From A Nation Deceived to A Nation Empowered

Susan Assouline, Ph.D., Director Ann Lupkowski-Shoplik, Ph.D., Research Scientist

Belin-Blank Center for Gifted and Talented Education

Purpose: Presentation/Discussion From A Nation Deceived to A Nation Empowered Focus on whole-grade acceleration and early-entry to K or 1st grade

From Deception to Empowerment

A simple story with a profound message •  A seemingly intractable

paradox: Policy and practice were not aligned with research.

•  Students with the strongest needs least likely to receive the correct intervention.

•  Although well-intentioned, the reasoning underlying this paradox is false.

•  The focus of Nation Deceived was to start the conversation and dispel the myths.

Myths/Excuses •  Teachers lack

familiarity •  Confidence in the

value of the intervention is low

•  This intervention runs counter to personal beliefs (equity, etc.)

•  Age trumps aptitude

•  It will lower the self-esteem of the student or other students

•  It’s bad to push kids •  They will have trouble

making friends •  It’s not fair to the

other kids in a classroom

•  Disasters are memorable •  There will be gaps in the child’s knowledge •  “Safe” [doing nothing] is better than

“sorry.” Not a myth – but an issue: •  Acceleration/ gifted education typically is

not taught in colleges of education

Before Nation Deceived we were in reaction mode Since Nation Deceived we have: •  Guidelines for Policy Development and

Implementation (National Work Group; NAGC, CSDPGS, B-BC)

•  Increased awareness about the forms and types of acceleration (18--now 20)

•  Established the Acceleration Institute Put the English version of V. 1 on the iTunes store (no cost to the user)

•  V. 1 is published in 10 languages

Since Nation Deceived (continued) •  Revised in 2009 the Iowa

Acceleration Scale (IAS) •  Developed new decision-making

tools for single-subject acceleration

•  Presented at numerous conferences and offered multiple workshops

•  Hosted summits on acceleration None of this would have been possible without private philanthropy

From Deception to Empowerment

Titles of New Chapters or Chapters with New Authors Authors Long-­‐term  Effects  of  Educa5onal  Accelera5on   Jonathan  Wai Public  Policy  &  Accelera5on  of  Gi=ed  Students   Joyce  VanTassel-­‐Baska Accelera5on  and  STEM  Educa5on   Lori  Ihrig  and  Kate  Degner  

  Effects  of  Academic  Accelera5on  on  the  Social  and  Emo5onal  Lives  of  Gi=ed  Students   Tracy  Cross,  Lori  Andersen,  

Sakhavat  Mammadov   Accelera5on  Prac5ces  with  Twice-­‐Excep5onal  Students   Megan  Foley  Nicpon  and  

Charles  Cederberg Early  to  Rise:  The  Effects  of  Accelera5on  on  Occupa5onal  Pres5ge,  Earnings,  and  Sa5sfac5on  

KaFe  McClarty

Radical  Accelera5on      Jae  Yup  Jung  and  Miraca  U.  M.  Gross

State  Residen5al  STEM  Schools:  A  Model  for  Accelerated  Learning   Julia  Link  Roberts  and  Corey  Alderdice

Diverse  Popula5ons  in  Accelera5on     Jonathan  Plucker  and  Bryn  Harris

Professional  Development  for  Teachers  and  School  Counselors:  Empowering  a  Change  in  Percep5on  and  Prac5ce  of  Accelera5on  

Laurie  CroO  and  Susannah  Wood

Content  Accelera5on:    The  Cri5cal  Pathway  for  Adap5ng  the  Common  Core  State  Standards  for  Gi=ed  Students  

Joyce  VanTassel-­‐Baska  and  Susan  Johnsen  

Stories  of  Accelera5on  in  Australia:  Flexible  Pacing  Opens  the  Way  for  Early  University  Admission  

Marie  Young,  Karen  Rogers,  Katherine  Hoeckman,  Lye  Chan  Long,  &  Helen  VanVliet

Academic  Accelera5on  in  Europe:  A  Comparison  of  Accelera5ve  Opportuni5es  and  Ac5vi5es  

Lianne  Hoogeveen  

Focus on whole-grade and early entrance to K or first grade

Effect Size Variables Effect  Size  Variable Subject-­‐Based  Accelera5on Grade-­‐Based  Accelera5on  

Summary  Academic  Effects   +0.51   +0.50  

Summary  Socializa5on  Effects   +0.16   +0.23  

Summary  Psychological  Effects   +0.24   +0.34  

Academic  Effects:  Elementary   +0.42 +0.67  

Socializa5on  Effects:  Elementary     +0.33 +0.34  

Psychological  Effects:  Elementary   +0.31 +0.42  

Academic  Effects:  Middle  School   +0.39 +0.45  

Socializa5on  Effects:  Middle  School +0.29 +0.26  

   

Psychological  Effects:  Middle  School +0.36 +0.39  

   

Academic  Effects:  High  School   +0.56 +0.50  

Socializa5on  Effects:  High  School   +0.16 +0.23  

Psychological  Effects:  High  School +0.21 +0.34  

   

Process to evaluate potential early entrants – the Colorado way! •  Two-way communication •  Criteria in a body of

evidence •  Procedures •  Review and analyze data •  Discuss student strengths

and readiness •  Collaborative decide

•  Timelines •  Personnel •  Monitoring •  Data Gathering

Nuts and Bolts

•  Become informed •  Prepare your team •  Provide Information •  Collect all profile

information •  Talk with the student

•  Schedule the meeting •  Preplan other options •  Schedule the meeting •  Select a receiving

teacher •  Follow-up with parents,

teachers, and student

Also:    Recognize  that  there  are  a  few  caveats  to  the  process!  

www.AccelerationInstitute.org •  First-Time Here?

–  Parents –  Educators –  Policymakers –  Researchers

•  Resources –  A Nation Empowered –  A Nation Deceived –  IDEAL Solutions for STEM Acceleration –  Guidelines for Developing an Academic Acceleration

Policy –  Iowa Acceleration Scale

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