2021-2022 Highly Capable Nominations and Information
Second Grade Highly Capable Assessment Information
To ensure Tahoma School District is identifying all students who may qualify for highly capable programs, all second grade students have the opportunity to participate in the CogAT screener assessment (CogAT = Cognitive Abilities Test). Second grade students will take the CogAT screener assessment at school the week of December 6th. The CogAT screener is administered online by the students’ classroom teacher and takes 30-45 minutes. If you have any questions about your student participating in this assessment opportunity, please contact your building principals.
Students who perform at a very high level on the CogAT screener will be invited to participate in the second round of testing the week of January 10th. This includes the full-scale CogAT assessment and the Iowa Test of Basic Skills. The Highly Capable Review Committee looks at these scores as one component of the identification process and makes a determination of program placement. Results for the screener and post-screener tests will be shared with families explaining your student’s results and their status with regard to TSD highly capable programs.
Information about Tahoma’s Highly Capable Programs can be found here: Highly Capable Program Information.
Grade K-1, 3-4, and 5-7 Highly Capable Assessment Information
The window for highly capable nominations for students currently in grades K-1 and 3-7 is listed below. The nomination forms will be available on the highly capable page of the TSD website during the applicable window. Students will participate in both the CogAT and Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS). This year families have the option of having their student take the assessments during the school day or to participate in Saturday testing.
Grade 5-7 referral window: January 3-23, 2022 (testing in early February)
Grade K-1, 3-4 referral window: January 31-February 20, 2022 (testing in early March)
TSD’s highly capable programs are:
- Grades 1-2: Cougar classrooms are available at all elementary schools. Students are clustered with other highly capable students in their grade level.
- Grades 3-5: Discovery classrooms are self-contained classrooms housed at Lake Wilderness and Cedar River elementary schools or Cougar classrooms located in all elementary schools. Students from Lake Wilderness, Shadow Lake, and Glacier Park attend Lake Wilderness. Students from Cedar River, Tahoma Elementary and Rock Creek attend Cedar River.
- Grades 6-8: The middle school program is a highly capable ELA/Social Studies block class that is offered at both Summit Trail and Maple View middle schools.
- Please note: Middle school advanced math placement is handled separately from the HiCap assessments and is conducted via a different process and schedule.
Please visit Tahoma’s Highly Capable web pages for referral forms and additional information.
If you have any questions, please contact Highly Capable Program Director, Chris Everett at ceverett@tahomasd.us.