Accelerated Learning Program
ALP Winter Testing for grades K-6 is scheduled for Saturday, December 3, 2011 and Saturday, December 10, 2011. To register, please call Helen Dubiel at 480-497-3347 by Wednesday, November 23, 2011.
In order to meet legal requirements for identifying and serving students eligible for gifted education, Gilbert Public Schools will be evaluating students using the Cognitive Abilities Test. Students who meet the state mandated criteria will receive appropriate ALP services. ALP is an enrichment program in Kindergarten through 3rd grade and an accelerated replacement program in grades 4 through 6.
This year all winter testing will be done on Saturday December 3 and Saturday December 10 at Greenfield Elementary School. The school’s address is 2550 E. Elliot Rd., just east of Greenfield Rd. Testing sessions will begin at 9 am and end at approximately 12 pm. Students will need to come both mornings to complete the test. Test results and information about eligibility status will be sent home by your home school’s ALP teacher.
Please note: Students who qualify for cluster classroom placement will not be moved mid-year. Students will stay in their current homeroom and support will be given to the homeroom teacher to provide differentiated activities for the student.
Accelerated Learning Handbook, Grades 4-6, Math and Writing - PDF File
Primary ALP
Gilbert Public Schools has adopted the cluster grouping model for gifted students in grades 1-3. This is an inclusion model in which several students with similar exceptional learning needs are placed in the same mixed-ability classrooms. One or two teachers per grade level have a group of gifted students in their classrooms, and those teachers are responsible for providing appropriate differentiation opportunities for their gifted students. Of course, every teacher’s goal is to provide optimal differentiation for each student, but this is easier to achieve when there are several students with similar needs in one class. For the gifted child, this means having other children around them who process information in unique ways and look for challenges. This also means having a teacher who is trained on how to meet the special needs of gifted children. Each school is assigned an ALP coach to assist the cluster teachers with training and resources.
Students in Grades 1-3 become eligible for ALP by scoring in the 97-99 percentile on the Cognitive Abilities Test (Riverside Publishing), CogAT, in one or more of three areas: Verbal, Non-Verbal, and Quantitative. Students scoring 95-96 percentile in one or more areas will be added to the ALP roster on a probationary basis.
Intermediate ALP
Students with qualifying scores will be placed in Intermediate ALP. Students are placed in Language ALP when scoring a 97 percentile or higher on the Verbal portion of the Cognitive Abilities Test. Students with scores of 95-96 percentile may be placed on a probationary basis. Students may also be placed in Language ALP on a probationary basis with Verbal scores at the 90 percentile or higher and Non-Verbal scores at the 97 percentile or higher. Students spend 60 minutes each day in Language ALP.
Students are placed in Math ALP with scores 97 percentile or higher on the Quantitative portion of the Cognitive Abilities Test. Students with scores of 95-96 percentile may be placed in Math ALP on a probationary basis. Students may also be placed in Math ALP on a probationary basis with Quantitative scores at the 90 percentile or higher and Non-Verbal scores at the 97 percentile or higher. Students spend 60 minutes each day in math ALP.
Students with qualifying scores in both Verbal and Quantitative portions will be placed in both classes. These two classes replace what is taught in the regular classroom.
Students who score in the 97 percentile or higher in the Non-Verbal area and lower than 90 percentile in both Verbal and Quantitative areas do not have a specific academic subject area equivalency. These gifted students will continue in the Cluster Model as described above. The ALP coach will work with the classroom teachers, suggesting specific strategies, projects, and activities suitable for challenging these gifted students
