The 2026-2027 Hicap Referral Window will be open October 1st-October 23rd! Please see the timeline below for more details. 

*Notice to Teachers and Community Members about Highly Capable Referrals:

Why the Change?

1. Parent Square has the ability to translate our referral form to any language the parent needs.  
2. Parent permission is required before we can test students for highly capable services. This change ensures that we can more efficiently gather parent permission from all students referred. 

Highly Capable Referral Timeline

Referrals ACCEPTED

• October 1, 2026: Pasco School District’s official Highly Capable Referral Window Opens

All fifth grade students will be tested and considered for highly capable services. All second grade students were CogAT tested last year and considered for services. There is no need to refer second grade or fifth grade students this school year. Next year, all second grade and fifth grade students will be tested in the CogAT. 

• October 23, 2026: Pasco School District’s official Highly Capable Referral Window Closes

Referrals turned in or post-marked after October 23, 2026 will not be tested until the 2027-2028 school year for services starting the 2028-2029 school year.

Students Tested

• October 1st, 2026: CogAT testing can begin. Testing facilitators at each school are responsible for scheduling and notifying parents of students’ testing date. 
• The CogAT test is only ONE of multiple data points considered when determining a need for highly capable services.
• December 16, 2026: Last day of the CogAT testing window.

Eligibility Determined

• January-May 2027: Teachers of Pasco’s highly capable students, school psychologists, school and district administrators, specialists such as SPED, bilingual, and math specialists meet to review student data and make recommendations using a holistic case study review.
• This holistic case study review process examines up to three years of a student’s academic and cognitive test scores, comparing each student with others of their age, experiences, and environments (WAC 392-170-035).

Parents Notified

• June 30, 2027: Notifications for new identifications will be sent via Parent Square before this date. If you have not received a notification on Parent Square by this date informing you of which highly capable service your child has been recommended if any at all, please email HiCap@psd1.org as soon as possible.

Services Begin

• Students who are recommended a service by the selection committee have their services begin at the beginning of the 2027-2028 school year.

Pasco School District is making an important change to how we provide Highly Capable services starting in the 2025–2026 school year. As part of this change, the Spectrum self-contained service will be renamed Advanced Learner to better reflect its focus and purpose. This update supports our commitment to equitable and inclusive education across all schools. It also aligns with requests from families to keep students in their home schools.   

What’s Changing? 

In previous years, students identified for Spectrum services had the option to transfer to a designated “hub” school that offered Spectrum classrooms. Starting in the 2025–2026 school year, Advanced Learner services will be available at every elementary school for all newly identified students. This means newly identified students will no longer transfer schools—they will remain at their home (boundary) school and still receive the academic enrichment provided through the Advanced Learner service.  

Current Spectrum students will continue through 5th grade at their currently enrolled school, ensuring a smooth and consistent transition for students already in the program. 

Families of newly identified students who still wish for their child to attend a school other than their boundary school must submit an In-District Exemption Request Form, which will be reviewed and approved based on space availability. 

Why This Change? 

Pasco School District believes that all students are capable, competent, and deserve access to challenging, high-level learning experiences—regardless of which school they attend. Expanding Advanced Learner services to every school: 

• Increases equitable access across the district 

• Supports inclusion and peer collaboration 

• Responds to family requests to keep students in their home schools 

• Reduces the need for bussing students to schools that are not their boundary school 

We appreciate your partnership as we implement this change. 
 
If you have questions about the Highly Capable services offered at your child’s school, please contact the building Principal.