Advanced Coursework & Acceleration
At Inver Grove Heights Middle School, we emphasize academics as well as social-emotional development, core life skills, and career and college readiness so students are prepared for whatever lies ahead. While we support a sense of belonging and confidence in every student, our school and district missions also aim to provide rigor for all students, offering them pathways to push themselves academically.
The middle school’s efforts are focused on providing personalized instruction and expanding rigorous coursework opportunities to every student beyond what was provided in the previous two-tier honors/regular track system.
The Previous Two-Track System
The previous two-track system (honors and regular) provided all students with the exact same grade level standards and content. The only difference between regular and honors classes was that delivery was at a slightly different pace and it was taught within a different classroom. This model did not provide the challenge and early high school credit that academically advanced students needed, and it limited students in the regular classes from challenging themselves in courses of interest in middle school while also making them believe that they were not capable enough or allowed to take honors or other challenging classes once in high school.
The former tracking practice permanently assigned students to a particular level of instruction, with very little differentiation, beginning at age 11. That practice negatively affected student engagement, relationships, achievement, and efficacy. It did not challenge, empower, and support every student, which contradicts the IGHMS and ISD 199 missions.
Increased Rigor for All Students
IGHMS provides opportunities for all students to be challenged through differentiated learning and advanced coursework in core classes. Academically gifted students have expanded opportunities, including gifted and enrichment services with a dedicated Gifted and Talented Specialist, cluster grouping in classes with other identified gifted and advanced students, and subject acceleration with opportunities to earn early high school credit.
Opportunities for Identified-gifted IGHMS Students
Direct Services
IGHMS is proud to be one of a few surrounding middle schools to offer direct gifted and enrichment services to our students identified as gifted. Gifted students have the opportunity to meet with our ISD 199 Gifted and Talented Specialist during advisory. The specialist then works directly with teachers to support them in differentiating instruction, providing enrichment, and increasing rigorous learning opportunities for their gifted and advanced students.
Advanced Coursework
Advanced coursework is learning that is tailored to students. It provides instruction options at both standard and advanced levels. Instruction is provided in different formats, including large group, differentiated small group, and individual/independent learning. All IGHMS students engage in differentiated learning, projects, and assignments.
We offer advanced coursework because it challenges all students. They have earlier, risk-free opportunities to challenge themselves academically and are exposed to rigorous coursework before high school. The experience prepares them for the higher education levels and familiarizes them with the work and learning expectations of those levels.
When middle school students try something new, they build confidence that can lead to them choosing advanced, college-level courses at Simley High School based on their interests and goals.
Cluster Grouping
Cluster grouping is a strategy that intentionally groups about 3-8 students of similar academic talents into the same mixed-ability classroom with a teacher trained in differentiated instruction. IGHMS offers clustered subject acceleration for students who are academically gifted in math and/or English.
Research-proven benefits of cluster grouping include:
- reducing the range of student needs in a mixed-ability classroom
- providing opportunities for academically gifted students to learn from and interact with peers of the same ability as well as peers of different abilities on a regular basis
- improving achievement levels of all students
- positively impacting the cognitive, social, and affective needs of academically gifted students
Subject Acceleration
For students who are academically gifted in different subject areas, we offer subject acceleration with cluster grouping. We use multiple data points including Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs) and the FastBridge Learning system to help guide us in determining who is best qualified for this pathway. Students who consistently score at or above the 95th percentile may qualify for subject acceleration.
Subject acceleration includes the opportunity to advance to the content standards of the next grade level or beyond. Students may also earn early Simley High School credit in math and English Language Arts as well as some science classes.
- Click here for the ISD 199 English Course Sequences and Acceleration Options
- Click here for the ISD 199 Math Course Sequences and Acceleration Options
IGHMS students who subject accelerate in middle school and earn early high school credit have the opportunity to continue on that same pathway in Simley High School. They will often begin their 9th-grade year with 10th- or 11th-grade English and math courses, and they may earn more early college credit before they graduate from high school.
Students who open-enroll into Simley High School or students transferring from other middle schools may have transfer credits from their previous school or may need to participate in a Credit by Assessment process to qualify for acceleration at Simley High school.