Acceleration Guidelines (Elementary) - Dekalb County School System

DeKalb County
School System
Acceleration
Guidelines

DeKalb County School System
Acceleration Committee Members
Sonya Porchér, Chair
Marilyn Steele, Co-Chair
Sherion Armstead
Caroline Croom
Linda Frazer
Mark Gordon
Gail Humble
Brenda Jones
Myra Medlin
Lynn Owings
Jennifer Pittman
Terry Segovis
Gale Thomas
Annette Waller
Kelli Wright
Rita Wyatt
--------------------------------------
Superintendent
Dr. Crawford Lewis
Deputy Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction
Mrs. Gloria Talley
Board of Education Members
Cassandra Anderson-Littlejohn, Chair
Lynn Cherry Grant, Vice Chair
Elizabeth Andrews
Chuck Burris
Sarah Copelin-Wood
Jesse “Jay” Cunningham, Jr.
Bebe Joyner
Jim Redovian
Zepora Roberts
2

Table of Content
Pages
Acceleration Guidelines Purpose
4
DeKalb County School System Acceleration Choices:
5-10
1. Academic Mentoring 5
2. Curriculum Compacting
5
3. Continuous Progress
6
4. Self-Paced Instruction
7
5. Subject-Matter Acceleration
7
6. Grade Acceleration
9
Base Level, Subject-Matter and/or Grade-level Acceleration
Flow Chart
Recommended Readings
11
12-13
3

Purpose of the Acceleration Guidelines
Acceleration choices were developed for elementary schools in the DeKalb County School System to
address the need to provide ability-level acceleration opportunities for students in kindergarten through fifth
grade. The acceleration choices include the following: Academic Mentoring, Curriculum Compacting,
Continuous Progress, Self-Paced Instruction, Subject-Matter Acceleration, and Grade Acceleration. The
choices are listed from base level acceleration practices to advanced level practices (see below). Kindergarten
students will be eligible for all acceleration choices except grade acceleration.
Base Level Acceleration Practices
Acceleration Choices
Academic
Mentoring
Curriculum
Compacting
Continuous
Progress
Self-Paced
Instruction
Advanced Level Acceleration Practices
Grade
Acceleration
Subject-
Matter
Acceleration
The acceleration choices will allow a matching of the level, complexity, and pace of the curriculum with the
student’s readiness and motivation (The Templeton National Report on Acceleration, 2004). Determinations
will be made at the local school level regarding the type of acceleration that will benefit the individual student’s
academic needs. Schools should implement the strategies with the use of a review team when advancing from
the basic acceleration to the more detailed acceleration practices.
For each of the established acceleration choices, the support structures and role/responsibilities of the
support personnel are indicated. The acceleration choices allow a fair and equitable process for student
acceleration based upon teacher, parent, and administrator recommendations as well as performance on
portfolio data, which includes ITBS scores, CogAT scores, Accelerated Reader Level and/or Developmental
Reading Assessment (DRA), Lexile Level, Lexile Score, writing samples, mathematics work samples, and a
reading list. Kindergarten students will need to have completed the Georgia Kindergarten assessment (Windows
1 and 2) as a part of their portfolio. The choices are ranked in order of complexity. The guidelines begin with
teaching strategies and progresses to school-structure implementations.
4

DeKalb County School System
Acceleration Choices
1. Academic Mentoring
Definition: The student is paired with an academic mentor who provides advanced or more rapid pacing of
instruction.
Support Structures:
1. A teacher mentor, parent mentor, or community member mentor is paired with the student based
upon the regular teacher, counselor, and gifted teacher recommendation or suggested mentor.
2. The mentor will provide a schedule of times with specific goals and objectives for the tutoring to the
teacher and student.
Support Personnel Roles/Responsibilities:
1. The Acceleration Review Team will consist of an administrator, the regular education teacher, gifted
teacher, counselor, school psychologist, and special needs teacher (if applicable). The Acceleration
Review Team will meet to decide if placement with an academic mentor will support the student’s
need for advanced or more rapid pacing of instruction.
2. The school will follow the mentoring procedures as outlined by the counseling department through
Support Services.
3. The mentor will maintain the scheduled meetings with the students and a student portfolio of
projects with the goals and objectives.
4. The school counselor will maintain a list of school mentors and update it annually.
5. The mentor will maintain communication with the regular education teacher and administrative staff
regarding the student’s progress.
6. The regular education teacher will communicate with the parent regarding overall progress with the
mentor.
Considerations: The school counselor shall provide a mentor list and maintain a current list of mentors that can
be paired with students at all grade levels.
2. Curriculum Compacting
Definition: The student’s instruction entails reduced amounts of introductory activities, drill, and practice.
Instructional experiences may also be based on relatively fewer instructional objectives compared to the general
curriculum. The time gained may be used for more advanced content instruction or to participate in enrichment
activities. Instructional goals should be selected on the basis of careful analyses for their roles in the content
and hierarchies of curricula. The pacing of activities and goals should be based on pre-instructional assessment.
Support Structures:
1. The student is provided a listing of standards-based specific assignments.
2. The student is offered a variety of ways to produce an understanding of the content such as through a
product chart (see Recommended Reading page 18).
5

Support Personnel Roles/Responsibilities:
1. The Acceleration Review Team will consist of an administrator, the regular education teacher, gifted
teacher, counselor, school psychologist, and special needs teacher (if applicable). The Acceleration
Review Team will meet to determine if the student’s academic needs will be met through
Curriculum Compacting.
2. In order to effectively provide students with involved curriculum compacting
activities, the teacher will need to participate in strategies training such as a
High Achiever’s Program (HAP) course.
3. The teacher will need to schedule conference times with the student on a
weekly basis to review the progress.
4. The teacher will monitor student progress through the content.
5. The teacher will need to pre and post test the student with each new subject
that is taught or presented.
Considerations: The administrator shall consider the pacing of content, having access to various grade-level
content, and a need for professional/staff development to understand curriculum compacting. Curriculum
compacting will require needed time for implementation.
3. Continuous Progress
Definition: The student is given content progressively as prior content is completed and mastered. The practice
is accelerative when the student’s progress exceeds the performance of chronological peers in rate and level.
Provisions for sequenced materials may or may not be with the discretion of the teacher or within the control of
the student.
Support Structures:
1. A location in the classroom where the student can obtain the materials for his or her continuous
progress involvement.
2. An Evidence of Student Mastery Form is completed by the teacher so that the student will be able to
see the areas he or she is mastering or will need to master (see Student Mastery Form page 13).
Support Personnel Roles/Responsibilities:
1. The Acceleration Review Team will consist of an administrator, the regular education teacher, gifted
teacher, counselor, school psychologist, and special needs teacher (if applicable). The Acceleration
Review Team will meet to determine if continuous progress will meet the student’s academic needs.
2. The teacher will need to schedule conference times with the student on a weekly basis to review the
progress.
3. The teacher will monitor student progress through the content.
4. The teacher will need to pre and post test the student with each new subject that is taught or
presented.
Considerations: The administrator shall consider the time restraints of the teacher in implementing the
Continuous Progress strategy. The implementation of the Continuous Progress strategy requires additional
planning time to develop pacing activities.
6

4. Self-Paced Instruction
Definition: With this option the student proceeds through learning and instructional activities at a self-selected
pace. Self-paced instruction is a sub-type of continuous progress acceleration. Self-paced instruction is
distinguishable from the more general continuous progress in that the student has control over all pacing
decisions.
Support Structures:
1. A location in the classroom where the student can obtain the materials for his or her continuous
progress involvement.
2. A student pacing chart is developed by the student with the assistance of the teacher so that the
student will be able to make determination of the areas he or she is mastering or will need to master
(see Student Mastery Form page 13).
Support Personnel Roles/Responsibilities:
1. The Acceleration Review Team will consist of an administrator, the regular education teacher, gifted
teacher, counselor, school psychologist, and special needs teacher (if applicable). The Acceleration
Review Team will meet to determine if the student’s needs will be met through self-paced
instruction.
2. The teacher will need to schedule conference times with the student on a weekly basis to review the
progress.
3. The teacher will monitor student progress through the content.
4. The teacher will need to pre and post test the student with each new subject that is taught or
presented as the student proceeds through the subjects.
Considerations: The administrator shall consider additional personnel support and professional/staff
development. Access to various content level resources and materials is critical.
5. Subject-Matter Acceleration
Definition: This practice allows students to be placed with classes with older peers for a part of the day (or with
materials from higher grade placements) in one or more content areas. Subject-matter acceleration or partial
acceleration may be accomplished by the student either physically moving to a high-level class for instruction
(e.g., a second-grade student going to a fifth-grade reading group), or using higher-level curricular or study
materials within their regular classroom. Subject-matter acceleration may also be accomplished outside of the
general instructional schedule (e.g., summer school or after school) or by using higher-level instructional
activities on a continuous progress basis without leaving the placement with chronological-age peers. The
student will be tested on the state assessment in the grade-level where his FTE is earned.
Support Structures:
1. The parent(s)/guardian(s), teachers, or administrators can make a recommendation for subject-matter
acceleration using the Acceleration Portfolio Checklist on page 14. Parent contact will need to be
made regarding the decision to gather portfolio information. The parent or guardian will need to
provide a letter to the Assistant Principal of Instruction stating the consent for the student to
participate in the Acceleration Review and possible testing.
7

2. The principal will appoint a designee to notify the Director of Elementary Instruction, Deputy of
Curriculum and Instruction, and the Area Superintendent of the referral for subject-matter
acceleration review and the outcome of the review.
3. The portfolio data will be gathered on the student, which includes ITBS and CogAT scores. The
student can achieve a score of 96%-99% on the math, reading, or a sub-test portion of the CogAT
and a 99%ile quantitative, verbal, or complete composite on the ITBS. The student’s Accelerated
Reader Level and/or Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA), Lexile Level, Lexile Score,
writing samples, mathematics work sample, and a reading list will need to be placed in a portfolio.
The homeroom teacher will submit an observation form (see Teacher Observation form p. 15). (If
the student performs the indicated scoring on the CogAT and ITBS on individual areas, he or she
may be a candidate for subject-matter acceleration, which is partial acceleration).
3. A trained test administrator will administer the Iowa Acceleration Scale to the student. The
recommended range of performance is 60-80 total points. (See Grade Acceleration/Subject-Matter
Acceleration Flow Chart page 11).
4. The student is allowed to subject-acceleration at any level in the first through fifth grade based upon
the Acceleration Review Team recommendations. Decisions to subject-accelerate a student is made
at the end of the semester after all portfolio data is gathered and reviewed. If approved, the student
will be placed in the approved grade.
5. The parent(s) will need to sign the Parent Consent Letter on page 16. The parent, Director of
Elementary School Instruction, Principal, and Area Assistant Superintendent will need to sign the
Subject-Matter and Grade Acceleration Consent and Waiver form on page 17.
Support Personnel Role/Responsibilities:
1. The Acceleration Review Team will consist of an administrator, the regular education teacher, gifted
teacher, counselor, school psychologist, and special needs teacher (if applicable). The team will
review the gathered portfolio data and make a recommendation for testing using the Acceleration
Portfolio Checklist on page 14.
2. A trained test administrator will administer the Iowa Acceleration Scale to make a determination for
possible grade acceleration or subject-matter acceleration.
3. The Acceleration Review Team will schedule a meeting with the parent(s) regarding the
recommendation.
4. The receiving teacher of the student for the specific subject(s) will work with the Assistant Principal
of Instruction to monitor the student’s performance and to insure that the student is receiving proper
abilities level instruction.
5. The receiving teacher will provide individual student conferences to inform the student of his or her
progress.
6. The Assistant Principal of Instruction maintains signed documentation of the parent’s consent to
subject-accelerate in the student’s permanent record.
7. The gifted teacher may serve as a resource person for additional instructional strategies and
academic support.
Considerations: The administrator shall consider additional personnel support and professional/staff
development. Access to various content level resources and materials (as aligned to the state standards) is
critical.
8

6. Grade Acceleration
Definition: A student is considered to have grade-skipped if he or she is given a grade-level placement ahead of
chronological-age peers. Grade acceleration may be done at the end of the fall or spring semester.
Support Structures:
1. The parent(s)/guardian(s), teachers, or administrators can make a recommendation for grade
acceleration using the Acceleration Portfolio Checklist on page 14. The parent or guardian will
need to provide a letter to the Assistant Principal of Instruction stating the consent for the student to
participate in the Acceleration Review and possible testing.
2. The principal will appoint a designee to notify the Director of Elementary Instruction, Deputy of
Curriculum and Instruction, and the Area Superintendent of the referral for grade acceleration review
and the outcome of the review.
3. The portfolio data will be gathered on the student, which includes ITBS and CogAT scores.
4. The student can achieve a score of 96%-99% on the math, reading, and a sub-test portion of the
CogAT and a 99%ile quantitative, verbal, or complete composite on the ITBS. Accelerated Reader
Level and/or Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA), Lexile Level, Lexile Score, writing
samples per strand, mathematics work samples per strand, and a reading list must be provided on the
student. The homeroom teacher will submit an observation form (see Teacher Observation form p.
15). If the student performs the indicated scoring on the CogAT and ITBS on individual areas, he or
she may be a candidate for subject-matter acceleration, which is partial acceleration.
5. A trained test administrator will administer the Iowa Acceleration Scale to the student. The
recommended range of performance is 60-80 total points. (See Grade Acceleration/Subject-Matter
Acceleration Flow Chart page 11).
6. The student is allowed to skip grades 1 to 2, 2 to 3, 3 to 4, and 4 to 5.
7. The parent(s) will need to sign the Parent Consent Letter on page 16. The parent, Director of
Elementary School Instruction, Principal, and Area Assistant Superintendent will need to sign the
Subject-Matter and Grade Acceleration Consent and Waiver form on page 17.
Due to the required age entry at the kindergarten level, students will not be allowed to skip
kindergarten to first grade. Georgia State Department of Education requires the CRCT to be
administered in grades 3 and 5. According to HB1187, if verification can be made that the student
has mastered all standards at the third and fifth grade through performance on the standardized
test scores, observations, and portfolio assessment using the established grade accelerated criteria
(see Grade Acceleration Flow Chart, page 10), then the student can skip the 3 rd or 5 th grade.
Acceleration determinations will need to be made by the end of second and fourth grade. If the
student is currently enrolled in the grade in which he or she will accelerated, the process cannot be
conducted.
Support Personnel Role/Responsibilities:
1. The Acceleration Review Team will consist of an administrator, a regular education teacher, the
gifted teacher, counselor, school psychologist, and special needs teacher (if applicable). The team
will review the gathered portfolio data and make a recommendation for testing.
9

2. A trained test administrator will administer the Iowa Acceleration Scale to make a determination for
possible grade acceleration or subject-matter acceleration.
3. The Acceleration Review Team will schedule a meeting with the parent(s) regarding the
recommendation.
4. The receiving teacher of the student will work with the Assistant Principal of Instruction to monitor
the student’s performance and to insure that the student is receiving proper abilities level instruction.
5. The receiving teacher will provide individual student conferences to inform the student of his or her
progress.
6. The Assistant Principal of Instruction maintains signed documentation of the parent’s consent to
grade accelerate in the student’s permanent record.
7. The gifted teacher may serve as a resource person for additional instructional strategies and
academic support.
Considerations: The administrator shall consider additional personnel support and professional/staff
development. Access to various content level resources and materials (as aligned to the state standards) is
critical.
10

Base Level, Subject-Matter and/or Grade-level Acceleration Flow Chart
Referral by
Parents
Teachers
Administrators
1 st Step
Subject Matter
Acceleration/
Grade Acceleration
is not
Recommended
IF, Yes
-No additional
assessment will be
required
-Notify parents of the
outcome from the
evaluations, the
portfolio review and
the team’s decision to
not accelerate.
There is no appeal
process beyond the
school. The Review
Team can reexamine
all data sources to
ensure scoring
accuracy. The team’s
decision is final.
2 nd Step
3rd Step A
4 th Step - NO
ACCELERATION
Acceleration Review Team discusses the Base Level Acceleration Choices to
determine if the student is currently participating in Academic Mentoring,
Curriculum Compacting, or Self-Guided Instruction. Contact the parent should
the recommendation be to continue the Base Level Acceleration Support or if a
higher level of Base Level Acceleration support is recommended. If a decision
is made to consider subject-matter or grade acceleration, steps 3 through 5
listed below must be followed.
Acceleration Review Team Process
*Administrator
Regular Education Teacher(s)
Gifted Teacher
Counselor/School Psychologist
Special Needs Teacher –if applicable
-Parent notification/consent/participation
-Team divides tasks to assemble a portfolio of
student’s work to show mastery of applicable and
current grade-level standards and also mastery of the
missed the grade-level standards should subject or
grade-level acceleration emerge as the
recommendation by the Review Team
-Group meets to review portfolio
-Homeroom teacher provides a
completed observation form
Subject-Matter Acceleration
Portfolio Information Includes:
1. ITBS-99%ile on math, reading, or a subcategory
2. CogAT-96%ile-99%ile on verbal,
quantitative, or complete composite with
specific subject indicated
3. Lexiles, Accelerated Reader Level and/or
Developmental Reading Assessment
(DRA)
4. Evidence of mastery of the GPS in
mathematics and the GPS in ELA
Grade Acceleration
Portfolio Information Includes:
1. ITBS-99%ile on math, reading, and a subcategory
2. CogAT-96%ile-99%ile on verbal,
quantitative, and complete composite
3. Lexiles, Accelerated Reader Level and/or
Developmental Reading Assessment
(DRA)
4. Evidence of mastery of the GPS in
mathematics and the GPS in ELA
3rd Step B
4 th Step -YES
ACCELERATE
5 th Step
*Principal will appoint a designee
to email the Coordinator for
Gifted Students, Director of
Elementary Instruction, the
Deputy Superintendent of
Curriculum and Instruction, and
the Area Assistant Superintendent
of the referral and again after the
Team’s decision.
Subject Matter
Acceleration or
Grade Acceleration is
Recommended
-Administer the Iowa
Accelerated Scale and
student will need to
obtain 60-80 total points
for a determination of
subject-level
acceleration or grade
level acceleration.
-Notify parents
One Year Follow-Up by
(Acceleration Review Team)
1. Continuous screening
2. Review process for the next year
3. Parent, Teacher, Student Survey
11

References
A Nation Deceived: How Schools Hold Back America’s Brightest Students (Vol. II)
(2004). The Templeton National Report on Acceleration. The University of Iowa:
Iowa City, Iowa.
Articles
Recommended Reading
Feldusen, J.F., Proctor, T.B., & Black, K.N. (1986). Guidelines for grade advancement of
precocious children. Roeper Review, 9, 25-27.
Klausmeier, H. J., Goodwin, W.L., Ronda, T. (1968). Effects of accelerating bright, older
Elementary pupils-A second follow-up. Journal of Educational Psychology, 50(1), 53-
58.
Southern, W.T., & Jones, E.D. (1991). Academic acceleration: Background and issues, in
W.T. Southern & E. D. Jones (Eds.), The academic acceleration of gifted children.
(pp. 1-28), New York: Teachers College Press.
Books
Getzels, J.W., & Dillon, J.T. (1973). The nature of giftedness and the education of the gifted
In R. M. Travers (Ed.), Second handbook of research on teaching (pp. 689-731). Chicago:
Rand McNally.
Reis, S., Burns, D., & Renzulli, J. (1992). Curriculum Compacting. Creative Learning
Press, Mansfield Center, CT.
Tips, Tools, & Time Savers for Thinking Success (1997). Incentive Publications, Inc.
Nashville, TN.
Winebrenner, S. (2001). Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom. Free Spirit
Publishing, Inc. Minn., MN.
Journals
Athena's Child
Newsletter devoted to nurturing exceptionally bright and talented children
Published bimonthly by Athena's Child, 4699 Timberline, College Station, Texas 77845
Gifted and Talented International
Journal of the World Council for Gifted and Talented children
12

Peer-reviewed journal, published twice a year, contact A B Academic Publishers, PO Box 42, Bicester,
Oxon, OX6 7NW, England
Gifted Child Quarterly
Geared for educators, recent research and developments in the field of gifted education. NAGC journal,
available with NAGC membership only
Gifted Child Today
Focused for educators, ideas for educating talented learners, published by
Highly Gifted Children
Quarterly newsletter of The Hollingworth Center for Highly Gifted Children
Imagine
Provides information, insights, and solid counseling to gifted students in grades 7-12. Published by
Johns Hopkins
Journal for the Education of the Gifted
Focused for educators, research on instructional practices for the gifted and talented
Journal of Secondary Gifted Education
Offers education professionals comprehensive and critical information needed for building an effective
educational environment for gifted adolescents
Our Gifted Children
Articles for and about gifted learners, and compilations of research information. Published monthly by
Royal Fireworks Press, Box 399, First Avenue, Unionville, NY 10988 USA (914) 726-4444
Parenting for High Potential
Designed for parents but written by educators, discusses issues with gifted children at home, in the
community, and at school. NAGC quarterly magazine, available with NAGC membership
Teaching for High Potential
Designed with educators in mind. Each issue is filled with practical guidance and classroom-based
materials for educators striving to understand and challenge their high potential learners. Additional
supporting resources are also provided for each article on the NAGC website, available with NAGC
membership
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