Acceleration in Action! Hormel Gifted Education Symposium Austin, Minnesota June 14-18, 2009 Kris Happe Kim Boursier Hormel Gifted Education Symposium Austin, Minnesota June 14-18, 2009 Kris Happe Kim Boursier

A Nation Deceived: How Schools Hold Back America’s Brightest Students Volume 1 How Schools Hold Back America’s Brightest Students Volume 1 The Templeton National Report on Acceleration Nicholas Colangelo Susan G. Assouline Miraca U. M. Gross

What is Acceleration?  Acceleration is an educational intervention that moves students through an educational program at a faster than usual rate or younger than typical age.  Acceleration means matching the level, complexity, and pace of the curriculum with the readiness and motivation of the student.  Acceleration is a strategy that respects individual differences and acknowledges the fact that some of these differences merit educational flexibility-- it provides cumulative educational advantage.  Acceleration is an educational intervention that moves students through an educational program at a faster than usual rate or younger than typical age.  Acceleration means matching the level, complexity, and pace of the curriculum with the readiness and motivation of the student.  Acceleration is a strategy that respects individual differences and acknowledges the fact that some of these differences merit educational flexibility-- it provides cumulative educational advantage.

Who could acceleration help? The Genius Denied Website reports that the number of American K-12 students is 47,846,000, and the percent of gifted is approximately 5% or 2,393,000 students.

History 1.One room school house- Individualized instruction 2.Schools that group students by age rather than ability and motivation- We lost an appreciation for individual differences; students lost the right to direct their own education based on how fast they were able to learn new and more complex material. 1.One room school house- Individualized instruction 2.Schools that group students by age rather than ability and motivation- We lost an appreciation for individual differences; students lost the right to direct their own education based on how fast they were able to learn new and more complex material.

Why is this issue different?  We have many educational practices in place in America today that do not have clear research evidence to support their implementation--they are implemented because of personal beliefs or political mandates.  Acceleration, as an intervention, is different. It is strongly supported by decades of research, yet the policy implications of that research are ignored by the wider educational community.  Research on acceleration is expansive and consistent.  There is no other educational practice that is so well researched, yet so rarely implemented.  We have many educational practices in place in America today that do not have clear research evidence to support their implementation--they are implemented because of personal beliefs or political mandates.  Acceleration, as an intervention, is different. It is strongly supported by decades of research, yet the policy implications of that research are ignored by the wider educational community.  Research on acceleration is expansive and consistent.  There is no other educational practice that is so well researched, yet so rarely implemented.

Some Types of Acceleration Early Admission to Kindergarten and/or First Grade Grade-Skipping Continuous Progress Subject-Matter Acceleration Curriculum Compacting Correspondence Courses Advanced Placement Courses Concurrent/Dual Enrollment Early Admission to Kindergarten and/or First Grade Grade-Skipping Continuous Progress Subject-Matter Acceleration Curriculum Compacting Correspondence Courses Advanced Placement Courses Concurrent/Dual Enrollment

12 Reasons Why Acceleration Isn’t Accepted in America 1.Teachers lack familiarity with acceleration. 2.Confidence about acceleration isn’t running high. 3.Acceleration runs counter to personal beliefs. 4.Age trumps everything else. 5.Safe is better than sorry. 6.Acceleration is not taught in Colleges of Education. 7.It’s bad to push kids. 8.New friends are hard to make. 9.Individual kids are less important than equal opportunity for all. 10.It will upset other kids. 11.There will be gaps in the child’s knowledge. 12.Disasters are memorable. 1.Teachers lack familiarity with acceleration. 2.Confidence about acceleration isn’t running high. 3.Acceleration runs counter to personal beliefs. 4.Age trumps everything else. 5.Safe is better than sorry. 6.Acceleration is not taught in Colleges of Education. 7.It’s bad to push kids. 8.New friends are hard to make. 9.Individual kids are less important than equal opportunity for all. 10.It will upset other kids. 11.There will be gaps in the child’s knowledge. 12.Disasters are memorable.

Is Acceleration Tracking? No. Tracking, as implemented in the 1960s, referred to a rigid sorting of students by ability. It was a highly contentious educational practice. Today’s ability grouping procedures are more flexible. In contrast to tracking or even ability grouping, acceleration is a much more individualized and fluid approach to addressing the learning needs of students based upon ability, not age. Tracking focuses on group differences Acceleration focuses on individual differences No. Tracking, as implemented in the 1960s, referred to a rigid sorting of students by ability. It was a highly contentious educational practice. Today’s ability grouping procedures are more flexible. In contrast to tracking or even ability grouping, acceleration is a much more individualized and fluid approach to addressing the learning needs of students based upon ability, not age. Tracking focuses on group differences Acceleration focuses on individual differences

Alternatives to Acceleration are Weaker Some approaches to address the needs of gifted students include:  Ability grouping  Enrichment activities  Pull-out resource rooms  Classroom differentiation  Independent projects  Cooperative learning These approaches are supported as limited options. Some approaches to address the needs of gifted students include:  Ability grouping  Enrichment activities  Pull-out resource rooms  Classroom differentiation  Independent projects  Cooperative learning These approaches are supported as limited options.

However…  None of the alternative options produce the compelling research evidence earned by accelerative options.  Even ability grouping, which has considerable research support, is shown to be effective for high ability students ONLY when the curriculum is accelerated.  None of the alternative options produce the compelling research evidence earned by accelerative options.  Even ability grouping, which has considerable research support, is shown to be effective for high ability students ONLY when the curriculum is accelerated.

Cost?  Schools---Grade skipping is economical --maybe the cost of a new desk.  Taxpayers save money--moving a student through school faster costs less money.  Parents-- don’t have to hire private tutors, special camps, and other enrichment programs-- merely moving them to a more appropriate classroom can not only be the best solution, but cost-effective as well.  Parents/Students--cost saving for college tuition through AP courses and College in the Schools courses.  Parents/Student--avoid the long reaching cost of having a bored and disengaged child. Often years and a great deal of money are spent undoing the effects of chronic boredom.  Society--Solid educational decisions are never about money first--a child’s well-being is always the primary consideration-- and in turn the overall effect on our society.  Schools---Grade skipping is economical --maybe the cost of a new desk.  Taxpayers save money--moving a student through school faster costs less money.  Parents-- don’t have to hire private tutors, special camps, and other enrichment programs-- merely moving them to a more appropriate classroom can not only be the best solution, but cost-effective as well.  Parents/Students--cost saving for college tuition through AP courses and College in the Schools courses.  Parents/Student--avoid the long reaching cost of having a bored and disengaged child. Often years and a great deal of money are spent undoing the effects of chronic boredom.  Society--Solid educational decisions are never about money first--a child’s well-being is always the primary consideration-- and in turn the overall effect on our society.

What Can Teachers/Administrators Do?  Recognize gifted children by using formal measures (tests) and informal observations.  Provide new challenges in the classroom as well as out of the classroom.  Inform parents about acceleration options throughout the child’s academic career.  Minimize teaching students what they already know.  Make school a positive experience for all students… including the brightest.  Recognize gifted children by using formal measures (tests) and informal observations.  Provide new challenges in the classroom as well as out of the classroom.  Inform parents about acceleration options throughout the child’s academic career.  Minimize teaching students what they already know.  Make school a positive experience for all students… including the brightest.

Hope for the Future  The real hope lies with the public. As parents, teachers and principals become acquainted with the truth about acceleration, they can influence elected officials to advocate for gifted children.  Our country cannot afford to lose its students to boredom or years of inappropriate curriculum. We must educate ourselves, our leaders and change educational policy.  The real hope lies with the public. As parents, teachers and principals become acquainted with the truth about acceleration, they can influence elected officials to advocate for gifted children.  Our country cannot afford to lose its students to boredom or years of inappropriate curriculum. We must educate ourselves, our leaders and change educational policy.

“Excellence can lose its vibrancy. It can become complacence. It can become apathy. What it always becomes, if it’s ignored, is less than it could be. When we say no to acceleration, we are quietly and, ironically with good intentions, lowering our national standards. Excellence is simply disregarded.” p. 3

While our nation’s survival certainly depends on basic skills for all Americans, our nation’s progress depends on how we respond to excellence.

Kris Happe Education Services and Gifted Education Coordinator Kim Boursier Elementary Gifted Resource Teacher Big Lake Public Schools Big Lake, Minnesota