Programs

High Ability

How We Identify High Ability Students

In Indiana, students can be identified as High Ability based on either achievement or aptitude. We are required to administer nationally normed tests to assess High Ability. We use the NWEA assessment and ILEARN checkpoints to measure achievement and the CogAT assessment to measure aptitude.

Selection committees use data and adopted criteria to identify High Ability students. Students only need to meet the cut-off score on either the aptitude or achievement measure. For grades K–2, the cut-off is the 99th percentile on either the NWEA or CogAT assessments. For grades 3–5, the cut-off is the 97th percentile on the CogAT aptitude test in either math or reading. Achievement for grades 3–5 is measured by the cumulative percentile average of the ILEARN Checkpoints, with separate cut-offs of the 97th percentile in math and reading.

Formal High Ability Identification Years

Because young students change and grow, we formally identify students with high abilities three times during their elementary experience: kindergarten, second grade, and fifth grade.
The following documents outline the process:

Informal High Ability Identification Years

Grades 1, 3, and 4 – These are informal years for High Ability identification. Students participate in achievement testing only if nominated by a teacher. Nominated 1st graders will take the NWEA test(s) in January. Nominated 3rd and 4th graders do not take additional tests; however, their ILEARN Checkpoint scores will be reviewed to determine if they meet the 97th percentile criteria in math and/or reading.

Testing Windows 2025-2026

  • October: ILEARN Checkpoint 1 (Grades 3-5)
  • November: CogAT (Grades K, 2, and 5)
  • December: ILEARN Checkpoint 2 (Grades 3-5)
  • January: NWEA (select students in Grades K and 2)
  • February: ILEARN Checkpoint 3 (Grades 3-5)

Test Results

Beginning in late April, parents may request test reports/results by emailing your child’s building principal. Please include the child’s first name, last name, grade and school in the email.

Parent Letters

Letters for newly identified students will be sent during the week of April 27th. A small number of students will be tested after spring break. If any of these students qualify for High Ability, their parents will be notified by the end of May.

Appeals – Grades 2 and 5 only

Parents may request an appeal form by emailing their child’s building principal. Appeal forms should only be submitted if a student narrowly missed the required score and there is additional evidence that the student demonstrates characteristics of a High Ability learner. Appeals are due by May 8th; late submissions will not be accepted.

Identifying students who are new to the Corporation  

Please send recent achievement and aptitude test reports to your child’s school to ensure accurate placement. Principals are responsible for all student decisions and have final discretion in these matters. Only actively enrolled students are assessed for High Ability during the testing window each year.

If your child was identified as High Ability or gifted and talented in a different school corporation, please provide recent nationally normed test reports to your child’s principal. The High Ability/gifted and talented designation will continue only if the percentile scores meet our cut-off criteria using the same measures as noted in our identification process.

Placement of high ability students in elementary schools

High Ability Cluster Grouping Model with a Mixed Ability Class

Definition:  All High Ability students are grouped together in one classroom per grade, where subjects are differentiated. In some schools, cluster groups may be formed across two or more classes if the number of identified students is high.

Note: Our corporation does not have one specific way to manage High Ability cluster groups. Each school and teacher uses strategies that fit the number of identified students, their learning preferences, and the teacher’s instructional approach. Please contact your child’s principal if you have specific programming questions.

How We Serve High Ability Students in Elementary Grades

Language Arts

Writing

Writing instruction occurs both with the whole class and in small groups. It naturally differentiates according to each student’s individual strengths and needs with every writing assignment. 

Reading

MyView, Fundations, Heggerty, and the reading curriculum maps provide the framework for instruction. All grade-level standards and skills outlined in the curriculum maps should be taught or reviewed based on each student’s experience. This can be done with the whole class or in small groups. Instruction integrates principles from the science of reading to support effective literacy development.

Practice will be differentiated for students who have demonstrated mastery of on-grade-level standards. Differentiated practice is based on our approved curriculum. Below you will find resources that teachers may use to support differentiation.

Question Stems – These are higher-level questions aligned with the reading standards that can be used with texts at a student’s instructional level. They are suitable for small group discussions or individual assignments. Texts may come from MyView, building library collections, or other approved resources.

Off-Grade Level Magazines – Teachers have subscriptions to off-grade-level magazines for their identified High Ability Language Arts students. These magazines offer many engaging thinking activities based on articles and stories at higher reading levels.

Other resources that may be used by High Ability Language Arts Teachers:

  • Junior Great Books
  • Novel Studies
  • Other off grade level resources that are provided by the High Ability Coordinator

Math

Everyday Mathematics and the math curriculum maps provide the framework for instruction. All standards on the curriculum map should be taught and/or reviewed, either with the whole class or in small groups. The corporation expects High Ability students to master on-grade-level skills while being introduced to and practicing off-grade-level standards. Below is a list of resources provided to High Ability math teachers to support the instructional needs of our High Ability math students.

Unit DI Guides – Unit guides  provide guidance for differentiation. The first level references the on-grade level standards. The second level lists activities that are on grade level but at a higher DOK level. The third level lists off grade level standards that align to each on grade level standard. As High Ability students show mastery in on grade level standards, teachers use this guide to help them plan differentiated practice at a students’ instructional level.

Off grade level standard resources – Teachers are provided with additional resources that practice off grade level standards.

PHM High Ability Reports

Please contact your child’s principal for more information regarding High Ability programming.

Saturday Enrichment at Schmucker Middle School

During the 2025-2026 school year, we will offer a variety of Saturday Enrichment opportunities for our students. Invitations will include details about eligible grade levels and class offerings.

Fall 2025 Enrichment Dates: Saturdays, 8:00 – 11:00 a.m.

  • November 8
  • November 15
  • November 22

Spring 2026 Enrichment Dates: Saturdays, 8:00 – 11:00 a.m.

  • March 14
  • March 21
  • March 28

*Priority is given to students that were unable to attend Fall Saturday Enrichment.

Eligibility Requirements for participating in Saturday Enrichment (Grades 3-5)

 

Grade 3

  • Scored in at least the 90th percentile on a second grade NWEA test or CogAT test
  • Identified as High Ability

Grades 4 – 5

  • Scored an above proficiency on the Spring 2025 Language Arts or Math ILEARN
  • Identified as High Ability