A subcommittee of the ALP Implementation Team investigated a variety of gifted programs in local school districts and attended the Illinois Association of Gifted Children (IAGC) Conference. Our findings indicated that although some districts still use a pull-out model for advanced learners, many others are moving towards a push-in model. A push-in model reflects best practices in education. This model supports not only advanced learners, but also students in the general population. The Total School Cluster Grouping model was found to have the most positive impact on advanced students and the entire school. This model is inclusive of all learners as there are no limits to the number of students that can be identified.
Students will be supported in a variety of ways including cluster groupings, push-in support, personalized assignments or projects, co-teaching, and/or differentiated work taught by grade level classroom and/or ALP teachers. The delivery of the services may look different from grade to grade and may change based on the needs of the students and the school. Each building will determine the best way to meet the needs of the students in each grade.