Advance Learner Programs and Services (ALPS)
Advanced learners are students who benefit from instruction that challenges and extends their learning beyond the core curriculum. These are students who typically score at the highest percentile ranking on screeners and assessments.
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Programs and Services
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We give the CogAT assessment to all 3rd-grade students to assess their verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal reasoning skills. The results of this test help us identify students with advanced capabilities.
Those who qualify can use the Renzulli Learning program. This program provides a personalized, project-based, learning environment. Classroom teachers also differentiate their instruction to meet the needs of advanced learners. Some examples of differentiated instruction include:
- Providing opportunities for independent and group projects
- Accelerated curriculum options
- Other tailored learning experiences.
Some sites may offer additional before/after school opportunities for students
Each site has an ALPS liaison who works with staff to share information and support their needs. At the district office, we have a team that provides support to school staff around differentiating and meeting the needs of advanced learners. Please contact your classroom teacher if further support is needed.
FAQs
1. How did my child qualify for ALPS?
NVUSD screens all 3rd graders (and those students new to NVUSD in 4th and 5th grade) for advanced learner services through a screener called CogAT. The CogAT is a cognitive abilities screening test that helps us to identify students who could qualify for advanced programming. We use this screener to identify students who qualify to then take the complete CogAT assessment. Students who meet the scoring criteria will then qualify for ALPS (Advanced Learner Programs and Services) in NVUSD.
2. What services/activities can I expect my child to experience in the ALPS program?
The following are examples of how we meet the needs of advanced learners throughout the school day. Our goal is to keep students engaged and excited about their learning in their classrooms, with enrichment and differentiated learning opportunities provided by the teacher. Learning Opportunities for students who qualify for ALPS may include:
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Acceleration and enrichment in the classroom: Students are given opportunities throughout the day to go deeper into grade-level content, extend learning to follow their own passions and interests, participate in individual and group projects, work on higher-level thinking activities and tasks, work on alternative assignments when content is mastered, and more.
"Renzulli Learning Website: Renzulli Learning is an interactive online system that provides students with a personalized learning environment, allowing teachers to easily differentiate instruction to increase engagement and achieve higher academic performance. Renzulli Learning has resources that promote and enable ALL students to pursue their interests, providing equity, innovation and creativity for grades Pre-K through 12. Students are empowered by doing creative, imaginative projects that provide rigorous learning outcomes. The Renzulli Profiler quickly identifies student strengths, interests, learning and expression styles and then matches each student with thousands of personalized engaging Enrichment Activities. Renzulli Learning features robust student grouping which supports our revolutionary strength-based Project Based Learning (PBL) system." (Renzulli.com)
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Some sites also offer lunchtime, after-school classes, or other opportunities for students.
Resources
Contacts
District Support
Kirsten Gerhardt
District Academic Specialist, ALPS District Support
Matthew Manning
Curriculum, Instruction, and English Learner Services - Elemenary, ALPS District Support
Fabiola Rodriguez-Aguilar
Curriculum, Instruction, and English Learner Services - Elemenary, ALPS District Support