What is ACCEL?
Academically Challenging Curriculum to Enhance Learning (ACCEL) is part of Florida state law (Florida Statute 1002.3105), and was adopted in spring 2014.
Students in grades K-12 in Polk County Public Schools are eligible to participate in an ACCEL option when they have successfully completed academically challenging coursework in the previous school year or performed at the 93rd percentile or higher on a series of SAT10 subtests taken during the summer.
Options for eligible students include:
- Subject matter acceleration within a student’s regular classroom
- Subject matter acceleration within a student’s enrolled school
- Virtual instruction in a higher grade level subject
- Whole grade and mid-year promotion
- High school credit acceleration granted by passing appropriate state End of Course Exams (EOC)
What are some of the benefits for students who are in ACCEL?
- Students in an ACCEL option will be stretched academically by participating in a more challenging curriculum.
- Students may have opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities that students at their age/grade level would not normally participate in.
- Students may be able to take middle school, high school, and/or college-level courses earlier in their academic career.