Highly Capable Services
MISD Highly Capable Services (HiCap) are provided to meet the needs of students who perform or show potential for performing at significantly advanced academic levels when compared with others of their age, experiences, or environments in our District.
Services Provided
- Primary Enrichment Services (PES) - Grades 1 and 2
- HiCap Services - Grades 3 through 8
- High School Services
Primary Enrichment Services (PES) - Grades 1 and 2
Students who qualify for PES will receive services within their regular classroom from their teacher. (Please note that all teachers have access to PES materials and can provide them to students who have not qualified, but who demonstrate a need for enrichment, rigor, depth, complexity, etc.)
Qualification Criteria:
For students who score in the 97th percentile or higher, in either the age or grade score of the CogAT Screener assessment, we begin a portfolio review process. These students are eligible to complete the Iowa Assessment in math.
HiCap Services - Grades 3 through 8
Incoming 3rd & 4th graders
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For students entering third and fourth grade for the 2024-2025 school year, we have two types of services:
Qualification Criteria:
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Incoming 5th graders
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For students entering fifth grade for the 2024-2025 school year, we have one service delivery option:
Qualification Criteria: For students entering grade 5, we utilized the same Identification Matrix used to identify their peers in previous years. Students in grade 5 take the TTCT and Iowa science exams so as to provide their teachers with a more holistic picture of their cognitive and academic needs; however, these scores are not incorporated into a student’s identification. A student must have either earned an “8 or higher” in one domain AND a “10 or higher” in the matrix to qualify for services. |
Incoming 6th, 7th & 8th graders
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For students entering sixth through eighth grade for the 2024-2025 school year, we have one service delivery option:
Qualification Criteria: For students entering grades 6-8, we use the Iowa reading and science assessments along with the CogAT verbal and non-verbal assessments as the service delivery areas at IMS are language arts, social studies, and science. Students take the TTCT exam so as to provide their teachers with a more holistic picture of their creative thinking and learning needs; however, these scores are not incorporated into a student’s identification. A student must have either earned an “8 or higher” in one domain AND a “10 or higher” in the Identification Matrix to qualify for services. Services in math are identified through a separate process as outlined on the MISD Math Pathways webpage. |
High School Services
High school students typically don’t test for HiCap services as MIHS provides open enrollment for courses and students can select the level of rigor and challenge in their areas of interest without the need for qualification.
For further information on the courses offered at the High School visit our website: MIHS COURSE CATALOGS
TEST INFORMATION
All MISD Kindergarten and Grade 2 students are universally tested during the school day in their respective classes. Testing occurs during a 2-week window in the middle of January. Each school determines its own testing schedule for these assessments.
Students in grades 1, 3-9 can be nominated by their families for testing. These students will test on the January dates of the testing calendar provided on the next tab .
All tests are timed except for those administered in Kindergarten and Grade 1.
* The Mercer Island School District does not allow students to retest within 12 months. Additionally, students may only test for two consecutive years before a mandatory year off from testing.
Please note that based on students’ graduation classes, different grades complete different assessments. Below is a chart showing which tests are administered at each grade level.
Tests Administered by grade level
Testing Levels for Highly Capable and Primary Enrichment Services
TEST CALENDARS
2023-2024 School Year Testing Calendars
Please click here for the complete HiCap Testing Calendar for 2024-2025.
Please click here for the complete PES Testing Calendar for 2024-2025.
TEST NOMINATION
HiCap August 2024 Testing Nomination (ONLY for new students since December 15, 2023)
This nomination is open to students new to the district since December 15, 2023 who have not tested in the past 12 months AND who have not tested for two consecutive years. The nomination window will be open June 17, 2024 at 8:00 AM to August 12, 2024 at noon. The HiCap testing will occur on August 14, 15 & 16, 2024 (ALL 3 dates) at the Mercer Island School District Central Office Admin Boardroom. Families are responsible for the nomination.
HiCap September 2024 Testing Nomination (ONLY for new students who enrolled between August 9 - September 11, 2024)
This nomination form is only for students new to the district since August 9, 2024 who have not tested in the past 12 months AND who have not tested for two consecutive years. The nomination window will be open August 9, 2024 at noon through September 11, 2024 at 4:00 pm. The HiCap testing will occur on September 18, 25 & October 2, 2024 (ALL THREE DATES) after school at the Mercer Island School District Central Office Admin Boardroom. Families are responsible for the nomination.
PES September 2024 – 1st and 2nd grade students who enrolled after February 2024 Nomination
This nomination form is only for 1st and 2nd grade students new to the district since February 2024 who have not tested in the past 12 months. The nomination window will be open June 14, 2024 at 8:00 AM through September 11, 2024 at noon. PES testing will occur after school at the respective schools on September 18, 2024 for screening and October 2, 2024 if student meets screener criteria. Families are responsible for the nomination.
APPEALS
Appeals will only be considered when based on one of the following:
- A condition or circumstance believed to have caused a misinterpretation of testing results (example: an incorrect birth date or grade level used in calculating an assessment score).
- An extraordinary circumstance occurred during the testing period that negatively affected the validity of the results (example: death in the family or extreme physical ailment of the student).
- A misapplication or miscalculation of scores by the Multidisciplinary Committee (MDC).
Private testing is not required. We will accept other measures of readiness such as report cards, Benchmark, or iReady data.
For further information please review Board Policy 2190 P - Highly Capable Services (HCS) Procedure
Appeal forms can be downloaded HERE.
QUESTIONS? Contact Weston Lucas