Highly Capable Discussion at October 8,2025 Board Meeting

This update to the Board came at the end of the meeting. There was a report attached to this agenda item.

Rocky Torres Morales came forward. He noted that in 2020 the district did not have universal screening and now they do. He also said that 12% of SPS students have an HC designation. He introduced Paula Montgomery who now heads the Highly Capable office. 

Montgomery started off with a cryptic statement - she thanked a non-identified Board member for a question and said, "It was one I had myself." She then went on with her presentation. Why would she not tell everyone that question? I have no idea.

She said they had public engagement going on right now with a series of parent meetings. She said they would use feedback to come back in February - before enrollment - with a "tighter plan" with what services will look like in the fall of 2026-2027. 

She said that the department used to spend most of time and resources on testing but now want to help teachers more.

She said there is universal screening at first and fourth grade. But she noted that family and teacher referrals can be made at any grade level. There will be a third communication going out to families within the next week on this point. 

She mentioned a “demonstrated performance tool” that has been vetted internally and externally to capture “outlier” students who don’t show up on testing in math and literacy. She didn't elaborate on what the tool does.

She said the department is focusing on professional development and had over 90 elementary school educators attend training during the summer. She said there would be another training on Friday, October 10th. 

She mentioned the use of UDL (Universal Design for Learning) and MTTS (Multi-Tiered System of Support) but didn't elaborate on that. 

She said there were site-based specialists for schools who are spending about 4 hours a week at school sites. 

She said there will be a "New to Seattle" process developed for private/charter parents to test their student into HC rather than the previous process of having to wait a year and then test and then enter the program. SPS hopes to attract families back with this simpler process.

She mentioned that they created a summer math course for rising 5th graders which was a compacted 6-week course. 

She mentioned the pilot math project but did not name schools in project nor how it works.

The only director question was from Director Mizrahi about that summer program and was it for neighborhood schools to offer the cohort model. 

Montgomery said, "That’s why we are doing public engagement and we will know in February."

No further questions and that ended the meeting.