Northshore School District is committed to ensuring every student experiences rigorous, engaging learning while also supporting strong, positive school environments. As part of this commitment, the district continues to review and refine how Highly Capable (HiCap) services are delivered.
What We’ve Heard
At the April 27, 2026 School Board meeting, parents of students receiving Highly Capable services shared their perspectives on a planned change to integrate social studies and science at the middle school level. We appreciate those who took the time to speak and share their experiences.
The feedback reflected a range of perspectives - particularly around maintaining academic rigor and ensuring students who have qualified for highly capable services continue to feel challenged and supported.
Background on the Middle School Proposal
The planned instructional delivery model is the result of a 14-month Middle School Highly Capable Task Force, made up of students, families, educators, and administrators. Members of the Task Force all had a direct connection to Northshore’s Highly Capable program.
Participation in HiCap has grown significantly in recent years because of improvements in identification and other factors. In some middle schools, more than one-third of students receive highly capable services. This results in clustering students for much of the day, creating challenges in scheduling, staffing, school culture, and student access to a full range of opportunities.
The Task Force was asked to recommend how services could evolve to:
- Maintain rigorous academic learning
- Support the whole child
- Improve flexibility in scheduling and access to electives
- And, strengthen overall school culture and operations
Highlights of the Task Force recommendations include:
- Continuing middle school cohort-based learning in math and English language arts
- Integrating social studies and science through a model that maintains rigor through multiple safeguards, including: cluster grouping (a minimum of 7 highly capable qualified students in each class - ensuring they learn along highly capable peers), enhanced instruction as well as opportunities to demonstrate depth of knowledge and higher-level thinking, and ongoing progress monitoring.
- The proposed model would be phased in gradually, beginning with incoming sixth-grade students, while current sixth and seventh graders would remain in the existing model through middle school. This phased approach allows time to build teacher capacity and refine instructional practices, monitor student outcomes and experiences, and adjustments before broader implementation
- Providing comprehensive and ongoing training for teachers including differentiation strategies, support for neurodivergent learners, opportunities for collaboration and peer learning, as well as common time for teachers to learn and grow together.
- And, implementing a robust evaluation of the new model with opportunities for adjustment over time.
Before implementing this model district wide, it was piloted the last two years at Skyview Middle School (SMS). We appreciate the staff at SMS for their willingness to pilot and refine the model as they worked with students, families, and district staff. Interviews with over 60 HiCap students were also conducted to inform the model.
Where We Are Now
While the Task Force engaged in thoughtful and thorough work, including a multi-year implementation plan, recent feedback from families has made it clear that there is more to consider.
What Happens Next
As a next step, district staff will be:
- Reviewing all feedback shared at the April 27 Board meeting and through other channels
- Revisiting assumptions and identifying areas where additional clarity or adjustments may be needed
- Ensuring that both data and lived experiences inform next steps. Staff are meeting with representative groups, re-engaging the Task Force members, and continuing to engage the Northshore Highly Capable Council.
- Sharing additional information and refinements to the proposed model with families, staff, and broader community in the next few weeks - clarifying what is being considered for the 2026–27 school year and what will remain the same.
This work is part of an ongoing effort to balance academic rigor with the realities of growing programs and evolving student needs. We are grateful for the partnership of our students, families, and staff and for the continued engagement as we work together to support all learners in Northshore.