Pursuant to rules adopted by the superintendent of public instruction for the administration of this chapter, the superintendent of public instruction shall carry out a program for highly capable students. Such program may include conducting, coordinating and aiding in research (including pilot programs), disseminating information to local school districts, providing statewide staff development, and allocating to school districts supplementary funds for additional costs of district programs, as provided by RCW 28A.150.260.
[ 2009 c 548 § 707; 1984 c 278 § 12; ]
The legislature finds that, for highly capable students, access to accelerated learning and enhanced instruction is access to a basic education. There are multiple definitions of highly capable, from intellectual to academic to artistic. The research literature strongly supports using multiple criteria to identify highly capable students, and therefore, the legislature does not intend to prescribe a single method. Instead, the legislature intends to authorize school districts to identify through the use of multiple, objective criteria those students most highly capable and eligible to receive accelerated learning and enhanced instruction in the program offered by the district.
School districts may establish and operate, either separately or jointly, programs for highly capable students. Such authority shall include the right to employ and pay special instructors and to operate such programs jointly with a public institution of higher education.
School districts that establish and operate programs for highly capable students shall adopt identification procedures and provide educational opportunities as follows:
In accordance with rules adopted by the superintendent of public instruction, school districts shall implement procedures for referral, screening, assessment , selection**, and placement** of their most highly capable students.
Referrals must be based upon data from teachers, other staff, parents, students, and members of the community.
Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, each school district must conduct universal screenings for each student at least once, in or before second and sixth grade, to find students who need further assessment to determine whether the student is eligible for potential placement in a program for highly capable students. The district must use a portion of the funds appropriated to provide the screenings within the school day and at the school the student attends.
Assessments****for highly capable program services must be based upon a review of each student's capability as shown by multiple criteria intended to reveal, from a wide variety of sources and data, each student's unique needs and capabilities. Assessments must be conducted within the school day and at the school the student attends.
Selection and placements shall be made by a multidisciplinary selection committee after consideration of the results of the multiple criteria assessment. The committee members must have at least five hours of course work or professional development addressing the needs and characteristics of highly capable students. Students selected pursuant to procedures outlined in this section shall be provided, to the extent feasible, an educational opportunity that takes into account each student's unique needs and capabilities, and the limits of the resources and program options available to the district, including those options that can be developed or provided using funds allocated by the superintendent of public instruction for that specific purpose.
In addition to the criteria listed in (a) of this subsection, district practices for identifying the most highly capable students must prioritize equitable identification of low-income students.
When a student, including a student who is a child of a military family in transition, has been assessed or enrolled as highly capable by a sending school, the receiving school shall initially honor placement of the student into a like program.
The receiving school shall determine whether the district's program is a like program when compared to the sending school's program; and
The receiving school may conduct subsequent assessments to determine appropriate placement and continued enrollment in the program.
Access to accelerated learning and enhanced instruction through a program for highly capable students does not constitute an individual entitlement for any particular student.
For a student who is a child of a military family in transition, the definitions in Article II of RCW 28A.705.010 apply to subsection (3) of this section.
The superintendent of public instruction shall contract with the University of Washington for the education of highly capable students below eighteen years of age who are admitted or enrolled at such early entrance program or transition school as are now or hereafter established and maintained by the University of Washington.
The superintendent of public instruction shall allocate directly to the University of Washington all of the state basic education allocation moneys, state categorical moneys excepting categorical moneys provided for the highly capable students program under RCW 28A.185.010 through 28A.185.030, and federal moneys generated by a student while attending an early entrance program or transition school at the University of Washington. The allocations shall be according to each student's school district of residence. The expenditure of such moneys shall be limited to selection of students, precollege instruction, special advising, and related activities necessary for the support of students while attending a transition school or early entrance program at the University of Washington. Such allocations may be supplemented with such additional payments by other parties as necessary to cover the actual and full costs of such instruction and other activities.
The provisions of subsections (1) and (2) of this section shall apply during the first three years a student is attending a transition school or early entrance program at the University of Washington or through the academic school year in which the student turns eighteen, whichever occurs first. No more than thirty students shall be admitted and enrolled in the transition school at the University of Washington in any one year.
The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt or amend rules pursuant to chapter 34.05 RCW implementing subsection (2) of this section before August 31, 1989.
[ 1990 c 33 § 169; 1989 c 233 § 9; 1987 c 518 § 222; ]
In order to ensure that school districts are meeting the requirements of an approved program for highly capable students, the superintendent of public instruction shall monitor highly capable programs at least once every five years. Monitoring shall begin during the 2002-03 school year.
Any program review and monitoring under this section may be conducted concurrently with other program reviews and monitoring conducted by the office of the superintendent of public instruction. In its review, the office shall monitor program components that include but need not be limited to the process used by the district to identify and reach out to highly capable students with diverse talents and from diverse backgrounds, assessment data and other indicators to determine how well the district is meeting the academic needs of highly capable students, and district expenditures used to enrich or expand opportunities for these students.
Beginning June 30, 2003, and every five years thereafter, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall submit a report to the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate that provides the following:
A brief description of the various instructional programs offered to highly capable students**; and**
Relevant data to the programs for highly capable students collected under RCW 28A.300.042.
The superintendent of public instruction may adopt rules under chapter 34.05 RCW to implement this section.
Any compliance reporting requirements as a result of laws in this chapter that apply to second-class districts may be submitted in accordance with RCW 28A.330.250.
[ 2011 c 45 § 10; ]
**
The legislature intends to allocate state funding for basic education programs for highly capable students based on five percent of each school district's student population.
Funds provided by the state for the state basic education program for highly capable students under RCW 28A.150.260 shall be categorical funding to provide services to highly capable students as determined by a school district under RCW 28A.185.030. However, school districts must use a portion of the funds provided under this subsection to deliver professional development in accordance with section 9(2) of this act.
Funds provided by the state for student transportation to and from school includes transportation to and from programs for highly capable students as defined in RCW 28A.160.160, and must be expended in accordance with chapter 28A.160 RCW.
Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, each school district must conduct universal screenings in accordance with RCW 28A.185.030 to find students who need further assessment for potential gifted program placement.
[ 2021 c XXX § 2; ]**