About Acceleration

The Oak Grove Board of Education believes that all students across the achievement spectrum should be challenged and supported to develop their potential. For some students needing a higher level of instruction, this can best be achieved by affording them access to curriculum and learning environments more commonly provided to older students. This procedure describes the process that shall be used for evaluating students for possible accelerated placement and identifying students who should be granted early admission to kindergarten or first grade, accelerated in one or more individual subject areas, or promoted to a higher grade level than their same-age peers. The procedure shall be applied equitably and systematically to all students referred for acceleration regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gifted and talented status, twice/multiple exceptionality, English language proficiency, or socioeconomic background.

“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 student. 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. 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.

“Whole grade acceleration” is the practice of assigning a student to a higher grade level than is typical, given the student’s age, on a full-time basis for the purpose of providing access to appropriately challenging learning opportunities. Teacher interviews, student interviews, parent interviews, end of grade level exams, and the BASC-3 are utilized in accordance with the Iowa Acceleration Scale criteria to determine a child's candidacy for whole grade acceleration. It is a thorough process since it has implications on the remainder of a student's schooling career. Speaking with a child's classroom teachers first before exploring this option is encouraged. Whole grade acceleration requests can be initiated by contacting Alexa Dunn, Director of Teaching & Learning.  It is preferable that requests be filed during the spring or summer in order to make the transition before the next school year.

“Individual subject acceleration” is the practice of assigning a student to specific content at a higher instructional level than is typical, given the student’s grade, for the purpose of providing access to appropriately challenging learning opportunities in one or more subject areas. Teacher interviews, student interviews, parent interviews, and end of grade level exams are utilized to determine a child's candidacy for subject-acceleration. Speaking with a child's teachers first before exploring this option is encouraged. In grades 4-8, students must be enrolled in the talented and gifted (TAG) class for the requested accelerated subject area. Subject-acceleration requests can be initiated by contacting Alexa Dunn, Director of Teaching & Learning. It is preferable that requests be filed during the spring or summer in order to make the transition before the next school year.