FCPS Glossary: commonly used abbreviations and education terms

AP: Advanced Placement : A program of challenging college-level courses available to high school students. National exams administered by the College Board allow students to earn college credit for high scores. FCPS strongly recommends that students enrolled in AP classes take these exams.

AYP: Adequate Yearly Progress : Targets that must be set by all states for schools and school systems, according to the federal No Child Left Behind Act. The AYP must require all students to improve and, in 12 years, to perform at the state-defined proficient levels in reading and math.

Block Schedule : FCPS high school students attend two semesters per school year, completing four 90-minute "blocks" or classes each semester. Semesters contain two terms each.

Criterion-Referenced Test : Designed to report whether students' achievement meets some established standard or threshold of performance. Scores are usually reported in two forms: a numeric scale score and the student's proficiency status, using such terms as basic : proficient : advanced or pass/fail.

FARM: Free and Reduced-Price Meals : Category of students whose applicatons meet the U.S. Department of Agriculture's family size and income guidelines to qualify them for school lunch and/or breakfast at no or low cost.

Feeder Area : The high school and those elementary and middle schools whose students will ultimately attend ("feed into") that high school. Provides FCPS a way to coordinate and improve delivery of instruction and other services such as bus transportation.

G&T: Gifted and Talented Education : FCPS maintains a commitment to the education of highly able and gifted learners through a variety of programs and services, using accelerated instruction (advancing beyond courses or content customary for a particular grade) and enriched activities (extending the depth and breadth of customary content and application) to meet individual student needs.

HSA: High School Assessments : End-of-course tests produced by the Maryland State Department of Education, aimed at raising academic standards in all Maryland public high schools.

ILP: Individualized Learning Plan : An individually designed educational assistance program for students not meeting, or failing to reach, established proficiency levels in math, reading or writing.
Intermediate Grades : Upper elementary grades 3-5

JROTC: Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps instruction is offered at Linganore High School.

Magnet Program : a countywide educational program held in one location to meet similar academic needs. FCPS has three types of magnet programs:

ESL: English As a Second Language classes are housed at Frederick High and West Frederick Middle schools. Monocacy Middle and most elementary students have ESL instruction in their local schools. Some elementary students have ESL instruction at Monocacy or Orchard Grove elementary schools.

G&T: Housed in 3 schools for students countywide, the FCPS elementary magnet program serves the unique needs of high-performing students in grades 1-5 by providing academic rigor and challenge to students meeting selection criteria.

VPA: Housed at Governor Thomas Johnson High School for junior and senior high school students, the FCPS Visual & Performing Arts magnet program features advanced musical and theatre studies for those meeting selection criteria.

Master Plan : FCPS is working closely with the Maryland Department of Education to assure compliance with mandates of the No Child Left Behind Act. In turn, under the Maryland Bridge to Excellence in Education Act, school districts each develop a 5-year master plan describing how they will meet the state standards.

MSA: Maryland School Assessments : State assessments that use both multiple-choice and short-answer questions, these tests were first administered in spring 2003 and included reading and math tests for grades 3, 5 and 8 and reading and geometry tests for high school. In 2004, 4th, 6th and 7th graders will also take the tests. The state plans to add science tests for third, fifth and eighth graders in 2005.

NCLB: No Child Left Behind Act : This landmark legislation signed into law in January 2001 redefines the federal role in education and is designed to close the achievement gap between disadvantaged and minority students and their peers. Its basic principles include greater accountability for schools, more tests to determine student progress, expanded options for parents whose children are not making progress, and an emphasis on proven teaching methods. The law requires all 50 states to set high standards for achievement in reading and math and directs that every child in grades 3 through 8 be tested to ensure they are making progress.

Norm-Referenced Test : Designed to compare students' current achievement with that of a group who previously took the same test. Scores are usually reported in percentiles to illustrate how individuals and groups compare to their counterparts in the state and nation.

Primary Grades : Elementary grades pre-k through 2

Renzulli : An enrichment program that provides opportunities for individuals and small groups of students to pursue in-depth investigations on special topics of interest to them.

SAT: Scholastic Aptitude Test : A national college-entrance examination designed to measure verbal and mathematical reasoning skills. The PSAT is a Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test that provides practice before taking the SAT and determines some opportunities for student scholarships and awards.

School Profile : Web-accessible information about each Frederick County public school features "fast facts" about enrollment and demographics.

SIT: School (or Site) Improvement Team : A group of employees, parents, business partners and/or other representatives of a school or division's constituency that is responsible for developing and facilitating accomplishment of an improvement plan for that school or site. Plan goals are linked to the FCPS vision, mission statement and strategic goals.