access to opportunities that help them thrive. This includes changing how we decide who is eligible for Advanced Learning services and when we are sharing eligibility information with families.

Eligibility decisions will be completed for students in grades 1 8 in early March for Kindergarten students in late March/early April 2023

Advanced Learning Referrals

The Advanced Learning referral window was November 1-30, 2022. The district refers and screens all students in K-8, except for those who are already qualified for Highly Capable, to determine possible needs for AL or HC services. This process is called the Universal Screening.

Universal Screening

SPS will continue to honor and support the brilliance of every student in the 2022-23 school year. One-way SPS does this is by ensuring that students have access to Advanced Learning services. To do this, the Advanced Learning Department refers all students to participate in their Universal Screening to determine potential eligibility for services.  

Although the Advanced Learning department will conduct the Universal Screening to identify students who should be assessed to determine eligibility for Advanced Learning or Highly Capable services, by law WAC-392-170-045 referrals are also accepted from teachers, other staff, parents/guardians, students, and members of the community.

The Universal Screening occurred in December 2022 (grades 1-8) and will occur in February 2023 (Kindergarten). For more detailed information on data used, please go to Universal Screening data.

If Universal Screening results indicate your student has the potential to be eligible for Advanced Learning or Highly Capable services, you will receive an informational letter and a parent/guardian permission to assess form.

Advanced Learning Eligibility Process 2022-23

Permission for Assessment

Parents/guardians of each student recommended for further evaluation will be sent the Permission to Assess form.  For your child to be considered for eligibility for services, you will need to sign and return the Permission to Assess form by January 31, 2023, for students in 1-8 and March for Kindergarten to the Advanced Learning Department.  There are no appeals to the Universal Screening results. 

Final Assessment for HC or AL

Once permission is received from Parents/guardians for each student who passed the Universal Screening, the Multi-Disciplinary Selection Committee (MSC) will evaluate each student’s data including academic assessments, demonstrated performance in the classroom, grades, strengths, talents, and interests reported by teachers, IAs and families.  Additional Sources of Information (for students with IEPs and Fast Language Acquisition for students receiving ELL services) are also considered.   

For detailed information, please go to Final Assessment for HC or AL

Notifications and Consent for Services

Highly Capable (HC) Services

Parents/guardians of each student found to qualify for Highly Capable services in the Final Assessment by the MSC will be sent a notification letter and Consent for Services form with instructions to complete and return by a specified due date.

Advanced Learning (AL) Services

Parents/guardians of each student found to qualify for Advanced Learning services in the Final Assessment by the MSC will be sent a notification letter with information about school based services.

Appeals to the Final Assessment Results

There are two different types of appeals, conditional and identification. A parent/guardian must select one of the two for their appeal and provide the required information. For detailed information. please go to: Appeals – two types and process

Important Dates

Important Dates 2022-23

October 2022

  • Notification to K-8 families about Eligibility and Identification Process 

October-November 2022

  • Demonstrated Performance Tool completed by Teaching Staff for 1-8 grade students
  • Referral window for K-8 students (Nov 1-30) 

December 2022

  • Universal Screening for 1-8 

January 2023

  • Permission from parents/guardians based on Universal Screening Results only (1-8 grade level students)  
  • Demonstrated Performance Tool completed by Teaching Staff for kindergarten students 

February 2023

  • Universal Screening for kindergarten students 
  • Permission from parents/guardians based on Universal Screening Results only (kindergarten grade level students)  

March 2023

  • New eligibility decisions for 1-8 grade and notification to parents/guardians 
  • Appeals for 1-8 students only 

March and April 2023

  • New eligibility decisions for kindergarten students and notification to parent/guardians 
  • Appeals for kindergarten students only  

March – May 2023

  • Summer Eligibility process  

Advanced Learning Eligibility Decisions

  • Students are working well above the grade level curriculum.
  • Their assessment scores are in the range of 95-99 percentile in both Reading and Math.
  • In addition their Demonstrated Performance scores are at Level 4 (above Grade Level).
  • Students in need of AL services also perform above grade level curriculum.
  • Their assessment scores are in the range of 88-94 percentile in Reading and/or Math.
  • In addition their Demonstrated Performance scores are at Level 4 (above Grade Level).
  • These students show a need for extended learning opportunities in their neighborhood or option schools.

Students either did not have enough data for an eligibility decision or their data did not show a need for Advanced Learning services at this time.

How are eligibility decisions made for K-8 students?

  1. Objective and subjective data/information details will be shared with the Multi-Disciplinary Selection Committee (MSC), which is made up of trained educators and other professional staff such as counselor, teachers, and district leaders. 
  1. There are two cycles of revision of data/information from students, during Universal Screening and standard identification and eligibility process. 
  1. After a thorough review, the committee will decide which students are eligible for Advanced Learning or Highly Capable services. 
  1. Eligibility decisions will be emailed (or mailed to those without email) to families. 
  1. Results can only be appealed during the appeal period in April 2023. More information will be available on the  appeals webpage by April 2023.

Eligibility decisions for grades 9-12

Information about eligibility decisions for High School students.
Please go to: Learn more about 9-12 eligibility process


Eligibility Records

To obtain student-specific Advanced Learning records please contact the Advanced Learning Care Team. Please make Advanced Learning records requests via email at advlearn@seattleschools.org. Records can be anticipated in 3-5 business days.  

In order to streamline the records requests process please include:  

  • Student’s First and Last Name
  • Student ID Number
  • Record Recipient Information
    • If requesting document sharing to an outside district, please include where these documents will need to be sent.