Accelerated Placement Program
District 97 provides an Accelerated Placement Program that advances its goal of providing educational programs with opportunities for each student to develop to his or her maximum potential. Participation is open to all students who demonstrate high ability and who may benefit from accelerated placement. To the extent possible, all children eligible for accelerated placement shall have an opportunity to participate in an educational setting with curriculum options usually reserved for students who are older or in higher grades than the child. This includes, but is not limited to:
Our processes are in alignment with the Illinois Accelerated Placement Act (Public Act 100-0421), and outlined in Board Policy 6:135: Accelerated Placement Program (adopted July 17, 2018).
To learn more about academic acceleration in District 97, please click the definitions and links below.
Definitions
Accelerated placement is the placement of a student in an educational setting with curriculum that is usually reserved for students who are older or in higher grades than the student. Accelerated placement includes, but may not be limited to: early entrance to kindergarten or first grade, accelerating a student in a single subject, and whole grade acceleration.
Early entrance to kindergarten is the admission to kindergarten of a student who: (a) will not be five years of age on or before September 1 of that school term; or (b) is admitted prior to the dates established in the School Code based upon an assessment of his or her readiness to attend school.
Early entrance to first grade is the admission to first grade of a student who: (a) is assessed for readiness, attended a nonpublic preschool and continued his or her education at that school through kindergarten, was taught in kindergarten by an appropriately certified teacher, and will attain the age of six years on or before December 31; or (b) is admitted prior to the dates established in the School Code based upon an assessment of his or her readiness to attend school.
Click here to learn more about early entrance to kindergarten and early entrance to first grade >>
Single subject acceleration is the practice of assigning a student to a higher subject level than is typical, given the student’s age, for the purpose of providing access to appropriately challenging learning opportunities in one or more subject areas. This will be accomplished by moving the student to a higher level class for instruction.
Click here to learn more about the single subject acceleration process >>
Whole grade acceleration is the practice of assigning a student to a higher grade level than is typical, given the student’s age, for the purpose of providing access to appropriately challenging learning opportunities in all subject areas. Grade acceleration may be done at the beginning of the school year.
Click here to learn more about the whole grade acceleration process >>