Gifted programs and services: what are the nonnegotiables?

Content Acceleration

Another indication of curriculum flexibility involves the offering of content-based acceleration practices at all levels of schooling and in all subject areas. In the last 20 years, schools have become more open to ideas of math acceleration but not to other subject areas (Benbow & Stanley, 1996). For gifted learners with precocious abilities in verbal, scientific, and artistic areas, such pathways are also crucial to enhanced learning and development at their natural rate of progression in school. Not only is there a limit on subject areas to be considered for accelerative practices, there also is often a perception that rate should be capped at 6 months or a year to reduce or prevent students from getting out of step with the school curriculum or other students their age (Olszewski-Kubilius, 2003). Both of these practices are faulty, based on 80 years of research showing the positive outcomes of such accelerative opportunities on enhanced learning, motivation, and extracurricular engagement of accelerated learners (Jones & Southern, 1991; Swiatek & Benbow, 1991).

Acceptable forms of acceleration in operation at the high school level include the hallmark secondary programs of The College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Program and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program. Both of these initiatives offer students the opportunity to engage in college-level work while still in high school and reward their diligence with college placement or credit for work done during the high school years (VanTassel-Baska, 2001). Such a model needs to be available to students at all stages of development, such that evidence of advanced work brings credit toward the next level of the educational experience.

For secondary schools, dual enrollment courses at local 2-year and 4-year colleges would also be important. Many highly capable students may wish to sample college early, although not actually attend full-time. Dual enrollment offers a wonderful opportunity for this early academic and socialization process to occur. Students may take one to two classes away from campus, or sometimes arrangements are made for dual enrollment courses to be delivered on-site. Currently, 22 states have dual enrollment policies, encouraging local districts to take advantage of the opportunity for students to gain access to higher education while still in high school (Olszewski-Kubilius, 2003). These courses are then banked for college and will automatically be credited for a student attending a public college in the same state. Often, the equivalent of freshman year in college may be credited. For students and schools in rural areas of a state, dual enrollment provides a strong alternative to AP and IB, which are often not possible to implement in small schools, due to lack of interested faculty or sufficient numbers of ready students.

Grade-Level Acceleration

Another approach to acceleration for students who are advanced in all areas of the curriculum is grade-level acceleration. Such practices can be handled through early entrance policies but need to be broadened to consider stages of schooling beyond the naturally occurring transition years. For students showing more than 2 years of advancement in all school subjects, grade level acceleration may be a good decision. Obviously, each case should be considered individually. More concern is, surprisingly, voiced about this well-documented and researched practice than is warranted (Rogers, 2001). Grade acceleration, at critical points of schooling, can do much to counter boredom and disenchantment with school among our best learners (Gross, 2003).