Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) Continuum of Services

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) offers a continuum of advanced academic services for all students in grades K-8.  Learning experiences are designed to develop higher-level thinking through enrichment, acceleration, and extension of the Program of Studies.  Teachers, administrators, and Advanced Academic Resource Teachers (AARTs) work together to provide the following Levels of Service:

Critical and Creative Thinking Lessons, Grades K-6 (Level I)
The Advanced Academic Resource Teacher and classroom teachers teach nine higher order thinking strategies across all subject areas and grade levels. 

Differentiated Lessons in Areas of Academic Strength, Grades K-6 (Level II)
The Advanced Academic Resource Teacher collaborates with classroom teachers to provide additional challenges and resources within the general education program.  The Young Scholars Model included in this level is designed to find and nurture advanced academic potential in students from historically underrepresented populations. 

Part-Time Advanced Academic Program, Grades 3-6 (Level III)
Students identified by a local school screening committee for part-time advanced academic services (Level III) are challenged through models and strategies designed to extend and enrich the POS in the four core subject areas.  Screening for this level of service is ongoing throughout the school year.

Full-Time Advanced Academic Placement, Grades 3-8 (Level IV)
Students found eligible for placement in a full-time Advanced Academic Program (Level IV) through a central selection process receive a highly challenging instructional program in the four core subject areas. 

IBMYP: Selected Schools, Grades 6-10
The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program is designed for students ages 11-16. The program helps students develop the knowledge, understanding, attitudes, and skills necessary to participate actively and responsibly in a changing world.

Honors, Grades 7-8
Advanced and/or accelerated classes are available for students in grades 7- 8 through an open enrollment process. Students receive instruction that is differentiated for advanced learners in the four core subjects in one or more areas of academic strength or interest. 

Testing for Advanced Academics
Each fall all FCPS second grade students, as well as students in grades 3-7 who do not have ability test scores, are administered the Cognitive Abilities Test and/or the Naglieri Nonverbal Test.  A second grade screening pool is established using these test results. Students in the second grade pool are automatically screened for full-time AAP (Level IV) placement.  Parents or guardians may exercise their one-time retest option during the fall testing cycle.

                      **************************************************************************************************************************************************

Screening for Advanced Academics
Multiple criteria are reviewed to determine eligibility for all FCPS Advanced Academic Programs.  Formal identification begins with Level III services. The local school committee determines student eligibility for part-time school-based services. The countywide central selection committee determines eligibility for full-time AAP (Level IV) placement.

Referrals for Full-Time Advanced Academic Placement
Level IV (Grades 2–7)
Parents or guardians of students not in the second grade screening pool may initiate the full-time AAP (Level IV) screening process by completing and submitting an AAP Level IV Referral Form to the local school principal no later than February 4, 2011.  No late referrals will be accepted. Second graders not in the pool and all third through seventh graders are screened only by referral.  Forms are available on the AAP website (www.fcps.edu/DIS/gt) and in the Parent Information Packet available at the local school.    (Please note:  Parents or guardians of students who are in the 2nd grade pool will be notified by the school.  Students who are not in the 2nd grade pool will not receive notification.  The benchmark score used to create the 2nd grade pool will be published on the Advanced Academic Programs website mid-January.)