Fairfax County Academics

FCPS has a rich and diverse Advanced Academics Program (AAP), previously called Gifted and Talented (GT). The program encompasses grades 3-12 and provides many opportunities for acceleration, exploration, and enrichment. The County offers this through the following modes: subject-specific enrichment and acceleration options for grades 3-6, full-day advanced academic instruction for grades 3-8, honors classes for middle and high school, AP/IB classes at all FCPS high schools and for free through FCPS Online Campus, plus an advanced academic magnet school, Thomas Jefferson High School. There are also several programs with admission by lottery, including two magnet elementary schools for the Arts and Sciences.

Many people think of Level IV services as the Advanced Academic Program, even though AAP also offers Levels I-III in grades 3-6. Middle school advanced programs include Honors or AAP. Students may apply for Level IV services from the public or private school, though the time-line is different for public versus private. Students may apply for Level IV services at any time through Spring of their 8th grade. For the purposes of FCPS accounting, students who take all-honors courses in middle school are considered to be receiving Level IV services; however, at an AAP center, there are AAP classes that are not open to all students.

Elementary School Programs

Students are eligible for the FCPS Advanced Academic Program in grades 3 through 8.

Middle School Programs

Some Fairfax County middle schools are grades 7-8, while others are grades 6-8. Students in these grades are still eligible for services offered through the FCPS Advanced Academic Program .

The full-time advanced academic program (Level IV) services is available to anyone who qualifies for Level IV services.

AAP classes are offered in middle school AAP centers in the subjects English, History, and Science. There is no AAP Math in 7th and 9th grade.

The Middle Years Program is available at some schools.

Honors courses have open enrollment for students in grades 7-8. The exception to this is mathematics; the level of mathematics available to students upon entering middle school is determined by testing, teacher and parent input typically during the spring and summer before 7th grade. Taking all honors courses in middle school is also considered a Level IV service.

Data on middle school math acceleration can be found here.