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-12. 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 support the goals of the Advanced Academic Programs - talent development and meeting the needs of advanced learners. A recording detailing the Advanced Academic Program, as well as information about middle and high school services, can be found on the Elementary School AAP webpage.

• Access to Rigor, Grades K-6

 All students in Kindergarten through Grade 6 have opportunities to think critically and develop reasoning skills. Teachers use critical and creative thinking skills in their lessons to support students in processing content. Students will also have periodic opportunities to use advanced academic curriculum throughout each quarter. Student responses to these lessons are used as part of the holistic identification process for AAP screening. Parents may practice the nine strategies during family conversations and activities. Visit the Critical and Creative Thinking Strategies, Grades K-6 webpage for descriptions and videos of the nine critical and creative thinking strategies.

Because Access to Rigor is for all FCPS students, there is not a screening process. 

• Differentiated Lessons in Areas of Academic Strength, Grades K-6 

 Subject-Specific Services are available for students in Kindergarten through Grade 6 for students with strength in a specific subject area. The Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART) collaborates with classroom teachers to provide additional challenges using materials from the AAP Curriculum Framework to extend and enrich in the subject area strength. Screening for Subject-Specific Services is ongoing throughout the school year. Multiple criteria are used to screen and decisions are made at the local school level. Students are re-evaluated for Subject-Specific Differentiation each May.

To have your student screened for Subject-Specific Differentiation, complete the AAP School-Based Referral Form available on the Forms page.

• Part-Time Advanced Academic Programs, Grades 3-6

Part-Time Services are available for students in Grades 3-6 who have advanced academic needs in multiple subject areas in addition to specific subject differentiation. The AART uses materials from the AAP Curriculum Framework 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 service is ongoing throughout the school year.  Multiple criteria are used to screen for Part-Time Services and decisions are made at the local school level.

To have your student screened for Part-Time services, complete the AAP School-Based Referral Form available on the Forms page

• Full-Time Advanced Academic Programs, Grades 3-8

Full-Time 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 in the four academic subject areas on a full-time basis. The curriculum is differentiated through acceleration, depth, and complexity of content.

Multiple criteria are reviewed to determine eligibility for all FCPS advanced academic services. The countywide central selection committee determines eligibility for full-time AAP placement.

Screening for Full-Time services occurs during specific screening cycles: 

• Fall screening is held for 3rd- 6th grade students who are new to FCPS and have been referred
• Spring screening is held for any FCPS-enrolled 2nd-6th grade student who has been referred

Due to the volume of files screened centrally for Full-Time services, deadlines are strictly held. 

• A referral form may be turned in during the referral window (beginning on the first day of school, ending on the published deadline)
• Students new to FCPS may be considered for Fall screening and Spring screening
• The referral form is available on the Forms page

Additional information about the holistic screening process and information used for screening can be found on the Advanced Academics Identification and Placement for Current FCPS Students webpage.

Middle and High School AAP

Additional information about middle and high school services may be found on the Advanced Academic Programs web page:

•  Middle School
• High School

Elementary Parent Information Meeting

 Parent informational meetings will be held at local schools each fall. The AART will provide information about the continuum of services and examples at Stenwood. Additionally, the AART will explain and answer questions about the screening processes for part-time school-based and full-time services.

Ability Testing

For current information on ability testing, please visit the Testing and Identification Timeline

All students in FCPS are required to have at least one ability test score on file, and scores are part of the holistic screening for both school-based and full-time services. 

If you have questions, please contact Kaleigh Hartman, Stenwood Elementary AART.

The role of the Advanced Academics Resource Teacher at Stenwood Elementary:

•  Collaborates with classroom teachers, administrators, and specialists to make decisions that will provide challenging and rigorous learning experiences to meet the needs of every student;
• Works directly with students to provide engaging opportunities to develop higher-level, critical thinking skills
• Supports teachers through coaching, co-teaching, and planning to provide identified advanced academic students with opportunities to excel in specific areas of academic strength;
• Seeks to identify and affirm students from traditionally underrepresented populations in advanced academic programming and provide access to advanced materials in area(s) of strength; 
• Coordinates the screening process for AAP services.