Hi-Cap Overview– Almira School District Programs for the Highly Capable

What is Hi-Cap?

Hi-Cap is Almira District’s program for meeting the unique academic, social and
emotional needs of highly capable students in grades K-8. Qualified students are placed
in the program, with customized options designed for their unique needs.
Program Goals
Students who demonstrate characteristics of being highly capable need a faster pace and
greater depth and complexity of material than is offered through the standard curriculum.
These students also need interaction with their intellectual peers. With this in mind, the
goals of the Hi-Cap Program are:
 To identify students who have high intellectual, academic, and creative thinking ability.
 To provide differentiated instruction appropriate to the needs of gifted learners.
 To place students among their intellectual peer group.
 To develop in students a sense of self, life-long learning, quality production, and critical/creative
thinking abilities.
 To engage in ongoing evaluation of students’ progress and placement.
 To provide appropriate staff development opportunities to maximize teaching effectiveness in
providing for the academic and social/emotional needs of gifted learners.
 To engage in ongoing program evaluation and revision.
Program Options
Program options include, but are not limited to: Accelerated learning opportunities;
Academic grouping; Arrangements that provide intellectual and interest peer group
interactions; Cooperative agreements between K-12 and institutions of higher education;
Mentorships and career exploration. Each individual student or group of students with
similar needs will have a program plan. Services will be made available based on that
plan and include a continuum of services.
Identification and Selection Process
This is a three-month process, during which anyone (parents, teachers, media specialists,
friends, family, acquaintances, members of the community, cohorts, etc.) may refer a
student for testing. The process is twofold, including 1) eligibility (nomination & further
testing), and 2) program placement.

Selection and placement is made by the Multi-Disciplinary Selection Committee
(MDSC). The MDSC, which is made up of administrators, teachers, and program staff,
reviews testing and nomination data and then makes a recommendation for further Hi-
Cap specific testing. Upon obtaining written parent permission to proceed with testing,
the test is then administered during the school day, at the student’s school. The MDSC
then reviews the new data and determines eligibility and program placement.
Retesting for eligibility purposes is available. The criteria for retesting are: 1) at least 6
months between testing sessions; and 2) testing at the next higher grade level. Currently
identified students will not need to be retested annually to maintain eligibility.
Appeals
Students may also be placed through the Appeal Process in which the MDSC examines
documentation for students whose test scores did not meet the criteria but for whom other
evidence exists of high ability, a need for program placement, and a high probability of
success. Appeals are considered annually by the Multi-Disciplinary Selection Committee
and are based upon a review of the documentation received. Private testing results as well
as testing information from other school districts are accepted for review. Appeals may
be made to the MDSC within two weeks of ineligibility. Contact the Highly Capable
Program Teacher for forms and information.

2022-2023 Schedule
IDENTIFICATION & PLACEMENTS
Fall Referrals are open to students currently in grades K-8, for program placement the
current school year. Further testing is only for those recommended by the MDSC.
Nomination Opens November 1, 2022
Nomination Closes December 15, 2022
Review Applicants (MDSC) week of January 2, 2023
Letters / Testing Permission week of January 9, 2023
Testing week of January 16, 2023
Review Testing - eligibility and placement (MDSC)
and Notification to parents week of January 23, 2023

Highly Capable Services begin in September for students already eligible. New
students will begin receiving services when testing is complete and permission is
obtained from parents/guardians.
Exit Process
To exit the program, parents must complete and sign a Program Withdrawal Form and
submit it to the Highly Capable Teacher. Services will cease upon receipt of the form.
The MDSC will further review the student’s withdrawal for program effectiveness and
general evaluation.

Further information:
For questions regarding nomination procedures, test scores, placement options, referral
for testing, etc., please contact Highly Capable Coordinator, Dan Read, 509-639-2414