Acceleration of Gifted Learners

By:  Wendy Behrens

Minnesota Department of Education

Instructional Specialist

Every Minnesota child is entitled to an appropriate and challenging education.

Acceleration, in an education sense, is an intervention that moves students through an educational program at a more rapid rate than their age-mates. The goal is to tailor the level and complexity of the curriculum to the ability and academic readiness of individual children (Colangelo et al., 2004).

Students who are properly accelerated benefit academically and emotionally. Accelerated students generally perform at higher levels on achievement tests and are less likely to become bored and disinterested in school than similarly able students who are not accelerated. When the level of instruction is not rigorous and expectations are low, gifted learners may settle into patterns of underachievement and run the risk of not reaching their full potential.

The decision to accelerate a student is up to the local school district; however, schools are required to accelerate instruction to meet a student's needs. They must have procedures in place for the acceleration of students that include an assessment of students' readiness and motivation for acceleration and a match between the curriculum and the students' academic needs. (View Minnesota Statutes section 120B.15)

There are many factors that should be considered when determining the acceleration of a student. High academic ability is key; standardized test scores and teacher observation can provide evidence that a student has mastered the current curriculum and is ready for a faster-paced and more complex curriculum. (Colangelo et al., 2004) Motivation and social-emotional maturity are also important factors to consider.

Good candidates for acceleration often do the following:

• Demonstrate above average general cognitive ability.
• Achieve academically at a higher level than age-mates.
• Express a desire for more challenging instruction.
• Adapt to an environment serving older students because of social maturity.
• Respond positively to the possibility of acceleration.

Students who have the characteristics below may not be good candidates for acceleration:

• Have an older sibling in the same school and grade level to which the student may be accelerated.
• Are sufficiently challenged by the curriculum at his or her current grade level.
• Are significantly less emotionally mature than most students at the accelerated grade level.
• Respond negatively to the possibility of acceleration.

There are several types of acceleration. Choosing the best one for each student is critical to ensure each student receives an appropriately challenging education.

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