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ADVANCED LEARNING PLANS (ALP)

ALP

The Advanced Learning Plan (ALP) is a legal document outlining programming for identified gifted students and is used as a guide for educational planning and decision-making. An ALP shall be developed for every gifted student according to the student’s determined area(s) of giftedness, interests, and instructional and affective needs.  The ALP is created once a student is formally identified as gifted.  See our GT identification page to begin this referral process for a student.

The student's ALP should be like a blueprint that maps out what students hope to learn and accomplish in their area of strength. By becoming autonomous with guidance from home and school the benefits are endless. When students become independent learners and self-advocates they will:

  • Take control of their learning
  • Have a deeper understanding of their learning style and become strength based learners
  • Become driver in improving their education
  • Acquire learning skills that will apply to learning situations in life
  • Will develop a greater sense of their abilities and become autonomous

ALP PROCESS AT JEFFCO

ALPs in Jeffco look slightly different in Elementary (grades K-5) and Secondary (grades 6-8)

Time Line Elementary Secondary

ALP Goal Setting Process

Teachers guide students through the ALP process by helping students consider goals, and then supporting students in extensions/enrichments and reflections about their goals.

Students take ownership of their ALPs in middle school and high school, while teachers nurture student self-advocacy and allow them to pursue passions and interests in a more autonomous way.

Watch this video to understand how students can use their ALP to customize their learning.

Accessing Jeffco Student ALP Information in Student Insights: Families


Beginning of Year
Goal Setting

  • Collaborate with the teacher to evaluate their strengths and interests.
  • Set goals in the fall. (Goals could include extensions, enrichments, reading groups, project based learning, acceleration, etc.).
  • Set two goals with the teacher
    • one academic goal
    • one affective goal

Students complete the "Initial ALP Questionnaire"

Secondary ALP Family Communication - Initial Survey

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Middle of Year
Progress Monitoring


  • Teachers evaluate a student’s progress toward their goals.
  • Enter comments into SOARS.
  • Two to three progress monitoring comments are added per year for each goal.

  • Students should spend time weekly to connect with teachers and gather resources toward their goals.
  • Complete the progress monitor questionnaire to measure personal growth and determine next steps. Watch this video to learn how to use students can access and use the portal.

End of Year
Monitoring and Close Out


  • Teachers evaluate a student’s final progress.
  • Solicit student reflection.
  • Enter comments into SOARS.
  • The goal is marked as closed, but the ALP continues to the next year where the child will follow the process again.

  • Teachers and counselors support students to find an avenue to articulate or present their goal work by mid April.
  • Students will now receive a third questionnaire from Jeffco SOARS, asking students to measure their progress for the year.
  • The goal is marked as closed, but the ALP continues to the next year where the child will follow the process again.
  • For students identified as gifted after the fall, a similar cycle as described above will be followed.

  • Fewer progress monitoring comments will be required throughout the year.

  • For students identified after Spring Break, ALP goals will be set in the Fall of the following year.

Elementary ALP Life Cycle

Elementary ALP Life Cycle

Secondary ALP Life Cycle

Secondary ALP Life Cycle

Since the early 1990’s, the Colorado Department of Education has required a record of gifted and talented education programming services, options, and strategies utilized with individual students that is part of the student’s record and is considered in educational planning and decision-making concerning subsequent programming for that student. In 2006, a change in statute provided the term “Advanced Learning Plan” (ALP) for individual record keeping as in the definition. See 22-20-103 (1.2) C.R.S. (page 344) / CRS 22-20-103.

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