Between October 1 and November 22, 2024, elementary, middle school, and high school students may be referred for possible identification of services in the Highly Capable Program by a parent, teacher, peer, community member, or themselves using an online form. A teacher, or other individual, may refer a student for identification, however parents/guardians must give permission to test and review the students' data by signing the Referral Form and completing the Parent Inventory Survey. 

The mission of the Kent School District’s Highly Capable (HiCap) Program is to provide an equitable, quality education for all students in a safe environment that nurture and support the academic and social-emotional strengths and needs of our most Highly Capable Learners. 

We believe that Highly Capable students’ natural abilities translate to educational needs that require differentiated and modified instructional programming from trained teachers that address individual needs.  

We believe that the district’s Highly Capable Program must have a broad base representation of students and recognize that Highly Capable learners come from all ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds.

By Washington State law, students identified for Highly Capable Program services are those who “perform or show potential for performing at significantly advanced academic levels compared with others of their age, experiences, or environments. Outstanding abilities are seen within students' general intellectual aptitudes, specific academic abilities, and/or creative productivities within a specific domain.”

The Highly Capable State laws and our Board of Directors' commitment to ensuring high-quality services for all students led the Kent School District to offer a continuum of appropriate Highly Capable Program services available to students K-12 that includes both programs in neighborhood schools and self-contained specialized programs. These programs support our commitment to be more inclusive and provide equitable practices.

• OSPI Highly Capable Program

• Hoagies' Gifted Education Page

• Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth

• National Association for Gifted Children

• Robinson Center for Young Scholars

• Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted

• Washington Association for Educators of the Talented & Gifted