All About ALP

Greenwich Public Schools provides a K-12 continuum of advanced learning opportunities. In the elementary schools, these services are provided through the Advanced Learning Program; in middle school, through advanced courses and pathways; and at Greenwich High School, through Honors, Advanced Placement, and other opportunities for advanced and accelerated study.

ALP is designed to respond to students' demonstrated academic learning needs. Its purpose is to provide the appropriate level of challenge, develop sophisticated thinking, and support continuous academic growth.

Students’ strengths and learning needs develop over time. A student may demonstrate advanced learning needs in one subject but not another. ALP placement is therefore subject-specific, with multiple opportunities for consideration.

Advanced Learning in Kindergarten and Grade 1

In kindergarten and Grade 1, advanced learning needs are addressed primarily through differentiated classroom instruction. Teachers provide opportunities for students to explore ideas in greater depth, apply sophisticated reasoning, and extend their learning when they demonstrate readiness for additional challenge. These early classroom experiences also help teachers observe how students think, learn, and respond to increasingly complex tasks.

Grade 2 Enrichment

Grade 2 uses an enrichment model in reading and mathematics. The classroom teacher remains each student's primary reading and mathematics teacher.

Classroom and ALP teachers work collaboratively to provide grade-level experiences that develop and reveal students' reasoning, problem-solving, and critical-thinking abilities. Students placed in Grade 2 enrichment receive two hours of enrichment each week in each subject in which they are placed—reading, mathematics, or both—with an emphasis on greater depth, complexity, and challenge.

Grade 2 enrichment is intended to nurture and respond to emerging advanced learning needs; it does not predetermine placement in Grades 3-5.

ALP in Grades 3 to 5

In Grades 3, 4, and 5, ALP provides subject-specific advanced instruction in reading, mathematics, and science. In reading and mathematics, ALP uses a content-replacement model, and the ALP teacher becomes the student's primary teacher for the subject in which the student is placed. Science is provided through an enrichment model.

Instruction may be advanced, accelerated, or both:

• Advanced instruction provides greater depth, complexity, and breadth while developing sophisticated reasoning and disciplinary thinking.
• Accelerated instruction introduces content earlier or moves through curriculum at a faster pace when doing so appropriately matches students' readiness and learning needs.

Placement is subject-specific. A student may participate in ALP in one or more academic areas, and students have multiple opportunities to enter advanced learning pathways as their strengths and needs develop.

Continuing the Advanced Learning Pathway

In middle school, students may participate in advanced coursework and pathways in English, mathematics, science, and interdisciplinary seminar. At Greenwich High School, students have access to a broad range of Honors and Advanced Placement courses, as well as additional opportunities for advanced and accelerated study.

Movement through this continuum is based on readiness and demonstrated learning needs. Elementary ALP placement does not automatically determine a student's entire K-12 pathway, nor is elementary ALP placement required for later participation in advanced courses.

The purpose of the ALP placement process is to identify students' specific academic learning needs and match them with the appropriate level and type of instruction.

Greenwich uses multiple measures and placement pathways rather than a single test-score cutoff. The placement team considers a body of evidence that may include measures of reasoning ability and achievement, performance tasks, classroom work, teacher observations, and information provided by families.

The goal is to identify students whose current learning needs require greater depth, complexity, pace, or advanced content than classroom instruction can reasonably provide.

Students develop at different rates, and academic strengths may emerge at different points in their school careers. Greenwich Public Schools therefore provides multiple opportunities for students to be considered for advanced and accelerated learning throughout their K-12 experience.

Informational Videos and Transcripts

Understanding Grade 2 Advanced Learning Placement Process

Watch the video | Read the transcript (PDF)

Understanding Elementary ALP Placement Process

Watch the video | Read the transcript (PDF)

Frequently Asked Questions

Grade 2 Enrichment Placement FAQ

Grades 3-5 ALP Placement FAQ

Questions About ALP Placement?

Have questions after watching the video and reading the FAQ? Join an optional virtual Q&A session with the ALP leadership team. These sessions are devoted entirely to answering families’ questions; there is no presentation or new information. Choose the morning or evening time that works best for you.

Grade 2 Enrichment — Parent Q&A

November 10, 2026

• 9:30 AM
• 7:00 PM

Grades 3–5 ALP Placement — Parent Q&A

February 16, 2027

• 9:30 AM
• 7:00 PM

Spanish interpretation is available upon request.

Families see aspects of their children that may not always be visible at school, including their interests, curiosity, creativity, persistence, problem-solving, and engagement with particular topics.

Parent input is one part of the multiple-measures placement process and helps the team develop a more complete understanding of each student’s learning profile. We strongly encourage families to share their observations. Every student is considered for Reading and Math through universal screening, whether or not a family submits a Parent Input Form.

For Grades 3–5 Science placement, testing is elective. Families should complete the Science testing question on the Parent Input Form to request that assessment.

To share additional information for Grade 2 enrichment during the 2026–2027 school year, please complete the ALP Parent Input Form by Wednesday, November 25 so the team can consider your observations at the Building Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting.

To share additional information for Grades 3–5 ALP placement for the 2027–2028 school year, please complete the Parent Input and Science Testing Request Form by Friday, February 19 so schools have time to complete any requested Science assessments and teams can consider your observations at the Building Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting.

• Families whose child is recommended for placement: Will receive an email with placement information regardless of whether they submitted the Parent Form.
• Families who submit the Parent Input Form: Will receive an email communicating the final decision, whether or not their child is recommended for placement.

• Families who do NOT submit the Parent Input Form: Will receive an email only if their child is recommended for placement. If your child is not recommended, you will not receive an email notification.

Supporting Growth Over Time for All Learners

Families often ask two very reasonable questions:

• Should I be worried if my child is not placed in ALP in the early grades?
• If my child is an early high achiever, should they always be accelerated as much as possible?

Learning and potential develop over time. There is no single right timeline or pathway for every child.

If Your Child Is Not Placed in the Early Grades

Early placement does not determine a child's long-term potential or success. Some students do not stand out early on standardized measures, develop at different rates across subjects, or show their strengths more clearly as academic demands increase. Others need time, experience, or confidence before their abilities become fully visible.

Not being placed in ALP early does not close doors. Students' needs are considered at different points using multiple measures, and advanced pathways remain open as strengths develop.

If Your Child Is an Early High Achiever

Early achievement is something to celebrate and also to approach thoughtfully. Students who excel early often benefit from opportunities to explore ideas in greater depth, a broad range of academic and creative experiences, appropriate challenge without unnecessary pressure, and time to develop persistence, flexibility, and productive learning habits.

Our goal is to match instruction to each student’s readiness and learning needs through an appropriate balance of depth, complexity, pace, and support while sustaining curiosity and engagement.

What Families Can Do

• Encourage curiosity, questioning, and exploration.
• Celebrate effort, growth, creativity, and problem-solving.
• Provide varied experiences without pressuring children to specialize.
• Help children view challenge and mistakes as part of learning.
• Keep learning joyful, balanced, and age-appropriate.

Families are always encouraged to contact their child's teachers or school team with questions about academic progress, learning needs, or opportunities for additional challenge.

A Final Reassurance

Children are continually developing—not fixed at the moment of a test or placement decision. No single assessment, placement, or point in a child's development defines that child's potential or future.

Our shared goal is to nurture confident, capable, and curious learners by providing the level and type of challenge they need to keep growing.

Greenwich Public Schools is committed to providing rigorous grade-level instruction that develops critical thinking and responds to a range of learners. Classroom teachers, curriculum coordinators, and ALP staff work together to ensure that students who are ready for additional challenge receive opportunities for appropriate depth, complexity, and extension.

In March 2024, the ALP leadership team presented information about how classroom teachers and program coordinators work together to support high-achieving and advanced learners in the grade-level classroom.

Watch the presentation

Read the transcript

The Connecticut State Department of Education provides district and state data as well as information about gifted and talented identification and services.

Connecticut Gifted and Talented Dashboard

Connecticut Gifted and Talented webpage

Greenwich Public Schools curriculum coordinators and ALP Facilitator Bonnie O'Regan work collaboratively to create a cohesive advanced-learning experience for students.

Please use the shared email address so your communication reaches the full leadership team and can be directed to the appropriate person.

Email: advancedlearning@greenwich.k12.ct.us

Website: Advanced Learning Program

Phone: (203) 625-7422

Administrative Assistant: Robyn Byron