Advanced Learning: AAMP

Helping curious learners think deeply and grow

Wasatch Elementary supports students across a wide range of strengths, interests, and learning needs. Students who are ready for additional depth, complexity, creativity, or academic challenge deserve opportunities to keep growing.

Advanced learning at Wasatch includes strong classroom instruction, purposeful differentiation, enrichment opportunities, and specialized services for students who qualify for the district’s Advanced Academics and Mentoring Program.

What are ELP and AAMP?

Families may be familiar with the term Extended Learning Program, or ELP. Salt Lake City School District currently calls its part-time elementary service the Advanced Academics and Mentoring Program, or AAMP.

AAMP provides specialized learning opportunities for identified gifted and high-ability students. Students remain part of their regular Wasatch classroom and participate in advanced learning experiences during scheduled times.

The district also offers a separate, full-day Magnet Gifted & Talented program at designated elementary schools.

What advanced learning looks like

Advanced learning is designed to move beyond simply giving students more work. Students are encouraged to think with greater depth, make connections, investigate complex ideas, and develop creative solutions.

Learning experiences may include:

• complex problem-solving and reasoning
• open-ended investigations
• creative and critical thinking
• research and inquiry
• advanced reading, writing, or mathematical thinking
• collaboration with intellectual peers
• student choice and independent projects
• reflection, goal-setting, and productive struggle

The specific experiences students receive may vary according to grade level, identified strengths, instructional goals, and the school’s service schedule.

Challenge throughout the school day

Advanced learning is not limited to a pullout group. Classroom teachers regularly adjust instruction so students receive an appropriate level of support and challenge.

Teachers may provide:

• flexible groups based on current learning needs
• advanced texts, concepts, and problems
• opportunities to explain and defend thinking
• enrichment connected to grade-level standards
• independent or collaborative investigations
• multiple pathways for demonstrating understanding
• opportunities to move from proficiency toward deeper application

Teachers review student work, assessment information, classroom performance, and student interests as they plan these experiences.

Identification and assessment

Salt Lake City School District manages assessment and eligibility for advanced academic services.

Most district kindergarten and third-grade students participate in grade-wide assessment during the school year. The district also provides assessment opportunities for certain students who are new to the district and for students applying from outside district schools.

Assessment schedules, eligibility requirements, application windows, and service models may change from year to year. Families should consult the district’s Advanced Academics website for the most current information.

Supporting the whole child

Advanced learners may have academic, creative, social, and emotional needs that develop at different rates. At Wasatch, we want students to experience challenge while continuing to build confidence, collaboration, resilience, and belonging.

Students are encouraged to take intellectual risks, learn from mistakes, listen to different perspectives, and use their strengths in ways that contribute to the classroom community.

Partnering with families

Families can help children grow by encouraging curiosity, conversation, reading, creativity, and exploration without placing unnecessary pressure on performance.

Please contact your child’s classroom teacher when you have questions about:

• current classroom challenge
• advanced learning opportunities
• your child’s academic strengths or interests
• additional support or enrichment
• whether district advanced academic services may be appropriate

Learn more

For current information about assessment, eligibility, AAMP, and Magnet Gifted & Talented services, visit the Salt Lake City School District Advanced Academics website.