ABSTRACT
Talented students who are accelerated achieve more than their equally talented age-mates who are not. Acceleration is often equated with grade skipping in the public mind, but there are numerous forms of acceleration. Achievement and educational attainment outcomes are positive. Educators and parents worry that acceleration places high-ability learners at risk for social and emotional difficulties. Acceleration of academically talented students is one of the most commonly recommended practices. For students with an intense and focused interest, fast-paced classes in content areas provide opportunities for students to master challenging material. The short-term accomplishments of students in fast-paced classes are often described in terms of hours or weeks of instruction rather than months. Grade advancement in the elementary, middle, or high school, and fast-paced extracurricular courses may contribute to a third type of accelerative option — early entrance to college.
