Identifying High Ability

Identification Process

The High Ability Identification Committee is to consist of, at minimum, the district high ability coordinator, a building administrator, and a teacher. The teacher should be the high ability liaison or have experience or training in the area of high ability. The Identification Committee will make final identification decisions using the available evidence to determine which students require High Ability services.

The Indiana Department of Education requires us to attach the high ability designation each year to the student identification number of those students for whom high ability services are deemed appropriate. Since the rate of cognitive development is variable at young ages, students previously identified as high ability at the primary level may no longer be in need of high ability services in future grade levels. Placement decisions may be modified in accordance with changes in students' learning profiles as they progress through elementary and middle school.

In conjunction with the mission of Hamilton Heights School Corporation, the HHSC High Ability Identification Committee is committed to researching and understanding the needs of high ability students in order to make meaningful recommendations that will ultimately maximize opportunities for the students to attain their highest potential.

Identification Process by Grade

Kindergarten

All students will be tested with both the NWEA MAP Growth Assessments and the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT).
Students scoring at the 96th percentile or higher on two of the three most recent administrations of NWEA MAP Growth will be identified as High Ability: Math, High Ability: Language Arts, or, if qualifying in both, as High Ability: General Intellectual.
Students scoring at the 96th percentile or higher on the CogAT Quantitative subtest or the CogAT Quantitative/Nonverbal partial composite will be identified as High Ability: Math; students scoring at the 96th percentile or higher on the CogAT verbal subtest will be identified as High Ability: Language Arts.
Additional qualitative data, such as teacher rating scales or in-house math and language arts performance tasks, may be necessary to determine identification for students whose scores fall just below these qualifying percentile guidelines but are within the standard error of measurement of the qualifying scores.
New students who were identified as high ability learners by their previous school may be administered the CogAT and/or an achievement test to determine their eligibility for the HAL program during the HAL identification period. If these data are available and current from the student’s previous school, further assessment may not be warranted.

Grade 1

All students will be assessed using the NWEA MAP Growth Assessments.
Only recommended students will be tested with the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT).
Students scoring at the 96th percentile or higher on two of the three most recent administrations of NWEA MAP Growth will be identified as High Ability: Math, High Ability: Language Arts, or, if qualifying in both, as High Ability: General Intellectual.
Students scoring at the 96th percentile or higher on the CogAT Quantitative subtest or the CogAT Quantitative/Nonverbal partial composite will be identified as High Ability: Math; students scoring at the 96th percentile or higher on the CogAT verbal subtest will be identified as High Ability: Language Arts.
Additional qualitative data, such as teacher rating scales or in-house math and language arts performance tasks, may be necessary to determine identification for students whose scores fall just below these qualifying percentile guidelines but are within the standard error of measurement of the qualifying scores.
New students who were identified as high ability learners by their previous school may be administered the CogAT and/or an achievement test to determine their eligibility for the HAL program during the HAL identification period. If these data are available and current from the student’s previous school, further assessment may not be warranted.

Grade 2

All students will be assessed using both the NWEA MAP Growth Assessments and the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT).
Students scoring at the 96th percentile or higher on two of the three most recent administrations of NWEA MAP Growth will be identified as High Ability: Math, High Ability: Language Arts, or, if qualifying in both, as High Ability: General Intellectual.
Students scoring at the 96th percentile or higher on the CogAT Quantitative subtest or the CogAT Quantitative/Nonverbal partial composite will be identified as High Ability: Math; students scoring at the 96th percentile or higher on the CogAT verbal subtest will be identified as High Ability: Language Arts.
Additional qualitative data, such as teacher rating scales or in-house math and language arts performance tasks, may be necessary to determine identification for students whose scores fall just below these qualifying percentile guidelines but are within the standard error of measurement of the qualifying scores.
New students who were identified as high ability learners by their previous school may be administered the CogAT and/or an achievement test to determine their eligibility for the HAL program during the HAL identification period. If these data are available and current from the student’s previous school, further assessment may not be warranted.

Grade 3

All students will be assessed using the ILEARN Checkpoints.
Only recommended students will be tested with the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT).
Students scoring at the 96th percentile or higher on the spring administration of NWEA MAP Growth Reading in Grade 2 and two of the ILEARN English/Language Arts Checkpoints in Grade 3 will be identified as High Ability: Language Arts; students scoring at the 96th percentile or higher on the spring administration of NWEA MAP Growth Reading in Grade 2 and two of the ILEARN Mathematics Checkpoints in Grade 3 will be identified as High Ability: Math. If students qualify in both areas, they will be identified as High Ability: General Intellectual.
Students scoring at the 96th percentile or higher on the CogAT Quantitative subtest or the CogAT Quantitative/Nonverbal partial composite will be identified as High Ability: Math; students scoring at the 96th percentile or higher on the CogAT verbal subtest will be identified as High Ability: Language Arts. If students qualify in both areas, they will be identified as High Ability: General Intellectual.
Additional qualitative data, such as teacher rating scales or in-house math and language arts performance tasks, may be necessary to determine identification for students whose scores fall just below these qualifying percentile guidelines but are within the standard error of measurement of the qualifying scores.
New students who were identified as high ability learners by their previous school may be administered the CogAT and/or an achievement test to determine their eligibility for the HAL program during the HAL identification period. If these data are available and current from the student’s previous school, further assessment may not be warranted.

Grade 4

All students will be assessed using both the ILEARN Checkpoints and the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) to determine high ability identification and to facilitate course placement in middle school.
Students scoring Above Proficiency on the ILEARN English/Language Arts Summative Assessment in Grade 3 and at the 96th percentile or higher on two of the ILEARN English/Language Arts Checkpoints in Grade 4 will be identified as High Ability: Language Arts; students scoring Above Proficiency on the ILEARN Mathematics Summative Assessment in Grade 3 and at the 96th percentile or higher on two of the ILEARN Mathematics Checkpoints in Grade 4 will be identified as High Ability: Math. If students qualify in both areas, they will be identified as High Ability: General Intellectual.
Students scoring at the 96th percentile or higher on the CogAT Quantitative subtest or the CogAT Quantitative/Nonverbal partial composite will be identified as High Ability: Math; students scoring at the 96th percentile or higher on the CogAT verbal subtest will be identified as High Ability: Language Arts. If students qualify in both areas, they will be identified as High Ability: General Intellectual.
Additional qualitative data, such as teacher rating scales or in-house math and language arts performance tasks, may be necessary to determine identification for students whose scores fall just below these qualifying percentile guidelines but are within the standard error of measurement of the qualifying scores.
New students who were identified as high ability learners by their previous school may be administered the CogAT and/or an achievement test to determine their eligibility for the HAL program during the HAL identification period. If these data are available and current from the student’s previous school, further assessment may not be warranted.

Grade 5

All students will be assessed using the ILEARN Checkpoints.
Only recommended students will be tested with the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT).
Students scoring Above Proficiency on the ILEARN English/Language Arts Summative Assessment in Grade 4 and at the 96th percentile or higher on two of the ILEARN English/Language Arts Checkpoints in Grade 5 will be identified as High Ability: Language Arts; students scoring Above Proficiency on the ILEARN Mathematics Summative Assessment in Grade 4 and at the 96th percentile or higher on two of the ILEARN Mathematics Checkpoints in Grade 5 will be identified as High Ability: Math. If students qualify in both areas, they will be identified as High Ability: General Intellectual.
Students scoring at the 96th percentile or higher on the CogAT Quantitative subtest or the CogAT Quantitative/Nonverbal partial composite will be identified as High Ability: Math; students scoring at the 96th percentile or higher on the CogAT verbal subtest will be identified as High Ability: Language Arts. If students qualify in both areas, they will be identified as High Ability: General Intellectual.
Additional qualitative data, such as teacher rating scales or in-house math and language arts performance tasks, may be necessary to determine identification for students whose scores fall just below these qualifying percentile guidelines but are within the standard error of measurement of the qualifying scores.
New students who were identified as high ability learners by their previous school may be administered the CogAT and/or an achievement test to determine their eligibility for the HAL program during the HAL identification period. If these data are available and current from the student’s previous school, further assessment may not be warranted.

Grade 6

All students will be assessed using the ILEARN Checkpoints.
Only recommended students will be tested with the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT).
Students scoring Above Proficiency on the ILEARN English/Language Arts Summative Assessment in Grade 5 and at the 96th percentile or higher on two of the ILEARN English/Language Arts Checkpoints in Grade 6 will be identified as High Ability: Language Arts; students scoring Above Proficiency on the ILEARN Mathematics Summative Assessment in Grade 5 and at the 96th percentile or higher on two of the ILEARN Mathematics Checkpoints in Grade 6 will be identified as High Ability: Math. If students qualify in both areas, they will be identified as High Ability: General Intellectual.
Students scoring at the 96th percentile or higher on the CogAT Quantitative subtest or the CogAT Quantitative/Nonverbal partial composite will be identified as High Ability: Math; students scoring at the 96th percentile or higher on the CogAT verbal subtest will be identified as High Ability: Language Arts. If students qualify in both areas, they will be identified as High Ability: General Intellectual.
Additional qualitative data, such as teacher rating scales or in-house math and language arts performance tasks, may be necessary to determine identification for students whose scores fall just below these qualifying percentile guidelines but are within the standard error of measurement of the qualifying scores.
New students who were identified as high ability learners by their previous school may be administered the CogAT and/or an achievement test to determine their eligibility for the HAL program during the HAL identification period. If these data are available and current from the student’s previous school, further assessment may not be warranted.

Grade 7

All students will be assessed using the ILEARN Checkpoints.
Only recommended students will be tested with the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT).
Students scoring Above Proficiency on the ILEARN English/Language Arts Summative Assessment in Grade 6 and at the 96th percentile or higher on two of the ILEARN English/Language Arts Checkpoints in Grade 7 will be identified as High Ability: Language Arts; students scoring Above Proficiency on the ILEARN Mathematics Summative Assessment in Grade 6 and at the 96th percentile or higher on two of the ILEARN Mathematics Checkpoints in Grade 7 will be identified as High Ability: Math. If students qualify in both areas, they will be identified as High Ability: General Intellectual.
Students scoring at the 96th percentile or higher on the CogAT Quantitative subtest or the CogAT Quantitative/Nonverbal partial composite will be identified as High Ability: Math; students scoring at the 96th percentile or higher on the CogAT verbal subtest will be identified as High Ability: Language Arts. If students qualify in both areas, they will be identified as High Ability: General Intellectual.
Additional qualitative data, such as teacher rating scales or in-house math and language arts performance tasks, may be necessary to determine identification for students whose scores fall just below these qualifying percentile guidelines but are within the standard error of measurement of the qualifying scores.
New students who were identified as high ability learners by their previous school may be administered the CogAT and/or an achievement test to determine their eligibility for the HAL program during the HAL identification period. If these data are available and current from the student’s previous school, further assessment may not be warranted.

Grade 8

All students will be assessed using the ILEARN Checkpoints.
Only recommended students will be tested with the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT).
Students scoring Above Proficiency on the ILEARN English/Language Arts Summative Assessment in Grade 7 and at the 96th percentile or higher on two of the ILEARN English/Language Arts Checkpoints in Grade 8 will be identified as High Ability: Language Arts; students scoring Above Proficiency on the ILEARN Mathematics Summative Assessment in Grade 7 and at the 96th percentile or higher on two of the ILEARN Mathematics Checkpoints in Grade 8 will be identified as High Ability: Math. If students qualify in both areas, they will be identified as High Ability: General Intellectual.
Students scoring at the 96th percentile or higher on the CogAT Quantitative subtest or the CogAT Quantitative/Nonverbal partial composite will be identified as High Ability: Math; students scoring at the 96th percentile or higher on the CogAT verbal subtest will be identified as High Ability: Language Arts. If students qualify in both areas, they will be identified as High Ability: General Intellectual.
Additional qualitative data, such as teacher rating scales or in-house math and language arts performance tasks, may be necessary to determine identification for students whose scores fall just below these qualifying percentile guidelines but are within the standard error of measurement of the qualifying scores.
New students who were identified as high ability learners by their previous school may be administered the CogAT and/or an achievement test to determine their eligibility for the HAL program during the HAL identification period. If these data are available and current from the student’s previous school, further assessment may not be warranted.

Grades 9-12

High ability learners will be offered placement in Honors English and/or Honors Math, Advanced Placement (AP) classes, dual credit (college credit) courses, and other similar advanced learning courses based on the student’s identified area of high ability.
Results from the Grade 8 ILEARN, SAT, PSAT, and Core 40 assessments will be used to determine which students should be encouraged to enroll in the AP and dual credit (college credit) courses. While these courses are open to all students who have met the prerequisites, those students of higher ability are specifically encouraged to enroll.

Qualification

Since the rate of cognitive development is variable at young ages, students previously identified as high ability at the primary level may no longer be in need of high ability services in future grade levels. Placement decisions may be modified in accordance with changes in students' learning profiles as they progress through elementary and middle school.

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