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SSA Parent Information

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What is Single Subject Acceleration (SSA)?

Single Subject Acceleration (SSA) is the practice of placing a student in a higher-grade level in one subject area. This type of acceleration is for the purpose of providing access to appropriately challenging learning opportunities in either Math or English Language Arts.

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Who can be tested for SSA?

Current Kindergarten through 7th grade students

Requests for SSA testing comes from parents

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Who is eligible to be tested for SSA? Any Wake County Public School System student currently in Kindergarten through 7th grade can have their parent request testing for single subject acceleration in one subject area only. The only reason a 7th grade student might take the SSA test in math would be if the student is in 7th grade Math and NOT in 7 plus, but the student wants to test to be able to take Math 1 during the following school year.

No student can skip Math 1.

Teachers may also request single subject testing for a student but a parent must give permission for the student to be tested. The SSA testing window is the only time during the school year that a child can be tested for SSA. Single Subject Acceleration classes will start the following school year. More information specifically on middle school placement for SSA will be discussed in more detail as we go through the presentation.

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SSA Process from Test Request to Results

Parent communicates to the necessary school members they want to have their student(s) tested for SSA.

Test Request

SSA test requests can only be submitted during the test request windows for that school. Schools prepare for testing.

Students test on a computer while in the school building during the Testing Window. All testing must take place in the building.

Testing

Schools wait for final results from Advance Learning Services.

Schools share results with parents.

Results

Results will be used to plan instruction for the following school year.

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Request and Testing Windows

SSA Test Request Windows

Testing Windows

Test Requests will NOT be accepted after the window has closed.

Leadership Academies: Feb. 21 - Mar. 5	Modified: Feb. 21 - Mar. 5
Year Round Tracks 1 and 3: Feb. 21 - Mar. 5	Year Round Track 4: Mar. 11 - Mar. 22
Year Round Track 2: Apr. 1 - Apr. 12	Traditional: Apr. 1 - Apr. 12

Leadership Academies, Modified, YR Tracks 1 and 3: April 1 - April 12
Traditional, YR Tracks 2 and 4: April 22 - May 6

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Test Request Form

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SSA and ELA

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SSA ELA Assessments

Student Current Grade Level	Grade/ Course Requesting to Skip	Assessment used to Qualify	Assessment Format	Qualifying Criteria
Kindergarten	1^st Grade ELA	MClass	An in-person written response assessment.	MClass Maze score of 14.5 and proficient (level 4) on written response.
1st Grade	2^nd Grade ELA	Grade 2 Assessment	All assessments for students that are in grades 1st - 7th are multiple choice with a written response.	.
2nd Grade	3^rd Grade ELA	Grade 3 Assessment
3rd Grade	4^th Grade ELA	Grade 4 Assessment
4th Grade	5^th Grade ELA	Grade 5 Assessment
5th Grade	6^th Grade ELA	Grade 6 Assessment
6th Grade	7^th Grade ELA	Grade 7 Assessment
7th Grade	8th Grade ELA	Grade 8 Assessment

In English/Language Arts all students must earn >85% correct on Acceleration Assessment AND score proficient (level 4) on scored writing prompt for elementary school. Middle school students must score proficient (level 3) on a writing prompt.

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SSA Testing - Middle School ELA Example

A student must test and show mastery of the content area that they desire to skip.

For example:

A 6th grade student takes a 7th grade ELA assessment
If a 6th grade student passes the ELA assessment, the student will attend an 8th grade ELA class for ELA

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Looking Down the Road...ELA

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After qualifying for SSA in ELA, the student’s trajectory of ELA courses will change.

For students in grades K-3 the school will place them in the face to face at the school level.

The pattern changes when fourth grade students skip fifth grade.

Let’s look at our chart

first red circle: Students who are in 4th grade, and qualify to skip 5th grade ELA will be enrolled in an online asynchronous 6th grade course during their 5th grade year. These students will then take the Grade 7 and 8 ELA courses face to face in their middle school during their 6th and 7th grade. During 8th grade, students will enroll in EITHER English I (NCVPS) or Creative Writing (NCVPS) for a year-long course. Students must choose one of these two courses only.

Click to second red circle: Students who are currently in grade 5 and qualify to skip 6th grade ELA will be enrolled in the Grade 7 ELA course during their 6th grade year. Grade 7 and 8 ELA courses are face to face in their middle school during their 6th and 7th grade school year. During 8th grade, students will enroll in EITHER English I (NCVPS) or Creative Writing (NCVPS) for a year-long course. Students must choose one of these two courses only.

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SSA ELA

SSA ELA Trajectory

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First red circle: Current 6th graders who qualify to skip 7th grade ELA will enroll in the Grade 8 course face to face in their middle school during their 7th grade year. During the students 7th grade year, they will enroll in EITHER English I (NCVPS) or Creative Writing (NCVPS) for a year-long course. Students must only choose one of these two courses.

Click to second red circle: Current 7th graders who qualify to skip 8th grade ELA will enroll in EITHER English I (NCVPS) or Creative Writing (NCVPS) for a year-long course during their 8th grade year. Students must choose one of these two courses only.

Click to blue circle: Once students have completed Grade 8 ELA courses, the succession of courses may vary and are contingent on the high school in which the student will be attending. Some courses may not be available and/or may be limited.

Upper- level English courses include complex texts and mature thematic content. When making decisions regarding acceleration, students and parents are advised to consider the age and maturity in relation to the content of these courses.

While students will be able to complete all basic graduation requirements in English prior to Grade 12, students and parents should be aware that most selective universities look for four years of increasingly complex high school English study on applicants’ transcripts. In addition, most high schools elect to keep the students in their grade appropriate ELA course in order to facilitate communications to the class (freshmen, sophomores,etc). For most schools, the accelerated ELA option is the creative writing course. Please reach out to your high school to learn more about their placement options and practices.

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SSA and Math

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SSA Math Assessments

Student Current Grade Level	Grade/ Course Requesting to Skip	Assessment used to Qualify	Assessment Format	Qualifying Criteria
Kindergarten	1^st Grade Math	1^st Grade NCDPI Summative Math Assessment	Individual constructed response tasks, created by NCDPI	Student receives a 3 (proficient) on each assessment task (will be reviewed by centralized team)
1st Grade	2^nd Grade Math	Grade 2 Assessment	Multiple choice and gridded response items with both calculator active and inactive sections.	>80% correct on Acceleration Assessment
2nd Grade	3^rd Grade Math	Grade 3 Assessment
3rd Grade	4^th Grade Math	Grade 4 Assessment
4th Grade	5^th Grade Math	Grade 5 Assessment
5th Grade	6 PLUS Math	6 PLUS Assessment
6th Grade and 7th Grade	7 PLUS Math	7 PLUS Assessment

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SSA Testing - Elementary Math Example

A student must test and show mastery of the content area that they desire to skip.

For example:

a 3rd grade student takes a 4th grade Math assessment for SSA
If mastery is shown on the SSA assessment for 4th grade Math, the third grader will take the fifth grade Math course during their fourth grade year

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SSA Math Trajectory

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Math Sequence Options

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This slide illustrates the math sequence options that are traditionally used at the high school level represented by 4 years of study. You can see the various starting points as you view rows A-G. You would need to estimate which course your student would be in during year 1.

For example, if they are in NC Math 2 during Year 1 you would view rows D, E, or F to view the possible course sequence options.

If, for example, the student will be in Math 3 during Year 1, view row G to view the possible course sequence options. These are typical course sequences but are not all possible scenarios. Contact your projected high school to learn more about the courses offered.

Key to chart:

Grey shaded box indicates the last course the student must complete to satisfy graduation requirements.

Courses in bold font indicate a math credit.

Courses not in bold font indicate an elective credit.

* AP Statistics may be taken in the same year as Precalculus.

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Waiver Process

Different placement:

Parents can request a higher or lower placement
Process:

Complete the waiver form and return it to your current school principal.

The principal reviews all waiver requests.
For additional information please read the Math Placement Guidelines

Please direct additional questions about math placement to the school counselor.

**Waivers cannot be submitted to SKIP courses. In order to SKIP courses, students must go through the Single Subject Acceleration (SSA) process.**

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SSA Results

SSA contact will communicate results

SSA services will not take place until the next school year

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SSA Considerations and Reflections

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SSA - Is it the right fit for my child?

Qualifies for SSA

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Is my child a good candidate for SSA?

Smart

Quick learner

Possess innate content knowledge

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Is my child a good candidate for SSA?

Consider your child’s social and emotional maturity.

Your child may be taking classes with peers who may be older.

Consider your child’s organizational skills and ability to focus.

Can your child begin or complete projects by themselves?

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Is my child a good candidate for SSA?

Your child will be skipping an entire year’s worth of content and background knowledge.

The AIG teacher and homeroom teachers are not responsible for covering any content your child skipped as a result of receiving SSA services.

If your child qualifies for SSA in Math or ELA in elementary or middle school, some courses take place online asynchronous. During the school day, students participate independently in these online courses. These courses are taught asynchronously.

SSA may result in a different class schedule. To accommodate your child's academic needs, the school may assign your child a nontraditional schedule. The final decision about scheduling will be made by the principal at each school.

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Parent Reflection

Have I had conversations about the need for skipping a whole grade level content with my child’s teacher?

How is my child currently performing in the subject area where I might request acceleration?

Have I considered what SSA might look like and mean for my child in future grades?

Do all conversations and data indicate that my child has a need for skipping a year’s worth of content in order to receive access to rigorous curriculum or challenging curriculum?

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Summary

Single Subject Acceleration is for Wake County Public Schools students in Kindergarten through 7th grade.

A student is not allowed to skip Math 1 through the SSA program. Math 1 would be part of the CDM process.

Complete the test request form by the end of the test request window assigned to your child’s school.

Students can test in one subject area only (ELA or math)

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Summary

The 2nd grade-7th grade math assessments have multiple choice and open ended question types

First grade math assessment has individual constructed response items

The ELA assessment has a written portion as well as multiple choice reading assessment.

Consider how Single Subject Acceleration will affect your child’s educational career for high school and college.

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Contact

XXX Elementary/Middle School

SSA Coordinator

Name

email

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