Accelerated Placement
The Accelerated Placement Act
CCSD62 offers an Accelerated Placement Program as called for under The State of Illinois Acceleration Placement Act.
The purpose of the Accelerated Placement Program is to provide an educational setting with curricular options usually reserved for students who are older or in higher grades than the students participating.
These options include:
- Early Entrance to Kindergarten
- Early Entrance to First Grade
- Single Subject Acceleration
- Whole Grade Acceleration
Early Entrance to Kindergarten
Children eligible for early entrance to kindergarten must turn five years of age by December 31st of their kindergarten enrollment. To be considered for early entrance to kindergarten, students must demonstrate high ability in academic, cognitive, fine motor, and social emotional domains.
- Step 1: Parent Request for Early Entrance to Kindergarten
- Step 2: Questionnaire and Application Fee
- Step 3: Student Evaluation
- Step 4: Placement Recommendation and Trial Period
Step 1: Parent Request for Early Entrance to Kindergarten
Parent/Guardian request for early entrance to kindergarten is submitted to the Building Principal or Interim Assistant Superintendent of Student Services (frostl@d62.org). Principal forwards request to Interim Assistant Superintendent of Student Services. Requests must be made by February 1st for Iroquois Community School and by March 15th for all other district schools.
Step 2: Questionnaire and Application Fee
Parent/Guardian completes the Early Entrance to Kindergarten Application (English Application, Spanish Application), Parent Acknowledgement Form (English, Spanish), Authorization for the Exchange of Confidential Information form (English, Spanish), and submits a non-refundable $150 application fee.
In order for the evaluation to begin, all application materials must be received by the February 1st deadline for Iroquois Community School and March 15th deadline for all other district schools. The application fee may be waived for a student who resides in a household that meets the guidelines for the federal free meals program.
Step 3: Student Evaluation
Once all application materials have been received, a D62 School Psychologist will contact the parent/guardian to set up an appointment for the evaluation and to provide any additional materials that may be part of the evaluation.
The evaluation will be composed of standardized and norm-referenced assessments to measure cognitive functioning/ability and academic achievement, parent and teacher (if applicable) feedback forms to measure social emotional maturity of the child, and informal observation to measure motor ability.
In order to qualify for early entrance to kindergarten, a student must demonstrate cognitive abilities and academic achievement at or above the 98th percentile and above-average social-emotional development as determined by assessment observations, child interview, and parent and/or teacher (if applicable) feedback forms.
Step 4: Placement Recommendation and Trial Period
A placement recommendation will be made that is based on the evaluation and the decision is final. If the child meets the district criteria for early entrance to kindergarten, they will start kindergarten on the first day of the new school year.
Following a 6-8 week trial period, a school committee will make the final decision to determine if the child will continue in the program or delay early admission until the following school year.
Early Entrance to First Grade
Children eligible for early entrance to first grade must turn six years of age by December 31st of their first grade enrollment. To be considered for early entrance to first grade, students must demonstrate high ability in academic, cognitive, fine motor, and social emotional domains.
- Step 1: Parent Request for Early Entrance to First Grade
- Step 2: Questionnaire and Application Fee
- Step 3: Student Evaluation
- Step 4: Placement Recommendation and Trial Period
Step 1: Parent Request for Early Entrance to First Grade
Parent/Guardian request for early entrance to first grade is submitted to the Building Principal or Interim Assistant Superintendent of Student Services (frostl@d62.org). Principal forwards request to Interim Assistant Superintendent of Student Services. Requests must be made by February 1st for Iroquois Community School and by March 15th for all other district schools.
Step 2: Questionnaire and Application Fee
Parent/Guardian completes the Early Entrance to First Grade Application (English Application, Spanish Application), Parent Acknowledgement Form (English, Spanish), Authorization for the Exchange of Confidential Information form (English, Spanish), and submits a non-refundable $150 application fee. In order for the evaluation to begin, all application materials must be received by the February 1st deadline for Iroquois Community School and March 15th deadline for all other district schools.
The application fee may be waived for a student who resides in a household that meets the guidelines for the federal free meals program.
Step 3: Student Evaluation
Once all application materials have been received, a D62 School Psychologist will contact the parent/guardian to set up an appointment for the evaluation and to provide any additional materials that may be part of the evaluation.
The evaluation will be composed of standardized and norm-referenced assessments to measure cognitive functioning/ability and academic achievement, parent and teacher (if applicable) feedback forms to measure social emotional maturity of the child, and informal observation to measure motor ability.
In order to qualify for early entrance to first grade, a student must demonstrate cognitive abilities and academic achievement at or above the 98th percentile and above-average social-emotional development as determined by assessment observations, child interview, and parent and/or teacher (if applicable) feedback forms.
Step 4: Placement Recommendation and Trial Period
A placement recommendation will be made that is based on the evaluation and the decision is final. If the child meets the district criteria for early entrance to first grade, they will start on the first day of the new school year.
Following a 6-8 week trial period, a school committee will make the final decision to determine if the child will continue in the program or delay early admission until the following school year.
Single Subject Acceleration
Nomination for single subject acceleration can be initiated by a parent, teacher, principal or physician/psychologist that knows the student. Requests may be made at anytime throughout the school year.
D62 Accelerated Placement Program
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Intended for all students who demonstrate high ability and who may benefit from accelerated placement.
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Not limited to students who have been identified as gifted and talented.
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Eligibility shall not be conditioned upon protected classifications (i.e. age) or any factor other than the student’s identification as an accelerated learner.
To Request Single Subject Acceleration
Appeals Process: Within 10 days of notification of placement, a student’s parent or legal guardian may submit an appeal of the placement committee decision in writing to the Superintendent or designee. The Superintendent or designee shall notify the parent/guardian of the final decision regarding placement within 30 days.
- Step 1: Request for Single Subject Acceleration
- Step 2: Phase I Evaluation
- Step 3: Acceleration Request Denied or Move to Phase II
- Step 4: Phase II Evaluation
- Step 5: Placement Recommendation and Trial Period
- Step 6: Final Decision
Step 1: Request for Single Subject Acceleration
Step 2: Phase I Evaluation
Step 3: Acceleration Request Denied or Move to Phase II
Based on review of assessment data in Phase I, if a student meets criteria they will move to Phase II of consideration for Single Subject Acceleration. If they do not meet criteria, the Director of Curriculum and/or Building Principal will communicate with parents/guardians that student does not qualify for single subject acceleration at this time. Students may reapply in the future.
Step 4: Phase II Evaluation
Student profile must contain evidence that student shows high ability as shown in the results of the Phase I assessments, is best served outside the grade level classroom, and would benefit from accelerated placement. Phase II of the evaluation includes multiple other measures to use in the assessment process if phase I yields this next step.
Step 5: Placement Recommendation and Trial Period
A placement recommendation will be made. If the child meets criteria for single subject acceleration he/she will begin a 6-8 week Trial Acceleration. If at the completion of the trial basis, it is determined by the team that the child may be better served in the unaccelerated placement, the child may be returned to their original, unaccelerated setting.
Step 6: Final Decision
Whole Grade Acceleration
Recommendations for whole grade acceleration may be initiated by parent(s)/guardian(s), teacher or administrator.
Whole Grade Acceleration
Whole Grade Acceleration will occur at the mid-point or beginning of a school year only.
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Elementary School Mid-point: After Winter Break
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Middle School Mid-Point: At the Semester
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Iroquois Community School (ICS): At the Semester
Deadlines to submit requests:
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By September 1: (ICS - Acceleration begins at mid-point marker)
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By October 1 (10-month Schools: Acceleration begins at the mid-point marker)
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By March 1 (All D62 Schools: Acceleration begins at the start of next school year)
D62 Accelerated Placement Program
-
Intended for all students who demonstrate high ability and who may benefit from accelerated placement.
-
Not limited to students who have been identified as gifted and talented.
-
Eligibility shall not be conditioned upon protected classifications (i.e. age) or any factor other than the student’s identification as an accelerated learner.
To Request Whole Grade Acceleration
Appeals Process: Within 10 days of notification of placement, a student’s parent or legal guardian may submit an appeal of the placement committee decision in writing to the Superintendent or designee. The Superintendent or designee shall notify the parent/guardian of the final decision regarding placement within 30 days.
- Step 1: Request for Whole Grade Acceleration
- Step 2: Evaluation
- Step 3: Placement Recommendation
- Step 4: Placement Recommendation Approval
- Step 5: Final Decision