AACPS harnesses the strengths of its diverse community and builds on a robust academic foundation to foster sate, joyful learning environments where students explore opportunities, discover their passions, and develop their skills. 

The purpose of the ALPs Office is to empower educators and parents to provide meaningful opportunities for limitless student growth. The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) states, “Gifted and talented students and those with high abilities need gifted education programs that will challenge them in regular classroom settings and enrichment and accelerated programs to enable them to make continuous progress in school.” The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) defines a gifted child as an elementary or secondary student who is identified by professionally qualified individuals as: 

•       having outstanding talent and performing, or showing the potential for performing, at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared to other students; 

•       exhibiting high performance capability in intellectual, creative, or artistic areas; 

•       possessing an unusual leadership capacity; and/or 

•       excelling in specific academic fields” 

MSDE further asserts, “Gifted and talented students are found in all Maryland schools and in all cultural, ethnic, and economic groups.” It is therefore a moral imperative that we identify and provide appropriately engaging, challenging instruction to all students, including those who are advanced or gifted. 

The Advanced Learner Programs (ALPs) provides every identified advanced/gifted student rigorous curricula. AACPS recognizes that advanced/gifted students are found in all schools and in all cultural, ethnic, and economic groups. AACPS conducts universal screening utilizing multiple indicators of giftedness, and is committed to reducing the underrepresentation of diverse learners in the Advanced Learner Program.