LITERACY

MATH

Assessment Criteria

i-Ready Reading Diagnostic: Student is at or above the 95th percentile.

IAR (4th - 8th grade students): Student has a Proficient or Above Proficient overall score.

Standards-Based Grading: Student is meeting all grade level standards in ELA. 

i-Ready Math Diagnostic: Student is at or above the 95th percentile.

IAR (4th - 8th grade students): Student has a Proficient or Above Proficient overall score.

Standards-Based Grading: Student is meeting all grade level standards in ELA. 

Additional Considerations

Additional data may be gathered and considered to determine a student’s readiness for acceleration.  This may include but is not limited to data from performance-based assessments, end-of-year content assessments, and writing samples. 

Single - Subject Acceleration Methods

In many instances, a student might receive acceleration through curriculum compacting.  This is an instructional technique specifically designed to make appropriate curricular adjustments for students in any curricular area following pre-assessments of the student’s knowledge.  Classroom teachers may do this in ELA by providing instruction in grade level standards but through the use of higher-level reading materials or in Math through small-group instruction and enrichment opportunities.  AIM (Advancing Inquiry and Meaning) teachers may also provide enrichment support to students in both ELA and Math. 

For students for whom compacting curriculum is not enough, off-grade participation in ELA or Math class is an option (i.e. a 5th grader attending a 6th grade math class).  Consideration must be given to the student’s dispositions and readiness to interact with older students. Consideration must also be given to the impact of this on the other portions of the student’s school day. 

Single - Subject Acceleration Process

Step 1: 

Parents/Guardian requests for acceleration must be made through submission of the Acceleration Request - Math/ELA form to the building principal.  These requests are accepted for potential placement within the school year. 

Step 2: 

The building principal will assemble the school’s Strategy Development Team, including the classroom teacher and AIM teacher, to conduct a record review for the child.  The team will look at the most recent assessment scores as well as the child’s history of scores in order to determine if additional assessments or information is necessary to make a fully informed decision as to eligibility. 

Step 3: 

The building principal will schedule an appointment with the parents/guardians to discuss findings.  If the decision is to accelerate the child in the requested subject area, the method of acceleration will be dependent on the grade level of the child and the recommendation of the Strategy Development Team.

Whole Grade Acceleration Process

If the child’s age is younger than the requested grade level age requirement, and the child has not completed the age-based grade, the following process is to be followed:

Step 1:

Pre-requisite Paperwork: The child must be registered with Skokie School District 68 and provide proof of residency at the time of application.   

Step 2:

Parent/Guardian requests for acceleration must be made through submission of the  Acceleration Request - Whole Grade form.  The application deadline is May 1 for the upcoming school year and is submitted to the building principal. No applications will be accepted after that date. 

In addition to the form submission, the following records must be submitted as artifacts of the student’s learning: 

• Achievement scores for the previous two school years (i.e. NWEA Math/Reading, i-Ready Math/Reading Diagnostic, Illinois Assessment of Readiness, Illinois Science Assessment, etcetera)
• Report cards for the previous two school years
• Any other assessments or reports relevant to the student’s academic or intellectual standing

Step 3: 

The building principal will schedule an appointment to discuss the request. Meeting participants shall include the principal, the child’s parents/guardians and the school psychologist.  The parent must ensure that the principal has received the required academic reports listed in Step 2  prior to the appointment. 

Step 4:

If determined to be necessary, the principal will schedule an appointment for the administration of any necessary assessments.  The child must be made available for testing prior to the start of the school year so that appropriate placement can be made for the school year.  If the district is unable to test the child and determine placement prior to two weeks before the start of school, the child will not be grade accelerated for that school year. 

The principal will confer with the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services and will then contact the child’s parents to convey the decision made.  This decision is final. 

If the child’s age is younger than the requested grade level age requirement, and the child has completed the age-based grade (in another school system or country, or through homeschooling) the following process is to be followed:

Step 1:

Pre-requisite Paperwork: The child must be registered with Skokie School District 68 and provide proof of residency at the time of application.   

Step 2:

Parent/Guardian requests for acceleration must be made through submission of the  Acceleration Request - Whole Grade form to the Data Services Support Specialist.  There is no application deadline for this request. However, the district reserves the right to refuse the request if it is made too close to the start of the school year leaving little time for a proper review of the student’s records. 

In addition to the form submission, the following records must be submitted as artifacts of the student’s learning or the request will not be considered:

• Report cards for the previous two school years
• Documentation from the school system regarding the curriculum taught in the child’s previous two years of school 
• Assessment results for the previous two school years
• Documentation of a home school student’s academic progress must be provided, information about the curriculum used during homeschooling, and any other pertinent information about the student is required

Step 3:

The Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services will review the child’s records, which must indicate successful completion of the age-based grade in order for whole grade acceleration to occur.  The Assistant Superintendent will confer with the child’s building principal and will inform the parent/guardian of the decision. 

Kindergarten Criteria

Application Criteria

Placement Criteria

Birth Date Requirement:

The student must turn five (5) years old by September 30 of the upcoming school year. 

Application Deadline:

The early entrance request must be submitted by April 1*. 

*For families moving into the school district boundaries after April 1, applications will be accepted but the district may not be able to fulfill the request for the upcoming school year though efforts will be made to do so.  

The student must demonstrate developmental readiness—showing appropriate cognitive, social-emotional, and physical skills that indicate they will thrive in the kindergarten learning environment. Observations of the student and developmental screening assessments will occur in order to make a determination as to the student’s readiness for kindergarten.

Kindergarten Process

Step 1:

1. Pre-requisite Paperwork: The child must be registered with Skokie School District 68 and provide proof of residency at the time of application.   
2. The application criteria must be met (birthdate and application deadline). 

Step 2:

Parent/Guardian requests for acceleration must be done through submission of the Acceleration Request - Early Entrance to Kindergarten form, along with  any additional data or artifacts for consideration. 

Step 3: 

The building principal will schedule an appointment by May 1st which shall include the child’s parents/guardians and the school psychologist.  The parent must ensure that the school has received the Acceleration Request form and any accompanying data prior to the appointment.  A review of these records will determine what additional readiness assessments will be necessary.  

Step 4:

In most cases, a developmental assessment will occur, to ensure the child has the necessary school readiness skills and dispositions to be successful. The parent shall make the child available before the end of the current school year for this purpose.

Step 5:

The principal will confer with the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services and will then contact the child’s parents to convey the decision made.  This decision is final. 

Should a student be placed in kindergarten, the first 30 days of school will serve as a probationary period. The school team will call a meeting with the parent during that period if the child displays a lack of readiness for kindergarten.  A course of action will be determined which might include unenrolling the student from kindergarten altogether.  

First Grade Criteria

Application Criteria

Placement Criteria

Birth Date Requirement:

The student must turn six (6) years old by December 31 of the upcoming school year. 

Application Deadline:

The early entrance request must be submitted by August 1.

Students who HAVE completed kindergarten from a private school: 

If a student attended a non-public preschool and kindergarten and was taught in kindergarten by an appropriately licensed teacher, the student may be allowed to attend first grade, as long as the student will be six (6) years old on or before December 31 of that school year. The parent/guardian will be required to submit a letter from the private school ensuring the teacher’s licensure. 

Students who HAVE completed kindergarten from a public school:

If a student completed kindergarten in a public school, the student will be allowed to attend first grade. The parent/guardian will be required to submit the student’s report card showing successful completion of the full year of kindergarten. 

Students who have NOT completed kindergarten or students who completed homeschool kindergarten:

The student must demonstrate scores at or above the 70th percentile in the i-Ready Math and Reading Diagnostic assessment.   These scores will be looked at from a Fall norms perspective.  Additionally, observations of the student and developmental screening assessments may be required to occur to make a determination as to the student’s readiness for first grade.

First Grade Process

Step 1:

Pre-requisite Paperwork: The child must be registered with Skokie School District 68 and provide proof of residency at the time of application.   

The application criteria must be met (birthdate and application deadline). 

Step 2:

Parent/Guardian requests for acceleration must be done through submission of the Acceleration Request - Early Entrance to First Grade form to the building principal, along with  any additional data or artifacts for consideration. 

If the student completed kindergarten in a private school,  the request form must be accompanied by a letter from the private school ensuring the appropriate licensure of the kindergarten teacher.  

If the student completed kindergarten in a public school, the request form must be accompanied by the student’s report card showing successful completion of the full year of kindergarten. 

If the student has completed homeschool kindergarten , the request form must be accompanied by documentation of the kindergarten curriculum used, any assessments available, and the academic progress of the student.  

Step 3: 

The building principal will review the application and the student’s prior schooling experiences.  The building principal will communicate with the parent/guardian if the review of the application and accompanying records indicate that accelerated placement can occur or if district assessments are necessary to gather information about a student’s readiness for first grade. 

Step 4: If district assessments are required, the parent/guardian must make the student available for testing in early August.  Upon results of the assessments, the building principal will determine if the student has shown readiness for early entrance into kindergarten and will communicate the decision to the parent/guardian.