Middle School Acceleration

Overview

Middle School acceleration is available in English Language Arts and Mathematics. These decisions are made carefully, and on an individual basis since these decisions will impact the rest of a student’s school career.

The Advanced English Language Arts Program is designed for students who excel in English and language arts. The literature program includes the development and application of critical thinking skills in the area of comprehension. Students read novels, short stories, and poetry and interpret their reading through discussion and written response. The advanced vocabulary-grammar study is a systematic approach focusing on Greek and Latin stems. Learning these stems requires the students to internalize meanings and learn a new way of thinking about the etymology of English words and their usage. The advanced students are expected to have mastered proper conventions of writing (grammar and punctuation) and are challenged to use their higher level thinking skills and new understanding of vocabulary to meet increased expectations in the genre writing curriculum as well as in research and technology-based projects. The intent of the Advanced English Language Arts Program is to engage students with a quicker pace and higher level materials.

6th Grade Advanced Math: One of the main goals of 6th grade advanced math is to build a strong foundation of mathematical knowledge to best prepare them for pre-algebra. The advanced math curriculum will be taught at an accelerated pace allowing for the supplementation of challenge exercises, problem solving, and equation solving practice.

7th Grade Pre-Algebra: In Pre-Algebra, students are introduced to the language of algebra, properties, equations and inequalities. They will apply linear algebra to problem solving with rational numbers, geometry, probability, data and statistics. Students are also be introduced to the set of real numbers, including Pythagorean Theorem, squares and square roots.

8th Grade Algebra: 8th Grade Algebra is an honors level high school algebra course that uses a traditional algebra curriculum. Students who do well in this class and pass the placement test administered in the spring will take an honors geometry course in high school during their freshman year.

8th Grade Geometry: 8th Grade Geometry is an honors level high school geometry course that uses a traditional geometry curriculum.

Requirements

District 26 has identified placement in accelerated courses as appropriate for students who are significantly advanced in literacy and/or math. To be eligible for acceleration, the student must have superior academic performance at their current grade level. Data is reviewed for all students as they enter middle school. Students that move in to district outside this window are considered on an individual basis.

Process

All fifth, sixth, and seventh graders are tested in the spring to determine their mathematics class placement for the next grade. The following criteria are used to determine placement:

  • MAP Scores Reading/Math
  • CoGAT
  • Classroom Performance
  • Writing Sample