Acceleration Frequently Asked Questions

All public school districts in Illinois are required by law to have an acceleration policy in place.

Acceleration is instruction and learning that focuses on standards, content and skills typically taught at a grade level higher than a student's current grade.

Single-subject acceleration places a student in the next highest grade-level class or course for a specific subject, either math or English language arts.

The student continues to attend their other classes or courses at their typical grade level.

Whole-grade acceleration places a student in the grade level immediately above the grade typically associated with the student's age. Acceleration applies to all subject areas and courses.

Acceleration is provided for students who meet the requirements outlined on the District 112 acceleration webpages.

• Elementary Single-Subject Acceleration
• Elementary Whole-Grade Acceleration
• Middle School Single-Subject Acceleration
• Middle School Whole-Grade Acceleration

If a student meets all criteria for acceleration, families are encouraged to consider several factors before making a decision, including:

• The potential for a less coordinated daily school schedule
• Peer and friendship dynamics
• The student's emotional needs and maturity
• Differences in physical and social-emotional development between the accelerated student and older peers
• Travel between schools, if applicable
• For whole-grade acceleration, the possibility that the student could graduate from high school at age 16 or 17

Developing a school schedule is a months-long process involving many factors, including the coordination of staff and resources.

Accelerated classes may not align perfectly with a student's typical grade-level schedule. For example, a Grade 4 student accelerated into Grade 5 math may not have math available at the same time as their Grade 4 peers.

Although schools work to minimize conflicts, acceleration may require a student to miss some instruction from other courses.

District 112's goal is to ensure that all families are aware of the acceleration process and their student's candidacy.

Families of students who demonstrate readiness for acceleration consideration based on a preliminary review of MAP performance results receive notification in February and an opportunity to complete an acceleration application for single-subject or whole-grade acceleration.

Families interested in acceleration consideration who did not receive an invitation may submit an Acceleration Parent/Guardian Request Form.

Submit an Acceleration Parent/Guardian Request Form

The established acceleration criteria remain the same. However, eligibility for further consideration also includes students who scored at or above the 99th percentile for the next grade level on at least one of their three most recent MAP assessments.

This allows the District to include the spring MAP assessment in its review. Once spring scores are available, the District will contact families who submitted a request to discuss next steps and any potential additional testing.

Illinois law requires school districts to use multiple valid and reliable assessments when evaluating students for acceleration.

District 112 also uses the triangulation of data as an important practice. NWEA MAP is not designed to serve as the sole indicator of a student's need for acceleration.

The additional assessments depend on the type of acceleration being considered and are outlined on the applicable District 112 acceleration webpage.

• Elementary Single-Subject Acceleration
• Elementary Whole-Grade Acceleration
• Middle School Single-Subject Acceleration
• Middle School Whole-Grade Acceleration

The required performance levels are designed to identify students who, based on District achievement and growth data, are likely to benefit from academic acceleration.

Although the cut scores may appear high, District 112 students have consistently outperformed national norms, and differentiation and enrichment within the general education classroom have regularly met the needs of high-readiness learners.

Cut scores and performance requirements are available on the applicable acceleration pages:

• Elementary Single-Subject Acceleration
• Elementary Whole-Grade Acceleration
• Middle School Single-Subject Acceleration
• Middle School Whole-Grade Acceleration

District 112 recognizes the dedication of students who pursue additional learning outside of school. However, external instruction may not always align with the depth of understanding required by the District's curriculum.

For example, a student may demonstrate mastery of a particular mathematical process without yet demonstrating the underlying conceptual understanding and critical-thinking skills needed for success at the next grade level.

The District's goal is to ensure that students demonstrate not only the ability to reach a correct result, but also the reasoning and understanding needed for sustained success in an accelerated placement.

Students with school-approved, documented accommodations will receive them throughout the accelerated placement testing process.

Families have four options:

• Whole-grade acceleration
• Single-subject acceleration in math
• Single-subject acceleration in English Language Arts
• No acceleration

Students placed into Grade 6 Advanced or Accelerated Math and Grade 6 Accelerated ELA have qualified for single-subject acceleration in those content areas. These courses include content typically reserved for students above their grade level.

This differs from whole-grade acceleration because the student remains with same-age peers for the remainder of the school day, including science, social studies, fine and applied arts, PE, lunch and recess.

Single-subject acceleration and whole-grade acceleration are separate placement options.

No. Schools must adhere to established deadlines because student placement affects scheduling, class sizes, staffing and other school operations. The District cannot accommodate late applications.

District 112's evaluation process uses multiple valid and reliable measures in accordance with Illinois law to determine the most appropriate placement for each student.

Because the process is comprehensive and data-driven, there is no formal appeals process.

The District remains committed to meeting each student's needs within their current placement through differentiated instruction and ongoing progress monitoring.

Due to developmental considerations, acceleration for students currently enrolled in kindergarten and first grade is reviewed on a case-by-case basis at the request of individual families.

The process mirrors the District's single-subject or whole-grade acceleration practices, including timelines and assessments.

For children seeking admission to kindergarten or first grade before the standard entrance age, please review the District's separate early entrance process.

Early Entrance to Kindergarten or First Grade