AAP Continuum of Services
Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) Elementary Continuum of Services
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) offers a continuum of advanced academic services for all students in Grades K-8. Learning experiences are designed to develop higher-level thinking through enrichment, acceleration, and extension of the Program of Studies (POS). Teachers, administrators, and Advanced Academic Resource Teachers (AARTs) work together to provide the following levels of services.
Critical and Creative Thinking Lessons, Grades K-6 (Level I)
Level I services are provided to all students in Kindergarten through Grade 6 and consist of lessons designed to teach critical and creative thinking skills. Strategies are modeled in all classrooms by AARTs and are used throughout the year by classroom and other teachers. Student responses to these lessons are used as part of the identification process for Levels II-IV. Parents may also practice these strategies during family conversations and activities. Because Level I services are for all FCPS students, there is not a screening process.
Differentiated Lessons in Areas of Academic Strength, Grades K-6 (Level II)
Level II services are available for students in Kindergarten through Grade 6 for students with strength in a specific subject area. The AART collaborates with classroom teachers to provide additional challenges using materials from the AAP curriculum framework for Levels II-IV to extend and enrich in the subject area strength. Screening for this level of service is ongoing throughout the school year.
- To have your student screened for Level II services, complete the AAP School-Based Referral Form on the FCPS public website.
Part-Time Advanced Academic Programs, Grades 3-6 (Level III)
Level III services are available for students in Grades 3-6 who are eligible for part-time direct services from the AART. Students are identified by a screening committee at the local school. The AART uses materials from the AAP curriculum framework for Levels II-IV in the four core subject areas through either a weekly pull-out class or weekly co-teaching model with the classroom teacher. Screening for this level of service is ongoing throughout the school year.
- To have your student screened for Level III services, complete the Level III AAP School-Based referral form.
Full-Time Advanced Academic Programs Level IV Services, Grades 3-8 (Level IV)
Level IV services are available for students found eligible through a central selection process. The program is available in Grades 3-8. Eligible students use curriculum from the AAP Curriculum Framework for Levels II-IV in the four academic subject areas on a full-time basis. A referral form may be turned in from the first day of school until the published deadline.
Screening for Level IV Services Occurs During Specific Screening Cycles:
Fall screening is held for students who are new to FCPS and have been referred
Spring screening is held for any FCPS-enrolled student who has been referred
- View the Level IV referral form on the FCPS public website.
- View additional information about the holistic screening process and information used for screening.
Middle and High School AAP
Additional information about middle and high school services may be found on the Advanced Academic Programs web page: