Level IV at GBW Orientation Slides 

ADVANCED ACADEMIC PROGRAMS (AAP) ELEMENTARY 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 Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs). Teachers, administrators, and Advanced Academic Resource Teachers (AARTs) work together to provide the following levels of services.

• Critical and Creative Thinking Lessons, Grades K-6 (Level I) 
  ​​​Level I services are provided to all students in Kindergarten through Grade 6. Level I services include teaching students to use critical and creative thinking skills to process content. It also includes periodic opportunities to use advanced academic curricula throughout the year. Student responses to these lessons are used as part of the identification process for Levels II-IV. Parents may practice the nine strategies during family conversations and activities.
  
  Because Level I services are for all FCPS students, there is no screening process. 
• Differentiated Lessons in Areas of Academic Strength, Grades K-6 (Level II)
  Level II services are available for students in Kindergarten through Grade 6 for students with strength in a specific subject area. The AART collaborates with classroom teachers to provide additional challenges using materials from the AAP Curriculum Framework for Levels II-IV to extend and enrich in the subject area strength. Screening for this level of service is ongoing throughout the school year. Multiple criteria are used to screen for this level of service and decisions are made at the local school level.
   
• Part-Time Advanced Academic Programs, Grades 3-6 (Level III)
  Level III services are available for students in Grades 3-6 who are eligible for part-time direct services from the AART. Students are identified by a screening committee at the local school.  The AART uses materials from the AAP Curriculum Framework for Levels II-IV in the four core subject areas through either a weekly pull-out class or weekly co-teaching model with the classroom teacher. Screening for this level of service is ongoing throughout the school year.  Multiple criteria are used to screen for this level of service and decisions are made at the local school level.
• Full-Time Advanced Academic Programs, Grades 3-8 (Level IV)
  Level IV services are available for students in Grades 3-8 who are found eligible through a central selection process.  Eligible students use curriculum from the AAP Curriculum Framework for Levels II-IV in the four academic subject areas on a full-time basis.
  
  Multiple criteria are reviewed to determine eligibility for all FCPS advanced academic services. The countywide central selection committee determines eligibility for full-time AAP Level IV placement.
  
  Screening for Level IV services occurs during specific screening cycles: 
  • Fall screening is held for students who are new to FCPS and have been referred
  • Spring screening is held for any FCPS-enrolled student who has been referred

     Due to the volume of files screened centrally for Level IV services, deadlines are strictly held. 

• A referral form may be turned in from the first day of school until the published deadline. 

Ability Testing

In the fall, the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT) is administered to all FCPS first-grade students, and the CogAT- Custom Form is administered to all FCPS second-grade students. During the fall testing cycle, the NNAT and/or Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) may be administered to students in Grades 3-6 who do not have an ability test score. Parents or guardians may exercise a one-time retest option during the fall testing cycle. 

For more information on Advanced Academic services, please contact our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher