I don't start ALC ph1 until January. Is there a way to get the assignments ahead time?

If the school thinks Soldiers needed extra time, the assignments would be made available. Part of your implied learning task(s) is time management.

I would suggest brushing up on basic writing skills and grammar, D&C, PRT, and checking with a buddy who recently went through the course

The only way to get this done (from my own experience and other NCOs I know) is to get your Training and OPS NCO to see if there is a earlier start listed in ATRRS, then see if it those courses are already full or not. If they aren't full yet, then a request to drop for the January course needs to be submitted. Then a request for the earlier date needs to be sent. And there is no promise you would even get that earlier date. If your original request had been for an earlier date but were enrolled in the January course date, then there is a reason for it. While I commend your dedication to wanting to get it started now and done with, my recommendation is to just wait until January.

Like SFC Squires stated it's about time management. I myself like to be ahead of the game but that's not always the case in every scenario in life. The assignments shouldn't take much more than an hour to complete. That's coming directly from a course 1SG in a rant he left about assignments not being completed on time when I went through it in 2014. Be prepared for that. My assignments were completed but blanket statements were made. Good luck.