ALP Programming

Depending upon a student’s abilities and needs as evaluated by the Advanced Learning Consultant and feeder pattern at the time of their identification, options are communicated to home schools and parents/guardians for further nurturing each student’s intellectual strengths and meeting his/her intellectual and social/emotional needs as they relate to school success. All decisions are determined through extensive data review, focused on the needs of the student, and enacted using the available services of the Advanced Learning Consultant. 

1. Some students show talent potential in one or more content areas, and their needs are currently being met successfully in his/her classroom. When this occurs, other enrichment activities and programming opportunities (Continental Math, Battle of the Books, Noetic Math, Gold Star Reader, Pentathlon, etc.) are offered to further develop the student’s specific emerging skills and talents. 
2. Some students have needs in one or more content areas, but their needs are not being met in the regular classroom. These students often need curriculum extensions in the classroom. Extensions for classroom curriculum are delivered by the classroom teacher, and resources and support are offered by the building Advanced Learning Consultant.  Depending on student needs and circumstances within each building, some students may have a need for additional or separate programming. Like all identified AL Students, these students are also offered building and district-wide enrichment activities and programming opportunities.  
3. Some students have one or more areas of need that may require a variety of in-class curricular options or additional data for consideration of in-class, compacted, and/or accelerated class options. The three most common scenarios are he/she might be placed in a flexible ability group within the classroom, he/she might be served through leaving the classroom to take one or more content areas in the grade above, or he/she might remain in the classroom to work with a content specialist assigned to provide these services in the building. Like all identified AL Students, these students are also offered building and district-wide enrichment activities and programming opportunities. 
4. A small percentage of students may have needs that require further assessment for possible multi-class or full grade acceleration (grade-skipping). The DMPS Advanced Learning Program, in accordance with DMPS Board Policy, use the publication guidelines of the Iowa Acceleration Scale published by the Connie Belin and Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development at The University of Iowa. Like all identified AL Students, these students are also offered building and district-wide enrichment activities and programming opportunities. 
5. Advanced Learning Consultants will work with all identified students to support each student’s social and emotional well-being and consult with building counselors for needs beyond the scope of our work.