Grades 2-5 Advanced Academic Placement

We conduct the advanced placement identification process every year for elementary school students.

• Grade 2: Identification occurs mid-year, pending fall and winter screening results.
• Grades 3–5: Identification occurs annually. It's based on FastBridge data from the previous school year.

Identification pathways

First Measure

• Students measure at or above the 97th national percentile on two of the three yearly FastBridge assessments.
• The district notifies families of students who qualify.

Second Measure

• Students in grades 2 through 5:
  • Measure at or above the 97th percentile on one of the three FastBridge scores during the year, and
  • Measure within one Standard Error of Measurement (SEM) of the 97th percentile on at least one other score of the year.
• Students in grades 4 and 5 also receive a CogAT score of 135 or higher on:
  • The Verbal strand (Reading), or
  • Combined Quantitative/Nonverbal strands (Math).
• The district invites eligible families. Parents must formally reply to accept.

Read about FastBridge and CogAT assessments

Standard Error of Measurement (SEM)

• No test is a perfect snapshot; scores fluctuate based on daily variables.
• The SEM accounts for this by acting as a statistical margin of error.
• We use the SEM to give students who consistently score just below the automatic cut-off a chance to qualify.

Learn about the process for requesting placement