Our Parklawn ES Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART) collaborates with the school staff to determine the appropriate level of advanced academic services. Ongoing observation and assessment ensures that student needs are being met.

Parents may refer their child for advanced academic services or get additional information on the screening process at Parklawn ES by contacting Ms. Gluck

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is committed to challenging all students through talent development efforts and differentiated instruction to meet the needs of advanced learners.  

FCPS offers a continuum of advanced academic services for all students in Grades K-12. Parklawn offers all services on the continuum. The continuum of services approach recognizes unique student needs. It focuses on matching students to services, not labeling students. Through the continuum, students have:

• Many entry points for deeper learning opportunities in specific areas of need.  
• A cluster group of students with similar academic needs.  

Access to Rigor, Grades K-6

All students have opportunities to think critically, reason, and problem-solve.  Teachers in Grades K-6 use:

• Critical and creative thinking strategies in their lessons. 
• Materials from the AAP Curriculum Framework a least once per quarter. 

Because Access to Rigor is for all FCPS students, there is not a screening process. 

Subject-Specific Services, Grades K-6

Some students are strong in a specific subject area. Differentiated lessons are offered to these students in areas of specific academic strength. The advanced academic resource teacher collaborates with classroom teachers to provide additional challenges through resources that extend and enrich the FCPS Program of Studies. Students who require additional challenge in specific subject areas access AAP curriculum in their content area of strength in the general education classroom.

Classroom teachers adjust instruction for students in these area(s) by: 

• Providing different assignments and resources in those subjects,
• Grouping students by their strengths, interests, and readiness, and
• Using more materials from the AAP Curriculum Framework.

Students are re-evaluated for subject-specific differentiation each year at the local school. 

Part-Time Services, Grades 3-6

Some students have advanced academic needs in multiple subject areas in addition to specific subject differentiation. These students need part-time AAP services.  In part-time services:

• Students work with other students who have similar academic needs through weekly pull-out classes or weekly co-taught lessons with the AART and classroom teacher. 
• Teachers provide frequent opportunities to use materials from the AAP Curriculum Framework in Language Arts, science, social studies, and/or mathematics. 

Each year a local committee screens all students in grades 3-6 for possible participation in Part-Time advanced academic services. Part-time services continue through Grade 6. Once they are identified, students do not need to be evaluated each year.  

Full-Time Services, Grades 3-8

Some advanced learners need a full-time advanced academic program with differentiated instruction in all four core content areas (Language Arts, mathematics, social studies, and science).

Full-Time advanced academic services offers identified students a highly challenging instructional program that follows the FCPS Program of Studies. Adaptations are made to the curriculum to provide an appropriate level of challenge for advanced learners. Students participate with the entire student body in school-based activities such as student government, physical education, band and strings, chorus, and other electives.

Students eligible for Full-Time AAP services:

• Are cluster grouped with other students who have similar academic needs 
• Have Full-Time use of materials from the AAP Curriculum Framework in Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies, and 
• Use a curriculum that is differentiated through acceleration, depth, and complexity of content.  

Students access Full-Time AAP services at a Local Full-Time program or a Full-Time Center.

Full-Time services continue through Grade 8. Students do not need to be evaluated each year. 

Parklawn Local Full-Time program - How the Local Full-Time Program differs from the Full-Time Center

Parklawn's Full-Time program provides an important option for advanced learners who need the challenge of a full-time AAP center curriculum and do not want to leave their local school.

The Full-Time program center for Parklawn ES is located at Belvedere ES.

Teachers in both settings are trained in gifted education and teach the same advanced academic curriculum to students who are ready for a highly challenging instructional program in the four core subject areas.

Young Scholars

The FCPS Young Scholars model seeks to identify and affirm, from an early age, students with high academic potential from groups historically underrepresented in advanced academic programming. The goal of the model is to eliminate barriers for Young Scholars’ access to and success in advanced academic opportunities in elementary, middle, and high school.

Twice-Exceptional (2e)

Some gifted students with advanced learning needs may also have a learning disability. Twice-exceptional (or “2e”) students need strengths-based instruction while receiving advanced programming. The FCPS continuum of AAP services provides multiple entry points to meet student needs while also supporting their learning challenges. FCPS has created a 2e handbook to help schools and families understand how to identify and serve 2e students.

Testing 

Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)

• The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) will be offered to all students in grade 2 this school year.
• Ability testing for students in grades 2-7 students enrolling after the main October CogAT window will occur using the CogAT in spring 2025.

Naglieri Nonverbal Abilities Test (NNAT3)

• Grade 1 students 

  • The NNAT3 will be offered to all students in Grade 1.

  • Testing will take place in November-December 2024.

• Grade 2-7 students

  • Access to NNAT3 assessments in fall 2024 will be limited to:
    • Students using their one-time ability retest.
    • Multilingual Learner students for whom the CogAT was found to be inappropriate.
    • Selected students who enroll in FCPS after the fall CogAT window.

Retests

Parents or Guardians may request a one-time retest of either the CogAT or NNAT3.

• FCPS policy permits one retake of one ability test per student.
• Submit the request to the local school by contacting the AART or assistant principal.
• The one-time retest for the NNAT3 or CogAT test is an option for families who feel their child did not perform well on the ability test for a variety of reasons.

Referrals for Full-Time AAP Services

Parents or guardians of students not in the second-grade screening pool may initiate the Full-Time AAP services screening process by completing and submitting an Advanced Academic Programs Full-Time Referral Form to the local school. The referral form plus forms for additional optional information are available on the FCPS website (link below).

Note: Please do not wait for test scores before submitting a referral for your student as there will be no referrals for Full-Time screening accepted past the deadline. If you are waiting for test scores and would like your student screened for Full-Time services, please submit the referral by the published deadline (even if you have not received the test scores for your student).

The FCPS Testing and Identification Timeline link below includes the deadline for submitting the Advanced Academic Programs Full-Time Referral Form for students in Grade 2 who are not in pool and students in Grades 3–6.

Military and Foreign Service Families

FCPS offers flexible deadlines to our students of military parents who are interested in our Advanced Academic Programs.

Military families, foreign service employees, and civilian members of the Armed Forces of the United States under federal orders who move into Fairfax County from another county or state should follow the steps outlined in AAP Identification and Placement for Military Families.

The Academic Planning for Military Families site provides information about:

• elementary academics
• middle and high academics
• special education instruction and services
• advanced academics
• graduation requirements
• credit for home instruction
• and more