Highly capable students (“HC Students”) are students who perform or show potential for performing at significantly advanced academic levels when compared to others of the same age, experiences, or environments. Outstanding abilities are seen within students’ general intellectual aptitudes, specific academic abilities, and/or creative productivities within a specific domain. These students are present not only in the general population but also within protected classes.

HC Students may possess, but are not limited to, these learning characteristics:

• Capacity to learn with unusual depth of understanding, to retain what has been learned, and to transfer learning to new situations

• Capacity and willingness to deal with increasing levels of abstraction and complexity earlier than their chronological peers;
• Creative ability to make unusual connections among ideas and concepts;
• Ability to learn quickly in their area(s) of intellectual strength; and
• Capacity for intense concentration and/or focus.

During the referral window, a link is provided in the space below so you can complete your referral and rating scale. Once you submit the form, you should receive a copy of your responses to the email address you provided. If you do not receive a confirmation email, it means that your responses were not successfully submitted. If this happens, please return to the form and resubmit it until you get a confirmation email.  

A referral form will be linked below during the nomination window.

There are two times each school year when students may be referred for possible entry into our district’s Highly Capable program. 

Fall Window, in October: The fall referral window is now open through October 10th.   
* For students new to our district (entering after February, 2025)
* The referral window is open from September 29^th - October 10, 2025 at 5pm.
* Parent/guardian or teacher can refer newly enrolled students in grades 1-11. 
* Kindergarten students will have a referral window in February.

* Students from our fall referral window will participate in CogAT testing  between November 3rd and November 21st. After testing, the Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) will meet to determine the designation for those referred.  Parents should expect electronic notification by December 19, 2025.

Spring Window, starting in February: 
* All 2nd and 5th graders will be considered for HC in this round; no referral is necessary.
* Also, students in grades K-11 may be referred by parents/guardians, teachers, or community members if they were not new in the Fall. 
* The referral window is February 23^rd through March 6, 2026 at 5pm.

* The CogAT may be a part of the evaluation process for some students during the spring referral window.

• Overview of CogAT for Parents: link to document

Our Highly Capable Program is an essential part of our commitment to student learning. We provide instruction, activities, and services designed to accelerate learning and deepen understanding so that each identified student can reach their full potential.

Students identified as highly capable are grouped together in classrooms to support and enrich their learning with differentiated instruction.  Programming includes enrichment and extensions aligned with curriculum at each grade level.

BISD takes a whole-child approach, focusing on both social-emotional and academic growth while recognizing the diverse needs of high-ability students.

We prioritize enrichment and depth of content to help highly capable students expand their understanding in meaningful ways. Students are offered opportunities to extend their thinking through deeper problem-solving and differentiated levels of work, both independently and collaboratively.

All students have access to IXL, an online learning platform that provides a wide variety of curriculum resources to supplement and extend their learning across subject areas. Our goal is to encourage curiosity, challenge students to think critically, and nurture a love of learning.

Grade 6: Students are provided the option to accelerate in math and can enroll in our 6/7 math class.  This pathway is designed to challenge advanced learners who are ready for a rigorous and accelerated experience.

Grades 6–8: Across all subjects, teachers integrate enrichment and higher-level thinking into the curriculum to ensure students are challenged and supported.

In high school, students are encouraged to enroll in challenging courses that align with their individual strengths and interests. A variety of advanced academic options are available and open to all students, including Honors, Advanced Placement (AP), College in the High School, and other advanced-level courses. Students and families will work with their counselors as a point of contact. Course offerings are designed to support academic growth, prepare students for post-secondary success, and provide opportunities for in-depth exploration of diverse subject areas.