The Accelerated Progress Program (APP), Spectrum, and Advanced Learning Opportunities (ALO) programs undergo a Seattle Public School certification process.
Buildings housing APP, Spectrum, and ALO programs are designated by the District and undergo the certification process through the Advanced Learning office.
Buildings are designated through the Program Placement Committee to provide APP and Spectrum programs.
Any elementary or middle school may opt to become an Advanced Learning Opportunities (ALO) site and undergo the certification process. Becoming an ALO site means that staff at the building have made a commitment to serve the needs of advanced learners. Advanced learners are students identified by the district through the testing process as academically highly gifted or academically gifted (qualified to enroll in the Accelerated Progress program and/or Spectrum), as well as teacher-identified students. Teacher-identified students are students that teachers and parents/families believe are ready to participate in the rigorous and accelerated curriculum provided through the ALO program.
Requirements to
become a certified program include the following.
1. Meet with Advanced Learning Administration to
discuss the certification process. This can happen at any time
during the school year. This meeting could include the BLT and/or
the building staff.
2. Hold staff meetings with Advanced Learning to discuss current practices for meeting the needs of advanced learners. This discussion includes an analysis of the service delivery model and the extent to which curriculum is accelerated and rigorous in content. For buildings that already provide a program, discussions focus primarily on analyzing current practice and identifying areas of strength and those needing strengthening. For buildings new to Advanced Learning, professional development is typically provided to staff. The professional development focuses on the nature and needs of students who are academically gifted/highly gifted as well as advanced learners, and curricular, assessment, and instructional practices for best serving student learning and social/emotional needs. This can happen at any time during the school year.
3. Develop an ALO Committee that includes staff and parents working together to formulate a certification document called the ALO Plan. This can happen at any time during the school year, but if the goal is to provide the program during the next school year, buildings are encouraged to complete this and the remaining tasks no later than mid-September to make the mid-October enrollment date.
The certification document includes three components: model description; "Best Practice" strategies used to differentiation and accelerate math/reading; and enrichment opportunities
4. Complete
an ALO Plan that reflects the three components which include:
ALO model; ALO strategies for acceleration; and enrichment
opportunities. Students are identified for acceleration in reading
and math. The ALO Plan should reflect the differentiation
strategies used to accelerate these two content areas. The ALO Plan
can include other content areas if a school chooses. Advanced
Learning provides support throughout this process. This plan can
happen at any time during the school year, but if the goal is to
provide the program during the next school year, buildings are
encouraged to complete this and the remaining tasks no later than
mid-October.
5. Advanced Learning Team interview and site
observation. Advanced Learning visits the schools and
interviews team members. The interview and site observation can
happen at any time during the school year, but if the goal is to
provide the program during the next school year, buildings are
encouraged to complete this no later than mid-September.
6. Review of ALO Plan by Advanced Learning Team. Advanced Learning staff and central administrators review materials. The ALO plan should include the service model, strategies used and enrichment opportunities offered. The Advanced Learning Team makes the final determination of certification and next steps. This review can happen at any time during the school year, but if the goal is to provide the program during the next school year, the certification team needs to receive this information mid-September to allow time for the information to be analyzed and submitted for the enrollment guide in early October.
Program Certification
updated
4/18/2008