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Criteria for Special Placement
The growth of each and every student in the Trumbull Public Schools is essential; it aligns squarely with the District’s Mission Statement to “meet the educational needs of all students within a challenging and supportive academic environment that empowers each student to become a life-long learner and to live and participate in a democratic, diverse, and global society.”
In all courses and grades, curricula is differentiated to meet the needs of students with potential for accelerated study. Additionally, at appropriate times, the District formally supports students who meet published criteria for special placement; such opportunities include:
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in grades 4-5, the Trumbull Academically Gifted Program and Enrichment;
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in grades 6-8, advanced course placement in mathematics; and
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in grades 9-12, advanced course placement across all subject areas.
The pages below detail, by grade band, criteria for special placement. Questions may be directed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Grades 4-5
Trumbull's Academically Gifted (TAG) Program
Consistent with Connecticut General Statutes §10-76a, Trumbull's Academically Gifted Program (TAG) identifies and services the top 5% of those fourth-grade and fifth-grade students in the District identified at the end of their third-grade year as having “extraordinary learning ability.” The mission of the TAG Program is "to address the intellectual and social needs of the identified and academically gifted students, to provide the identified students with learning opportunities to explore and expand specific areas of interest, and to provide relevant parent education and awareness for a comprehensive educational experience."
To identify those children, the District employs the following steps in sequential order in the spring of the third-grade year. The steps balance standardized measurements of abstract thinking and reasoning ability (e.g., the OLSAT) with district measurements of learning achievement (e.g., the DRP, the mathematics assessments) and classroom teacher ratings based on published metrics for identifying gifted students.
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Students who have received a 130 or higher as a subscore on either the Verbal or the Non-Verbal section of the OLSAT (Otis-Lennon School Ability Test) given in January of the third-grade year are selected for further analysis. (If this criterion does not generate at least 5% of the District’s third-grade population, a score of 125 or higher on either section will be used.)
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For each student meeting the criterion of Step (1), the following verbal and non-verbal assessment data points are combined according to the percentages indicated below.
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OLSAT Verbal total subscore: 35%
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OLSAT Non-Verbal total subscore: 35%
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Third-grade end-of-year DRP (Degrees of Reading Power) total score: 12.5%
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Third-grade mathematics Trimester 1, 2, & 3 assessments total score average: 12.5%
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Third-grade classroom teacher total rating on Scales for Rating the Behavioral Characteristics of Superior Students: 5%
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Consistent with State regulations, a District team of "certified and/or licensed professionals, who represent each of the teaching, administrative and pupil personnel staffs," will review the data to certify the top five per cent of students, who will then be those eligible to participate in Trumbull's Academically Gifted (TAG) Program. Parents of eligible students will be notified in August, prior to the beginning of the school year, of the planning and placement team process.
On occasion, a student enters the District in grade 3, 4, or 5 subsequent to the administration of the data points referenced above. If a parent of a student in such a situation believes that his/her child may be qualified for TAG, he/she should contact the Director of Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessments.
Trumbull's Enrichment Program
Within each elementary school, the TAG specialists also service the top 15% of students, excluding those who are already serviced within the TAG Program. The Enrichment program provides students the opportunity to broaden their academic experiences through extensions of the reading, writing, mathematics, and science programs via a STEM-based instructional approach.
To identify those children, the District employs the following steps in sequential order in the spring of the third-grade year to identify students for grade 4 enrichment, and then again in the spring of the fourth-grade year to identify students for grade 5 enrichment. The steps balance standardized measurements of abstract thinking and reasoning ability (e.g., the OLSAT) with district measurements of learning achievement (e.g., the DRP, the mathematics assessments).
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Students who have met Criterion 1 for TAG identification (having received a 130 or higher as a subscore on either the Verbal or the Non-Verbal section of the OLSAT (Otis-Lennon School Ability Test) given in January of the third-grade year) but who were not within the top 5% of the grade-level District population, are selected for further analysis. (If this criterion did not generate at least 5% of the District’s third-grade population, a score of 125 or higher on either section will be used.)
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For each student meeting the criterion of Step (1), the following verbal and non-verbal assessment data points are combined according to the percentages indicated below.
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OLSAT Verbal total subscore: 35%
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OLSAT Non-Verbal total subscore: 35%
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Third-grade (or fourth-grade) end-of-year DRP (Degrees of Reading Power) total score: 15%
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Third-grade(or fourth-grade) mathematics Trimester 1, 2, & 3 assessments total score average: 15%
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The top 15% of students in each elementary school, excluding those already serviced through the TAG Program, are thus identified as eligible to participate in Trumbull's Enrichment Program. (If Steps (1) and (2) did not generate at least 15% of each school's third-grade (or fourth-grade) population, then the OLSAT 130/125 subscore filter of Step (1) will be reduced, in additional 5-point intervals, and the process regenerated, until the 15% threshold is achieved.) Parents of eligible students will be notified in August, prior to the beginning of the school year.
On occasion, a student enters the District in grade 3, 4, or 5 subsequent to the administration of the data points referenced above. If a parent of a student in such a situation believes that his/her child may be qualified for Enrichment, he/she should contact the Director of Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessments.
Grades 6-8
Advanced Course Placement in Mathematics
Courses in Trumbull's middle schools are grouped heterogeneously with the exception of mathematics. Within the heterogeneous context of each of the other subject areas, teachers are trained to differentiate appropriately for all students with special learning needs, including those with accelerated skills in the content area.
In mathematics, select students may begin a seven-year advanced mathematics course sequence beginning in grade 6. This course sequence begins with pre-algebra in grade 6 and leads to calculus in grade 11, and then additional advanced mathematics courses in grade 12. The selection criteria are designed to identify and support the students whose data suggest a clear cognitive readiness for mathematical rigor that can sustain over time. Students are identified based on meeting either or both of the following criteria:
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exceptional performance (80+) on the District-created grade 5 mathematics assessment given in April of the fifth-grade year; and/or
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exceptional performance (130+ subscore) on the Non-Verbal section of the OLSAT (Otis-Lennon School Ability Test) given in January of the fifth-grade year, supported by standard or higher performance (60+) on the District-created grade 5 mathematics assessment given in April of the fifth-grade year.
Beginning with the Trumbull High School Class of 2023 (sixth-graders in 2016-17), all students not in pre-algebra in grade 6 will take pre-algebra in grade 7, and will then begin algebra in grade 8, potentially leading to calculus in grade 12.
Grades 9-12
Information regarding all courses is available in the Trumbull High School Program of Studies.
English
Honors Course Placement in Grade 9 English
For the THS Class of 2021, students are identified for Grade 9 Honors English based on meeting either of the following criteria:
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high performance on one standardized measure (80+ on grade 8 DRP, or 115+ on grade 7 OLSAT Verbal) supported by (i) strong performance on grade 8 English language arts transition writing assessment (as represented by a rubric score of 2.67 or higher) and (ii) strong language arts performance (as represented by A- or higher Grade 8 Language Arts Trimester 2 grade) or other data provided by middle school English language arts instructional leaders; or
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high performance on two standardized measures (80+ on grade 8 DRP AND 115+ on grade 7 OLSAT Verbal) supported by (i) grade-level performance on grade 8 English language arts transition writing assessment (as represented by a rubric score of 2.0 or higher) and (ii) grade-level language arts performance (as represented by B or higher Grade 8 Language Arts Trimester 2 grade) or other data provided by middle school English language arts instructional leaders.
Course Placement in Literacy Workshop I
For the THS Class of 2021, students in the general education population are identified for Literacy Workshop I based on meeting either of the following criteria:
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below 63 on grade 8 DRP; or
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between 63-64 on grade 8 DRP supported by additional literacy data (grade 7 OLSAT Verbal score, grade 8 English language arts transition writing assessment score, grade 8 social studies transition writing assessment score) suggesting the benefit of Literacy Workshop.
Mathematics
Each student is placed in a grade 9 mathematics course appropriately following the student's mathematics performance in grade 8, and subsequent to data-based conversations between middle school mathematics instructional leaders and the THS Mathematics Department Chair. General prerequisites are listed in the Trumbull High School Program of Studies, pp. 29-30, and are captured on this chart.
Course Placement in Grade 9 Honors Algebra I / Geometry A
For the THS Class of 2021, students are identified for Grade 9 Honors Algebra I / Geometry A, the first year of a two-year accelerated Honors mathematics path, based on meeting any of the following criteria:
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Grade 8 Pre-Algebra Trimester 1 and Trimester 2 grades of A or higher and high performance (3+) on grade 7 Smarter Balanced Mathematics; or
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Grade 8 Pre-Algebra Trimester 1 and Trimester 2 grades of A- or higher, high performance (3+) on grade 7 Smarter Balanced Mathematics, and high performance (112+) on grade 7 OLSAT Non-Verbal; or
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Grade 8 Pre-Algebra Trimester 1 and Trimester 2 grades of B or higher, supported by grade 8 January iReady assessment of 541 or higher, high performance (3+) on grade 7 Smarter Balanced Mathematics, and high performance (112+) on grade 7 OLSAT Non-Verbal; or
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Grade 8 Pre-Algebra Trimester 1 and Trimester 2 grades of B or higher, supported by high performance (3+) on grade 7 Smarter Balanced Mathematics and exceptional performance on one standardized measure (130+ on grade 7 OLSAT Non-Verbal or 4 on grade 7 Smarter Balanced Mathematics).
Course Placement in Math Workshop
For the THS Class of 2021, students in the general education population are identified for Math Workshop based on:
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concurrent enrollment in CP Algebra I;
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a D+ or lower in Grade 8 Pre-Algebra Trimester 1 or Trimester 2; and
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any two of the following: (a) grade 8 January iReady assessment of 492 or lower; (b) low performance (1 or 2) on grade 7 Smarter Balanced Mathematics; (c) 90 or below on grade 7 OLSAT Non-Verbal.
Science
Honors Course Placement in Grade 9 Science
For the THS Class of 2021, students are identified for Grade 9 Honors science based on meeting either of the following criteria:
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high performance on one standardized measure (80+ on grade 8 DRP, or 115+ on grade 7 OLSAT Non-Verbal) and placement in grade 8 Algebra 1 supported by strong math performance (as represented by B or higher Algebra I Trimester 2 grade and B or higher midterm exam grade) and strong science performance (as represented by B or higher Grade 8 Science Trimester 2 grade); or
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high performance on two standardized measures (80+ on grade 8 DRP AND 115+ on grade 7 OLSAT Non-Verbal) and grade-level performance (518+) on grade 8 January iReady assessment supported by strong math performance (as represented by A- or higher Pre-Algebra Trimester 2 grade) and strong science performance (as represented by B or higher Grade 8 Science Trimester 2 grade).
CP Course Placement in Grade 9 Science
For the THS Class of 2021, students are identified for Grade 9 CP science based on meeting either of the following criteria:
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low performance on two standardized measures (below 62 on grade 8 DRP AND below 85 on grade 7 OLSAT Non-Verbal); or
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substantially low performance on one standardized measure (below 60 on grade 8 DRP, or below 83 on grade 7 OLSAT Non-Verbal).
Social Studies
Honors Course Placement in Grade 9 Social Studies
For the THS Class of 2021, students are identified for Grade 9 Honors social studies based on meeting either of the following criteria:
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high performance on one standardized measure (80+ on grade 8 DRP, or 115+ on grade 7 OLSAT Verbal) supported by (i) strong performance on grade 8 social studies transition writing assessment (as represented by a rubric score of 2.67 or higher) and (ii) strong social studies performance (as represented by A- or higher Grade 8 Social Studies Trimester 2 grade) or other data provided by middle school social studies instructional leaders; or
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high performance on two standardized measures (80+ on grade 8 DRP AND 115+ on grade 7 OLSAT Verbal) supported by (i) grade-level performance on grade 8 social studies transition writing assessment (as represented by a rubric score of 2.33 or higher) and (ii) grade-level social studies performance (as represented by B or higher Grade 8 Social Studies Trimester 2 grade) or other data provided by middle school social studies instructional leaders.
CP Course Placement in Grade 9 Social Studies
For the THS Class of 2021, students are identified for Grade 9 CP social studies based on meeting either of the following criteria:
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low performance on two standardized measures (below 62 on grade 8 DRP AND below 85 on grade 7 OLSAT Verbal); or
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substantially low performance on one standardized measure (below 60 on grade 8 DRP, or below 83 on grade 7 OLSAT Verbal).
World Languages
Course Placement in Grade 9 World Language
For the THS Class of 2021, students are placed in Grade 9 world language courses based on the following criteria:
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For French: Students who select to study French at THS after two years of studying French in Trumbull's middle school program are placed into French II based on satisfactory performance on the grade 8 world language transition assessment (as represented by 65% on the multiple-choice section and 2.0 on the writing section). Students whose performance on that assessment was unsatisfactory, or students who have not studied French for two years in Trumbull's middle school program, are placed into either French II or French I subsequent to data-based conversations between middle school and high school French teachers reviewing each student’s grade 8 world language profile.
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For Italian: Students who select to study Italian at THS are placed into either ACP Italian I or Italian Conversation & Culture I subsequent to data-based conversations between middle school and high school world languages teachers reviewing each student’s grade 8 world language profile.
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For Latin: Students who select to study Latin at THS are placed into Latin I.
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For Spanish: Students who select to study Spanish at THS after two years of studying Spanish in Trumbull's middle school program are placed into ACP Spanish II based on satisfactory performance on the grade 8 world language transition assessment (as represented by 70% on the multiple-choice section and 2.5 on the writing section). Students whose performance on that assessment was unsatisfactory, or students who have not studied Spanish for two years in Trumbull's middle school program, are placed into either ACP Spanish II, Spanish Conversation & Culture II, ACP Spanish I, or Spanish Conversation & Culture I subsequent to data-based conversations between middle school and high school Spanish teachers reviewing each student’s grade 8 world language profile.
Advanced Placement (AP) Courses Across All Subject Areas
As a comprehensive high school, Trumbull High School is proud to offer twenty-six Advanced Placement courses certified by the College Board:
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AP Biology |
AP Environmental Science |
AP Physics 1 |
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AP Calculus AB |
AP European History |
AP Physics C |
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AP Calculus BC |
AP French Language & Culture |
AP Psychology |
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AP Chemistry |
AP Human Geography |
AP Spanish Language & Culture |
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AP Comparative Government & Politics |
AP Italian Language & Culture |
AP Statistics |
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AP Computer Science A |
AP Latin |
AP Studio Art: 2D Design |
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AP Computer Science Principles |
AP Macroeconomics |
AP United States Government & Politics |
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AP English Language & Composition |
AP Microeconomics |
AP United States History |
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AP English Literature & Composition |
AP Music Theory |
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