Accelerated placement is the placement of a student at the instructional level that best matches that student’s needs by allowing access to a curriculum that is usually reserved for children who are older or in higher grades than the students. Accelerated placement options must include, but need not be limited to, early entrance to kindergarten and first grade, individual subject acceleration, and whole grade acceleration. Accelerated placement is not limited to those students who have been identified as gifted and talented, but rather is open to all students who demonstrate high ability and who may benefit from accelerated placement. Accelerated course enrollment for grades 9-12 will include students* performing at an Exceeds proficiency level on state assessments for English language arts, math, science and/or achievement in the top 20% using local norms on nationally-normed ELA or math assessments. *Parents/guardians and high school age students will be notified and will have the option to alternate coursework placement which better aligns with the student’s educational or career goals.
Eligibility for accelerated placement shall also be open to all students regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability, English language proficiency, or socioeconomic status. (Illinois Acceleration Placement Policy [105 ILCS 5/2-3.64a-5])
The District shall implement the Acceleration Placement Program that includes:
1. Team-based decision-making processes that are fair, equitable, and involve multiple individuals, including school stakeholders and the student's parents or legal guardians;
a) the diverse evaluation team will gather relevant, reliable and comprehensive data in order to determine whether and what type of accelerated placement is appropriate for the referred student.
2. Notification processes for a student's parents or legal guardians of a decision affecting a student's participation in the accelerated placement program, and;
3. Assessment processes and criteria that include multiple, valid, reliable indicators.
Early Entrance to Kindergarten and 1st Grade
Children for early entrance to kindergarten or first grade are exceptionally precocious and ready for school earlier than their same-age peers. Academic achievement, reasoning ability, performance and motivation are keen compared to other children advanced for their age. Test scores alone do not meet the standards of a determination. A student may score at the 95th percentile or above on aptitude and achievement tests but not have data that supports school readiness. Every child with a score above 95th percentile may not benefit from early entrance to kindergarten or first grade. Early entrance decisions will be a consensus process. If the team cannot reach consensus, the building principal and/or the district gifted education specialist shall make the final decision in accordance with the Du Quoin Elementary early entrance program plan.
Du Quoin CUSD 300 has established a collaborative process which includes parents, preschool, general and gifted educators and school administration for evaluating early access referrals. The process implemented shall include the following components:
Screening - Referral - Data Collection - Team Decision Making - Eligibility Decision
Early entrance to kindergarten and 1st grade criterion:
95th percentile or above on local screening assessment, and
Achievement - 95th percentile or above on a norm referenced achievement test for reading, math and writing; and
Aptitude - 95th percentile or above on norm referenced cognitive assessment; and
Performance and readiness as determined by referrals
Final eligibility decisions are combined using the acceleration assessment process for evaluating candidates for whole grade acceleration in grades K-8 outlined in the Iowa Acceleration Scale (IAS), Third Edition
Advanced Placement - Middle School
Placement recommendations will follow the District 300 Acceleration Placement Policy using multiple, valid, reliable criteria that may include District Assessments, State Assessments, curriculum resource summative assessments, Teacher Recommendation, and Administrative Discretion. Using these criteria, placement recommendations for acceleration in math and advanced English Language Arts (ELA) classes will be made for students promoted into middle school beginning in 5th grade. The same multiple criteria will be used for transfer students upon enrollment for consideration in the accelerated math courses and advanced English classes. Student placements will be reviewed annually twice a year to ensure appropriate placement and student progress with the advanced coursework. Annually after the fall semester, criteria placement will be evaluated and student placement adjusted as needed. Secondly after completing the 3rd quarter, student placements in accelerated and/or advanced courses for math and English Language Arts will be evaluated for future enrollment given the student
continues to meet the acceleration placement policy criteria, and
maintains at least a summative grade of C in the grade level advance course.