Seattle Public Schools (SPS)  officially proposed at the end of January that the newly rebuilt Alki Elementary serve as the new Southwest Region site for its Highly Capable (HC) "cohort pathway" model. While the district aims to expand access through this regional hub, the transition is being met with scrutiny from families navigating a revamped identification process and questioning the consistency of services offered outside these dedicated cohorts.

SEE THE LETTER TO FAMILIES HERE

 

The Alki Proposal: Expanded Capacity and Regional Busing

The proposal, announced at a January 2026 School Board meeting, leverages the significantly increased capacity of the new Alki Elementary building, which is nearly double the size of the old school.

If approved, Alki would host a dedicated HC cohort for students in grades 2 through 5 from across the Southwest region. These students receive accelerated instruction, including math two years ahead of grade level and reading one year ahead. To facilitate this regional model, the district has committed to providing bus transportation to Alki for any qualifying student in West Seattle who opts into the program. The new Superintendent Benjamin "Ben" Shuldiner apparently had no role in this to date.

Terminology Shift to Align with State Law

In a move to align with Washington state law (WAC 392-170), the district has officially retired the term "Advanced Learning". The department and its offerings are now exclusively referred to as Highly Capable (HC) Services. The previous "Advanced Learning" designation for students is now defunct.

Criticism of the "Confusing" Identification Process

Despite the district's stated goal of "equitable access," some sources describe the newly rolled-out identification process as "unnecessarily confusing". Critics argue that the updated criteria have left out many students who would have qualified under previous standards.

Furthermore, while SPS maintains that HC services—such as differentiated instruction and support from specialists—are available in neighborhood schools, some advocates call this claim "misleading". They argue that neighborhood services have been inconsistent for years, often relying on volunteer-run or PTA-funded supplemental programs rather than the consistent, all-day instruction provided by a dedicated cohort teacher.

Still it's worth noting that less than a year ago, SPS was planning on sunsetting HC cohorts  altogether, so reversing that decision AND opening new HC cohort sites is clearly progress and a positive step in the right direction for Seattle students.

Critical Deadlines and Resources for Families

Families believe the district has not yet reached everyone affected by these changes, making the following deadlines critical:

• February 20, 2026: The final deadline to submit an appeal for HC status. Families are encouraged to appeal if they believe their student was unfairly excluded by the new evaluation process.

• March 31, 2026: The final deadline to provide consent for HC services for the 2026-27 school year.

SPS has provided specific links for families to sign up or give consent:

• Current HC Families: https://tinyurl.com/4p2s446k

• New HC Families: https://tinyurl.com/ha7ajucm

For families needing assistance navigating these changes, the local non-profit HC Seattle (https://hcseattle.org/) offers resources to help understand and navigate the district's HC landscape.