Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) created the Young Scholars Model to increase representation of diverse students in K-12 Advanced Academic Programs. In this model school staff and families work together to:

• Find and nurture gifted potential.
• Support academic mindsets and habits.
• Prepare students for more challenging and rigorous courses.

Access and Opportunity

The Young Scholars model creates a school culture that:

• Provides many opportunities for tasks that show talent.
• Emphasizes students’ ability to think, reason, and problem solve.
• Provides opportunities for access and supports for success in K-12 advanced coursework.

Because Young Scholars (YS) is a model, schools meet the goals in different ways. Examples of YS in action include:

• Use of units from the Advanced Academic Programs curriculum framework (elementary school students).
• Career exploration through Project-Based Learning (all students).
• Young Scholars Summer Camp (for elementary and middle school students; select school sites).
• Student Leadership Academies (rising middle school students).
• Progress Reflection and Goal Setting Conferences (middle and high school students).
• Young Scholars Summer Institutes (high school students).
• Young Scholars Advisory Time (middle and high school students).

Identification of Young Scholars

A local school committee identifies students for Young Scholars using the YS profile. Elementary school students are also identified for AAP services at that time. For questions about Young Scholars, please contact:

Elementary School: Advanced Academic Resource Teacher

Middle and High School: Director of Student Services

Young Scholar Schools

YS are typically identified in elementary school. As YS move to middle and high school, each school staff works with students and families to ensure continued support for access and success in advanced coursework.