Services We Provide

Students identified as highly capable in grades 2 – 5 have the option to receive services in their home school. Students who choose to receive services in their home school will receive enhanced or extended learning opportunities in their regular classroom (differentiated services).

Centered Services – Middle School
Grades 6 – 8

Centered Services in Middle School are provided to an identified cohort of students in language arts, social studies, math, and science. The Centered Services language arts and social studies curricula emphasize and integrate the use of critical thinking skills in receptive and expressive abilities through the study of various cultural, historic, economic, geographic, and literary perspectives.

The math curriculum follows the district sequence with students accelerated by one year (or more if acceleration occurred in grades 2-4). Extensions and enhancements to the math curriculum are utilized to help students gain a more conceptual understanding of the topics presented. In science, the curriculum prepares students for high school biology in the 8th grade.

The Bellevue School District, and the state of Washington, recognizes that social emotional learning (SEL) should be an integral part of every student’s educational experience. Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is broadly understood as a process through which individuals build awareness and skills in managing emotions, setting goals, establishing relationships, and making responsible decisions that support success in school and in life. When we think of educating the whole child, their social and emotional development must be considered as a part of overall instruction. In Bellevue, our schools focus on creating welcoming and inclusive environments that support all students’ social emotional development in a culturally responsive way that honors students’ histories and cultures can set youth up for long-term success and well-being.  

District Transportation is provided to the assigned program site. Bus service for Advanced Learning self-contained services is often different than the service within a local school boundary. The optional program boundaries cover a larger geographic area resulting in bus stops that are generally located farther apart, on arterial roads, and at local school sites. Students are automatically assigned a bus stop if they are registered by July 15th for the following school year. Bus stop information will be mailed the week before school.

Students identified as highly capable in grades 6-8 have the option to receive services in their home school. Students who choose to receive services in their home school will receive enhanced or extended learning opportunities in their regular classroom through differentiated services.

Centered Services – High School
Grades 9 – 12

Through Centered Services in High School, students are grouped in a cohort in the core areas of English, history, science and math. In grades 10 & 11 students enroll in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program with the goal of completing the IB diploma at the end of the 11th grade.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Program is recognized as one of the most academically rigorous, college preparatory programs in the world. This highly respected, two-year curriculum focuses on classical liberal arts and sciences and is a challenging educational program designed to prepare students for a wide variety of life options, especially success in college.

At the conclusion of the IB program (12th grade), students participate in internships and attend college level English and Humanities courses with the cohort of identified students. Students may also enroll in additional AP courses and electives to round out their senior year.  

High school students are eligible to receive an ORCA card through their school of registration if they live outside the one radial mile walk of such school. At registration time, an ORCA/metro bus pass application will need to be filled out and eligibility verified before the card is given to the student. Routes are updated in August and as routes change.

Students identified as highly capable in grades 9-12 have the option to receive services in their home school. Students who choose to receive services in their home school will receive enhanced or extended learning opportunities in their regular classroom through differentiated services.

Sibling Policy

Advanced Learning Services does not have a sibling policy. Sibling(s) of an Advanced Learning student do not automatically attend the same school.  However, sibling(s) of an Advanced Learning student may apply to attend the same school through Open Transfer as determined by Student Placement.

If the student who is applying has a sibling placed at the requested school through Advanced Learning, the applying sibling will have secondary preference in admission (second-tier) providing that both siblings will attend the school together for a minimum of one year. The incoming sibling must apply through Open Transfer or submit a Transfer Request Waitlist application if they wish to invoke sibling preference per Procedure 3120.1P.

Twice Exceptional Students: Advanced Learning Students with Disabilities

Bellevue School District’s Advanced Learning Office recognizes the importance of identifying and serving all students in need, which includes students receiving special education and 504 accommodations. Advanced Learning works in collaboration with school and special education staff to support twice exceptional students in the following ways:

• Providing accommodations for students during Advanced Learning testing
• Observing students in classes to determine the best accommodations
• Supporting the development of specially designed instructional strategies
• Participating in Individual Education Plan meetings as needed to ensure students’ needs for advanced learning services are recognized

Read more about special education services on the Special Education page.