Advanced Academic Programs

Fairfax County Public Schools offers a continuum of advanced academic services for students K-12 that builds upon students' individual strengths and skills and maximizes the educational potential of all learners. Ongoing observation and assessment ensure that student needs are being met.

Our Laurel Hill Advanced Academic resource teacher (AART), Lauren Clark, collaborates with the school staff to determine the appropriate level of advanced academic services. Parents may refer their child for advanced academic services or get additional information on the screening process or advanced academic opportunities at Laurel Hill ES by contacting Lauren Clark, @email.

To learn more about the levels of service and the county-wide Advanced Academic Programs, please read below. You can also learn more by watching the AAP Overview Video (AAP Overview Video in Spanish).

ADVANCED ACADEMIC PROGRAMS (AAP) CONTINUUM OF SERVICES

Critical and Creative Thinking Lessons, Grades K-8

Services are provided to all students in Kindergarten through Grade 6. Services include teaching students 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 Advanced Academic Services. Parents may practice the nine strategies during family conversations and activities. Be sure to view the descriptions and videos of the nine critical and creative thinking strategies.

Differentiated Lessons in Areas of Academic Strength, Grades K-8

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 Advanced Academics to extend and enrich the subject area strength. Screening for this level of service is ongoing throughout the school year. Multiple criteria are used to screen for this service and decisions are made at the local school level.

To have your student screened for Subject-Specific Advanced Academic Services, complete the AAP School-Based Referral Form.

Part-Time Advanced Academic Programs, Grades 3-8

These services are available for students in Grades 3-8 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 Advanced Academics in the core subject areas through either a weekly pull-out class or a 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 service and decisions are made at the local school level.

To have your student screened for Part-Time Advanced Academic Services, complete the AAP School-Based Referral Form.

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 the curriculum from the AAP Curriculum Framework for Advanced Academics in the core academic subject areas on a Full-Time basis. Those qualified students may also choose to attend the Full-Time Level IV center at nearby Lorton Station Elementary School.

Multiple criteria are reviewed to determine eligibility for all FCPS advanced academic services. The countywide central selection committee determines eligibility for Full-Time Advanced Academics placement.

Screening for Full-Time 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. A referral form may be turned in from the first day of school until the published deadline. Due to the volume of files screened centrally for Full-Time services, deadlines are strictly held. Please check the Advanced Academic Programs website for deadlines each year. The referral form is available on the Forms Page.

The deadline to submit Full-Time referral forms is December 15th, 2024.

Additional information about the holistic screening process and information used for screening (https://www.fcps.edu/registration/advanced-academics-identification-and-placement/current-fcps-students)