Rapid Learner

All qualified students who request placement in a Rapid Learner class are rank-ordered. Students are evaluated according to the eligibility criteria that is posted on the district’s website.

If you have completed an online application, you will have already selected a testing location/date.  If your student attends a San Juan Unified school, the Advanced & Accelerated Programs Office will send a list with your child's name to their school site to be tested during the school day. You do have the option to sign up for one of our after-school in-district testing times, located at one of our Rapid Learner schools, in lieu of testing at your own school. Please contact the office of Advanced and Accelerated Programs to schedule your student to one of our available date/ time options. You do not need to do anything else to register for the achievement test.

The Terra Nova achievement test is a paper and pencil, timed test in Math and Reading. You can learn more about Terra Nova by going to their website Terra Nova.

There are currently 3 Rapid Learner sites: Del Paso Manor, Deterding and Pershing. Each site has one self-contained class at the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades. Every effort is made to place qualifying students at the school of choice; however, parents may be offered a spot at a different Rapid Learner site if their first choice was filled prior to reaching the student’s eligibility ranking.

We do not offer priority placement. All students are ranked using the district criteria. The only priority given is to students who reside in district boundaries and/or attend San Juan Unified schools, over students who do not reside in district boundaries.

Please send your residency paperwork to the Advanced & Accelerated Programs Office by March 14, 2025in order for your student to be placed on the “district-resident” list for Rapid Learner placement.  You will establish district residency by submitting a current mortgage/tax bill or rental/lease agreement along with a current utility bill (SMUD, PG&E, or water).  Keep in mind that this only enables your student to be on the “district-resident” list for placement.  If your student is offered a spot in the Rapid Learner Program, you will still need to take the same paperwork to San Juan Central when you enroll your student in the district.

We have three Rapid Learner sites and each 2nd grade class will have 26 spaces. Most students are admitted into the Rapid Learner Program in 2nd grade.  We will have a small number of placements available as students drop from the program; however, it is impossible to determine the spaces from year-to-year or per site. The chance of your child’s acceptance is based on the criteria, the number of spaces available, and the number of applicants. We will not be able to make judgments regarding placement of your student at any time during the application process.

Yes, if you think your child meets the qualifications, you may submit an application. Upon acceptance, you will be required to get an inter-district transfer. Students who live outside the boundaries will be placed after eligible San Juan students/residents. Once a child is placed in a class, he/she may continue year after year. Parents will be required to get new inter-district transfers for each new school. For instance, if you are in a Rapid Learner Elementary school and wish to transfer into the IB - Diplomat Middle School program, you will be required to obtain a new inter-district transfer.

Yes, you have no later than April 25, 2025 to inform the Advanced & Accelerated Programs Office of your decision not to have your student placed in the Rapid Learner Program.

No, students who move into the district mid-year will not be able to take the placement test to be placed in the current school year. They will need to apply and take the placement test for the following school year.  

No, transportation is not offered to the Rapid Learner school sites.