I have just come across this website. I have not read the report yet, but I will! My daughter is currently in the 6th grade with one 7th grade class. My daughter has been accelerated 2 times; one whole grade skip and another grade skip in one subject. I would like for them to skip her ahead more, she is bored and she does not fit in with the other children. She should be given the choice of what classes she would like to take. If she were in the 5th grade (at public), 4th grade (at her private), can you imagine how terrible that would be for her. It's time to think about the children that have ability and stop the worry about hurting the feelings of others. The children on the other end of the spectrum are very well taken care of. It's time to take care of the other extreme.
I have just come across this website. I have not read the report yet, but I will!
My daughter is currently in the 6th grade with one 7th grade class. My daughter has been accelerated 2 times; one whole grade skip and another grade skip in one subject. I would like for them to skip her ahead more, she is bored and she does not fit in with the other children. She should be given the choice of what classes she would like to take. If she were in the 5th grade (at public), 4th grade (at her private), can you imagine how terrible that would be for her. It's time to think about the children that have ability and stop the worry about hurting the feelings of others. The children on the other end of the spectrum are very well taken care of. It's time to take care of the other extreme.
Sandy Bakersfield, CA Parent
Hmmm, it appears that only positive comments are posted. Seriously, this is a major flaw in volume 1 of your book (I have not yet read volume 2). The tone of the book is too positive, too one-sided. It feels more like a propaganda piece than an unbiased review of the facts. It lacks a healthy scientific skepticism. In several places, it even abuses the research findings. On page 32, for instance, it states "AP kids get ambitious". This is a clear mixup of correlation versus causality. What was measured was simply a correlation of AP students with advanced degree seekers, with no causality implied. It would be more accurate to say, "Students who have taken AP classes are more likely to seek higher degrees." And even more accurately, "Students seeking higher degrees are likely to have taken AP classes." More telling, from a social policy point of view, increasing the number of AP students will not necessarily increase the number of people with advanced degrees. In any case, it is much more likely, I submit, that the students taking AP classes are already ambitious. Such errors, along with other linguistic twists, serve only to increase distrust in the research, which needs every ounce of credibility it can get. And personally, as a strong supporter of AP classes and gifted education in general, it leaves a bad taste in the mouth. P.S. What's up with the "Writing Consultant" listed in the credits at the back of the book? I'm tempted to believe that none of the three principals listed as authors actually wrote any of the text.
Hmmm, it appears that only positive comments are posted.
Seriously, this is a major flaw in volume 1 of your book (I have not yet read volume 2). The tone of the book is too positive, too one-sided. It feels more like a propaganda piece than an unbiased review of the facts. It lacks a healthy scientific skepticism.
In several places, it even abuses the research findings. On page 32, for instance, it states "AP kids get ambitious". This is a clear mixup of correlation versus causality. What was measured was simply a correlation of AP students with advanced degree seekers, with no causality implied. It would be more accurate to say, "Students who have taken AP classes are more likely to seek higher degrees." And even more accurately, "Students seeking higher degrees are likely to have taken AP classes." More telling, from a social policy point of view, increasing the number of AP students will not necessarily increase the number of people with advanced degrees.
In any case, it is much more likely, I submit, that the students taking AP classes are already ambitious.
Such errors, along with other linguistic twists, serve only to increase distrust in the research, which needs every ounce of credibility it can get. And personally, as a strong supporter of AP classes and gifted education in general, it leaves a bad taste in the mouth.
P.S. What's up with the "Writing Consultant" listed in the credits at the back of the book? I'm tempted to believe that none of the three principals listed as authors actually wrote any of the text.
Russell Thompson Boulder, CO Parent
I would argue that the publication and distribution of "A Nation Deceived" is the most meaningful effort ever undertaken on behalf of gifted children - period. I know that it had a dramatic impact on our decision to seek multiple subject and later, whole grade acceleration for our child. After being told that "grade skipping" simply wasn't done in our school district and that a child would have to "test in the genius level" before acceleration would even be considered - we switched to another elementary school in our district and insisted on standardized testing to complete the ability and achievement profile of our student. Using "A Nation Deceived" as our guidebook we were able to successfully negotiate the complicated hierarchy of our school district and better understand the results of the out-of-grade level testing that was done. After multiple subject accelerations, a whole grade acceleration and now an independent study with a faster-paced math curriculum, I feel our student is more evenly matched to his learning environment. Today I often direct parents (who are discouraged with the enrichment-only model our schools seem to focus on) to your publication and reference it often in advocacy work I do on behalf of gifted children in our State. I hope you will always make this publication readily available and encourage in any way possible its distribution to colleges of education and to teachers and building principals everywhere. It is a valuable resource and I recommend it highly to anyone interested in education options for high ability learners.
Jeanne B. Cincinnati, OH Parent
Faster is not necessarily better - education is meaningful when it offers depth and breadth within a differentiated curriculum designed to address the needs of the individual learner. Alternative schools are filled with students who have been pushed to excel on standardized tests, district standards and proficiencies. After teaching 34 years, 17 as a G&T resource teacher K-12, I've discoverd all students learn in their own time, at their own pace and in their own style. It's really about learning style and motivation. I've worked with some brilliant, creative kids who do not buy into a system that pushes them to excel based on others expectations. Yet we are basing the failure of the system to meet the needs of our gifted students on standardized test data and grade level proficiencies. It seems we are criticizing the very data collection methods that keep gifted ed programs afloat.
Jim Jacobmeyer Cedar Rapids, IA Professor
This is a wonderful report. I just found it today, and haven't read through the whole thing, but what I have read appears to be very useful. I have an interest in gifted students, and I agree that gifted students do not receive the attention they deserve. I am currently preparing a Master's Thesis on this subject, and this report will undoubtedly be a great resource for me.
David P Walrod Rochester, NY Graduate Student
Please don't simply blame the teachers. I am a teacher and I was in the "enrichment" program when I was a child about 40 years ago. Our schools have changed so much and not to the good. As teachers, we are expected to meet too many of the needs of our students. I believe every child can learn and should aim for their full potential as individuals. BUT--I am told what to teach; often, exactly how to teach the material; am not allowed to give a grade below 60, ever. My hands are so tied. Administrators come into our classrooms with checklists to be sure the materials posted on our walls match the curriculum and every other 3rd grade classroom all year long. I can't accelerate or slow down my delivery. We have timelines to meet. I promise you that there are many teachers begging for the freedom to exercise their good and highly educated judgment to the benefit of the children in their care. Instead of reaching for the stars, we are made to get out the cookie cutters. It breaks my heart.
Please don't simply blame the teachers. I am a teacher and I was in the "enrichment" program when I was a child about 40 years ago. Our schools have changed so much and not to the good. As teachers, we are expected to meet too many of the needs of our students. I believe every child can learn and should aim for their full potential as individuals. BUT--I am told what to teach; often, exactly how to teach the material; am not allowed to give a grade below 60, ever. My hands are so tied.
Administrators come into our classrooms with checklists to be sure the materials posted on our walls match the curriculum and every other 3rd grade classroom all year long. I can't accelerate or slow down my delivery. We have timelines to meet. I promise you that there are many teachers begging for the freedom to exercise their good and highly educated judgment to the benefit of the children in their care. Instead of reaching for the stars, we are made to get out the cookie cutters. It breaks my heart.
Vicky Standley Greenville, Georgia 3rd Grade Public School Teacher
This is an outstanding report! I read it online, but ordered a print copy to take to my son's school. My son is in 3rd grade, and has been in the school's enrichment class for reading since he was in Kindergarten. I have been arguing with his school about his math capabilities for the past few years now telling them that their curriculum is boring him! He excels when they inroduce something new, catching on to it amazingly fast with eaze! He just does not pass their little minute timed addition and subtraction tests, so they make him continuously take them everyday! His teacher this year has even stated that she believes that it would be best if he was held back in the 3rd grade next year so that he can "catch up" on these math facts! He still got a 4.1 Mathematics Total on the ITBS! I think that it would be a huge mistake for them to hold him back anyway, especially when he is excelling in his reading and science ( 6.6 on science ITBS test!), and told the school that if they proceeded to do so that I would pull him out of their school! They also stated that they thought that he should be admitted into classes to get extra help for his studies such as math, because of him not passing those timed adding tests! I am excited to be getting this printed copy of this excellent report so that I can take this in hand to my son's school and tell them that it is time that they educate themselves so that they know how to educate these students that are accelerated! Thank you for writing an incredible report and providing the public with such wonderful information! I wish I would have known all this information earlier! I will continue to educate others in my area with the help of your report though, as I recently met the parent of another student in the same school who has a daughter in Kindergarted that has been reading since she was 3 yrs old, and the school wants to hold her back a year as well!
This is an outstanding report! I read it online, but ordered a print copy to take to my son's school. My son is in 3rd grade, and has been in the school's enrichment class for reading since he was in Kindergarten. I have been arguing with his school about his math capabilities for the past few years now telling them that their curriculum is boring him! He excels when they inroduce something new, catching on to it amazingly fast with eaze! He just does not pass their little minute timed addition and subtraction tests, so they make him continuously take them everyday! His teacher this year has even stated that she believes that it would be best if he was held back in the 3rd grade next year so that he can "catch up" on these math facts! He still got a 4.1 Mathematics Total on the ITBS! I think that it would be a huge mistake for them to hold him back anyway, especially when he is excelling in his reading and science ( 6.6 on science ITBS test!), and told the school that if they proceeded to do so that I would pull him out of their school! They also stated that they thought that he should be admitted into classes to get extra help for his studies such as math, because of him not passing those timed adding tests!
I am excited to be getting this printed copy of this excellent report so that I can take this in hand to my son's school and tell them that it is time that they educate themselves so that they know how to educate these students that are accelerated!
Thank you for writing an incredible report and providing the public with such wonderful information! I wish I would have known all this information earlier! I will continue to educate others in my area with the help of your report though, as I recently met the parent of another student in the same school who has a daughter in Kindergarted that has been reading since she was 3 yrs old, and the school wants to hold her back a year as well!
Lisa Pritchard Farmersburg, Iowa Parent
I applaud your efforts to educate our educators on the advantages of acceleration. As a parent of a gifted child I can only hope they will get it. I thank you for the information since it has made me even more firm in my belief that my child needs to be accelerated. Thank you!
Cate Best Howards Grove, WI Parent
I edit a parenting magazine in Chattanooga (among other contract writing/editing jobs) and assigned a story on education for gifted children. Through my writer I learned about this Web site and report. I'm sure you've heard variations of this story many times, but I wanted to lend my voice/opinion if you ever need it for a further survey. As a first-grader, I was miserable and unchallenged at my parochial school. Although I had friends, I was bored and embarrassed by the fact that my teacher singled me out to tutor other children and grade papers during class time. To the credit of that school, they realized I was capable of working at a higher level and moved me up to second grade after two months. I was the smallest kid in second grade, but still I fit in well, had friends, was challenged just enough to make classwork interesting, and never looked back. I'm 45 years old now and have three children--at least one of whom probably would have flourished at a higher grade level. She seemed happy socially, though, so I didn't push the issue; frankly, I don't know that accelerating her would have been an option, anyway. Doesn't seem to happen anymore. Just thought I'd add my two cents. Good luck.
I edit a parenting magazine in Chattanooga (among other contract writing/editing jobs) and assigned a story on education for gifted children. Through my writer I learned about this Web site and report.
I'm sure you've heard variations of this story many times, but I wanted to lend my voice/opinion if you ever need it for a further survey. As a first-grader, I was miserable and unchallenged at my parochial school. Although I had friends, I was bored and embarrassed by the fact that my teacher singled me out to tutor other children and grade papers during class time. To the credit of that school, they realized I was capable of working at a higher level and moved me up to second grade after two months. I was the smallest kid in second grade, but still I fit in well, had friends, was challenged just enough to make classwork interesting, and never looked back.
I'm 45 years old now and have three children--at least one of whom probably would have flourished at a higher grade level. She seemed happy socially, though, so I didn't push the issue; frankly, I don't know that accelerating her would have been an option, anyway. Doesn't seem to happen anymore.
Just thought I'd add my two cents. Good luck.
Allison Gorman Chattanooga, TN Editor/writer
We chose a few years ago to move our children out of the public school system and started homeschooling them. In homeschooling, we choose the topics that our children learn every year (with their enthusiastic suggestions), focus on subjects that excite and interest them, while staying within a typical course of study for the grade level. We accelerate our kids in the areas in which they naturally are accelerated. Because of their family relationship, of which homeschooling is a large part, they are more individually responsible for their education, and their behaviors than their public school friends. They understand why they are set apart, and why homeschooling is a better option for them than public schooling. While I personally love the concept of public schooling, we found that the execution of the concept is just not the right choice since we have gifted kids. We have found, over and over again, that our children exceed public school statistics in all subjects for their grade level, that their reading skills and comprehension/analysis skills are at advanced levels, their math problem solving skills are accelerated. They love being homeschooled and have several groups in which they are socially active, so there is no problem with social development. Since the schools were dumbing down our kids, we made a choice that involves sacrifice on our parts, but terrific bonuses for our kids. Plus, we don't have to deal with all of that playground bullying, social climbing, and popularity contests that are a constant in the public school environment. I hope your report is seriously considered by the Dept. of Education, the NEA and other groups that can and should affect policy changes to benefit gifted and accelerated children.
We chose a few years ago to move our children out of the public school system and started homeschooling them. In homeschooling, we choose the topics that our children learn every year (with their enthusiastic suggestions), focus on subjects that excite and interest them, while staying within a typical course of study for the grade level. We accelerate our kids in the areas in which they naturally are accelerated. Because of their family relationship, of which homeschooling is a large part, they are more individually responsible for their education, and their behaviors than their public school friends. They understand why they are set apart, and why homeschooling is a better option for them than public schooling. While I personally love the concept of public schooling, we found that the execution of the concept is just not the right choice since we have gifted kids.
We have found, over and over again, that our children exceed public school statistics in all subjects for their grade level, that their reading skills and comprehension/analysis skills are at advanced levels, their math problem solving skills are accelerated. They love being homeschooled and have several groups in which they are socially active, so there is no problem with social development.
Since the schools were dumbing down our kids, we made a choice that involves sacrifice on our parts, but terrific bonuses for our kids. Plus, we don't have to deal with all of that playground bullying, social climbing, and popularity contests that are a constant in the public school environment.
I hope your report is seriously considered by the Dept. of Education, the NEA and other groups that can and should affect policy changes to benefit gifted and accelerated children.
Mary U. San Diego, CA
Over the course of the last 18 months I have been on a quest to get the local public school to challenge my son. With the help of the local AEA agency, my son's TAG teacher, a principal with an open mind, and A Nation Deceived, we achieved progress for the first time this fall. My son was tested and moved up from 7th grade math to freshman algebra. For once in his life he is having to put forth an effort to succeed. While not challenged to the degree he needs to be, this is a positive first step both for my son as well as the school. We are still exploring other avenues in hope of helping my son to develop study skills and challenges that require him to use his talents on a higher order and level. After talking with many state department of education officials I came to realize what a big first step this was in our public schools. I am so thankful to have read this report before the high powered meetings. With out the information from this report I do not feel we would have made as much progress, or that I would have even pondered the possibility of acceleration. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Over the course of the last 18 months I have been on a quest to get the local public school to challenge my son. With the help of the local AEA agency, my son's TAG teacher, a principal with an open mind, and A Nation Deceived, we achieved progress for the first time this fall. My son was tested and moved up from 7th grade math to freshman algebra. For once in his life he is having to put forth an effort to succeed. While not challenged to the degree he needs to be, this is a positive first step both for my son as well as the school. We are still exploring other avenues in hope of helping my son to develop study skills and challenges that require him to use his talents on a higher order and level. After talking with many state department of education officials I came to realize what a big first step this was in our public schools. I am so thankful to have read this report before the high powered meetings. With out the information from this report I do not feel we would have made as much progress, or that I would have even pondered the possibility of acceleration.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Lisa Fernholz Estherville, Iowa Parent
In 2004 I homeschooled my son through first grade. By the spring term he was comfortably doing third grade math. I had to put him into school to return to work and I read large sections of your report when it was first released and found it helpful in understanding what I was going to be up against. I am now a parent in in the NYC school system with a child who has been placed in the Gifted and Talented program. In our school there are approx 288 G&T students in our 826 K-5 student population. That's 35%, one third of our school that the administration feels they don't really need to bother with because they will always perform. The focus is on the 2% that are risks for bad PR (zoned students that are violent, budding criminals, sexually inappropriate or illegal drug users) and less than 2% overlap the G&T group. In all the scramble to form parent groups for support in many areas throughout our school, I am trying to form a G&T parent group at our school. We can not get services for our children challenged with ADD, ADHD, ODD and other conditions because their ability to perform exceptionally well on tests excludes them from assistance other special education children have at their disposal. G&T isn't seen as special ed. Our class sizes are ridiculous. 30-34 students like an overcrowded general ed class meanwhile the struggling students have 12-1-1 classes, CTT classes of 24 and many students in these classes have one-on-one paraprofessionals to assist them in staying on task (read babysit them and prevent "meltdowns"). However on the flipside, school funding is all about the scores so our G&T students are pressured to extreme measures to perform consistently at level 4 to bring grade and overall school results up. It is a sad situation.
In 2004 I homeschooled my son through first grade. By the spring term he was comfortably doing third grade math. I had to put him into school to return to work and I read large sections of your report when it was first released and found it helpful in understanding what I was going to be up against.
I am now a parent in in the NYC school system with a child who has been placed in the Gifted and Talented program.
In our school there are approx 288 G&T students in our 826 K-5 student population. That's 35%, one third of our school that the administration feels they don't really need to bother with because they will always perform. The focus is on the 2% that are risks for bad PR (zoned students that are violent, budding criminals, sexually inappropriate or illegal drug users) and less than 2% overlap the G&T group.
In all the scramble to form parent groups for support in many areas throughout our school, I am trying to form a G&T parent group at our school. We can not get services for our children challenged with ADD, ADHD, ODD and other conditions because their ability to perform exceptionally well on tests excludes them from assistance other special education children have at their disposal. G&T isn't seen as special ed. Our class sizes are ridiculous. 30-34 students like an overcrowded general ed class meanwhile the struggling students have 12-1-1 classes, CTT classes of 24 and many students in these classes have one-on-one paraprofessionals to assist them in staying on task (read babysit them and prevent "meltdowns"). However on the flipside, school funding is all about the scores so our G&T students are pressured to extreme measures to perform consistently at level 4 to bring grade and overall school results up. It is a sad situation.
Michelle Saso Brooklyn, New York
While the report does an excellent job of showing the benefits of acceleration, it needs a stronger piece on the NEGATIVE effects of NOT accelerating. This is my story... My gifted education teacher in elementary school suggested at my IEP meeting that I be grade-skipped, but my mother refused because of the perceived social consequences. Instead, I was subject-accelerated in English and Math. I would stay with my age group for other subjects, but I would attend the next grade higher for the English and Math courses. The Math acceleration stopped because the teacher that I had in 4th/5th grade felt that I should be able to jump right in on the first day of school without needing time to review. She tested me on operations dealing with fractions, with no prior warning, then decided to keep me with my age peers. The English acceleration stopped when I was in 5th grade by age because of logistics issues. The 6th grade class was taught in another building and the teacher, as much as I liked her, didn't want to take the extra time to give the individual attention. She didn't believe in homework, though, which led to problems later in school. In sixth grade, I was out of school for nearly a month because of an illness. I made up all of the tests, passing, but all of the teachers waived any classwork and homework assigned during the period. I refused to do any homework that couldn't be finished in school and continued to ace all of the tests. My grades suffered because the grade make up was poorly skewed with a greater emphasis on homework. My parents also divorced during this time and my dad started to pay more attention to my reaction towards school. In seventh grade, it was more of the same. As a year long project, my English teacher had us do--of all things--a pop up book. The middle school was attached to the high school, with the high school letting out a period sooner and middle school students staying for a study hall. My English teacher was also my homeroom teacher, and I was to report back to her class for the study hall. I was constantly either going to my gifted ed. class, or just walking out of the school with the high school students. They gave me In School Suspension once. It was the best thing they ever did to me. I got work for all of the classes for the day, and I was done with all of it by lunch. My dad also started talking to the school about what became a constant refusal on my part to attend. The counselor offered to have me grade-skip me to the 9th grade the previous year, but at this late in the game, the I had my own thoughts on the social issues. I remembered a lot of the older students from when I was subject-accelerated, but the high school combined two separate elementary schools and I didn't want to deal with the rivalry there. From eighth grade on, things really got rough. They put me in a basic English class with a teacher fresh out of college, who promptly moved me to the Academic English class. The teacher there couldn't understand why I wouldn't turn in a homework of writing 10 sentences starting with "because," but I would turn in a ten page story. (As a side note, this is the time I learned about "work recycling." I would save creative writing from previous years to turn it in for later classes.) While in my 8th grade year, my dad also took me to a community college for a placement test. The staff adviser that day was an English teacher, and he had me retake the Math assessment once more so I could get a few extra points. The Math scores were 88th percentile. The English scores were in the high 90's. He said that I would be all set to accelerate past high school and attend the community college full time starting the Spring 2001 semester, with the college being able to handle all of the funding necessary. The only catch was that I needed my school district's approval. They pulled out every possible reason for why I shouldn't be able to go to college. They continued to stonewall the rest of the year. Ninth grade, one of my friends was put in an after school program for saying he'd bring a gun to school. Two hours a day, no Fridays, and they called that punishment. It sounded like a real sweet deal to me, but when I tried a variation of the same thing, the school filed juvenile charges on me and I sat in juvy hall for ten days over Christmas and New Years. My dad talked to a Dean of Admissions at a four year college about my situation. They said that nothing sounded right and they would talk to the school. She called back and said that they weren't able to do anything. My dad initiated due process proceedings, but the hearing officer decided that while the school wasn't providing a Free, Appropriate, Public Education, they didn't need to let me go to college. I managed to somehow tolerate the school for the next few years. I don't think that I passed any of my classes. I tried going for computer programming at the vocational education co-op my school shared. When I was three and four chapters ahead of the "self-paced" book on (Microsoft Internet Explorer-specific) HTML, the teacher had me doing all projects in the chapter in order to slow me down. When the rest of the class caught up, he assigned them less than half of what I had to do. Overall, the maturity of the other class members left a lot to be desired so that didn't work. The next year I switched from the Computer Programming course to Emergency Rescue. By that time, I was too disenfranchised with the school system in general. I tried managing a night shift convenience store job and school, but after a month, one of them had to go, and the $300 cash a week was more important than what I was getting at school. I stayed there until I turned 18, quit, and got my GED. While I was in the Computer Programming course, I had taken the ASVAB and scored 90th percentiles across the board, the lowest being an 82 compared to other males in Mechanical Comprehension. My AFQT was 99. I joined the Marine Corps infantry and finally found something to challenge myself. However, as of this writing, I still haven't settled with my school on the award from the due process hearings. I am constantly thinking of how big of an opportunity that I missed because of the ignorance of the educators in charge of me. I could have had a Bachelor's by the time I was 18, when the rest of my age group was just graduating high school, or possibly an Associate's and putting applications in for the military academies. With my Bachelor's, I would have been able to go directly to an officer program, or I would have been able to join the Marine Corps as a Lance Corporal, boosting my promotion time and allowing me to switch to officer whenever I felt the time was right. My school denied me of that, and I am still trying to work past it and move on with my life.
While the report does an excellent job of showing the benefits of acceleration, it needs a stronger piece on the NEGATIVE effects of NOT accelerating. This is my story...
My gifted education teacher in elementary school suggested at my IEP meeting that I be grade-skipped, but my mother refused because of the perceived social consequences. Instead, I was subject-accelerated in English and Math. I would stay with my age group for other subjects, but I would attend the next grade higher for the English and Math courses.
The Math acceleration stopped because the teacher that I had in 4th/5th grade felt that I should be able to jump right in on the first day of school without needing time to review. She tested me on operations dealing with fractions, with no prior warning, then decided to keep me with my age peers.
The English acceleration stopped when I was in 5th grade by age because of logistics issues. The 6th grade class was taught in another building and the teacher, as much as I liked her, didn't want to take the extra time to give the individual attention. She didn't believe in homework, though, which led to problems later in school.
In sixth grade, I was out of school for nearly a month because of an illness. I made up all of the tests, passing, but all of the teachers waived any classwork and homework assigned during the period. I refused to do any homework that couldn't be finished in school and continued to ace all of the tests. My grades suffered because the grade make up was poorly skewed with a greater emphasis on homework. My parents also divorced during this time and my dad started to pay more attention to my reaction towards school.
In seventh grade, it was more of the same. As a year long project, my English teacher had us do--of all things--a pop up book. The middle school was attached to the high school, with the high school letting out a period sooner and middle school students staying for a study hall. My English teacher was also my homeroom teacher, and I was to report back to her class for the study hall. I was constantly either going to my gifted ed. class, or just walking out of the school with the high school students. They gave me In School Suspension once. It was the best thing they ever did to me. I got work for all of the classes for the day, and I was done with all of it by lunch. My dad also started talking to the school about what became a constant refusal on my part to attend. The counselor offered to have me grade-skip me to the 9th grade the previous year, but at this late in the game, the I had my own thoughts on the social issues. I remembered a lot of the older students from when I was subject-accelerated, but the high school combined two separate elementary schools and I didn't want to deal with the rivalry there.
From eighth grade on, things really got rough. They put me in a basic English class with a teacher fresh out of college, who promptly moved me to the Academic English class. The teacher there couldn't understand why I wouldn't turn in a homework of writing 10 sentences starting with "because," but I would turn in a ten page story. (As a side note, this is the time I learned about "work recycling." I would save creative writing from previous years to turn it in for later classes.)
While in my 8th grade year, my dad also took me to a community college for a placement test. The staff adviser that day was an English teacher, and he had me retake the Math assessment once more so I could get a few extra points. The Math scores were 88th percentile. The English scores were in the high 90's. He said that I would be all set to accelerate past high school and attend the community college full time starting the Spring 2001 semester, with the college being able to handle all of the funding necessary. The only catch was that I needed my school district's approval. They pulled out every possible reason for why I shouldn't be able to go to college. They continued to stonewall the rest of the year.
Ninth grade, one of my friends was put in an after school program for saying he'd bring a gun to school. Two hours a day, no Fridays, and they called that punishment. It sounded like a real sweet deal to me, but when I tried a variation of the same thing, the school filed juvenile charges on me and I sat in juvy hall for ten days over Christmas and New Years. My dad talked to a Dean of Admissions at a four year college about my situation. They said that nothing sounded right and they would talk to the school. She called back and said that they weren't able to do anything. My dad initiated due process proceedings, but the hearing officer decided that while the school wasn't providing a Free, Appropriate, Public Education, they didn't need to let me go to college.
I managed to somehow tolerate the school for the next few years. I don't think that I passed any of my classes. I tried going for computer programming at the vocational education co-op my school shared. When I was three and four chapters ahead of the "self-paced" book on (Microsoft Internet Explorer-specific) HTML, the teacher had me doing all projects in the chapter in order to slow me down. When the rest of the class caught up, he assigned them less than half of what I had to do. Overall, the maturity of the other class members left a lot to be desired so that didn't work.
The next year I switched from the Computer Programming course to Emergency Rescue. By that time, I was too disenfranchised with the school system in general. I tried managing a night shift convenience store job and school, but after a month, one of them had to go, and the $300 cash a week was more important than what I was getting at school. I stayed there until I turned 18, quit, and got my GED.
While I was in the Computer Programming course, I had taken the ASVAB and scored 90th percentiles across the board, the lowest being an 82 compared to other males in Mechanical Comprehension. My AFQT was 99. I joined the Marine Corps infantry and finally found something to challenge myself.
However, as of this writing, I still haven't settled with my school on the award from the due process hearings. I am constantly thinking of how big of an opportunity that I missed because of the ignorance of the educators in charge of me. I could have had a Bachelor's by the time I was 18, when the rest of my age group was just graduating high school, or possibly an Associate's and putting applications in for the military academies. With my Bachelor's, I would have been able to go directly to an officer program, or I would have been able to join the Marine Corps as a Lance Corporal, boosting my promotion time and allowing me to switch to officer whenever I felt the time was right. My school denied me of that, and I am still trying to work past it and move on with my life.
Mark Saxon II Pittsburgh, PA
I was in the doctor's office with my 8 year old daughter when I read this article. I ran out and bought the Time magazine just so I could finish it! I certainly can relate to it like all of you can. Being both dyslexic and gifted has leads to angry frustration when I think of all the years I spent hiding my ability just to "fit in" in schools where I clearly didn't. I kept thinking that if I could only pretend to be slower like them it would work, but then I knew I was a failure when even denying my giftedness wasn't enough to fit in. You know, that feeling that I can't even "fail" right, still hurts after 40 years when I think about all that wasted time in school. In fact, the thing that saved my education was doing the high school correspondence course from University of Nebraska as an independent study course for my senior year. Finally, I was on my own and could feel the excitement of challenge and success. Finally, I'd found a place I could fit in and really learn, and it was OK. My adopted daughter is gifted, too, (reading at 2, doing simple math by 3). I'd thought things had changed in all these years, but this is rural West Virginia so maybe not. No public school here would take her as a 5-year old first grader, and I was encouraged when I finally found a Christian school that would give her a try. She flew through the work and was given second grade work to keep her busy. In second grade, the teacher suggested she be moved to fourth grade math for third grade because she finished so fast that it was clear she needed to move faster. I also took my daughter to see the county's only gifted program for elementary school kids (every school in the county buses them in there one day a week) and it was day camp! There were three classes, one English, one science, and one math. In the English class the teacher had the kids sit in a circle and read them a story about a horse, then had them color a picture of a horse. For science, the kids put balloons on plastic bottles and watched Mary's go further than Sam's. It was a race. Then in math, the teacher handed out Tangrams she'd cut out and told the kids to put them on paper to make the design she'd drawn. The only problem was that she'd drawn in the lines for each piece! My daughter said it was babyish. I agreed. In third grade with fourth grade math the teacher had her read library books and grade the other kid's papers when she'd finish her work in 10 minutes and had to wait on the others. To date, she has made nothing bur straight A's. Over the summer she asked to do the fifth grade math book, so we did, (she loves math). She finished it before school started, and we're in it again. All summer I've been trying to get the principal to agree to move her to sixth grade math and he is not to be moved. He has said that it would be a nuisance to the teachers. It would be a social problem for her "next year". It was against "school policy". and she would learn so much more from "watching the other children learn". The latest testing showed her to be even more gifted than formerly thought, and the tester wrote that she needed compacting and acceleration, and not made to re-do math she'd already done. The principal said no, that she would have to repeat fifth grade math, and that's all there is to that. At parent's night, I spoke to her newly hired teacher, and was told that she was too new to confront the principal, even if she thought acceleration was right. After all, "She needs to complete every problem in that book again, it will develop her character". I'm beginning to see the first early signs of the denial I felt, as she hid the book report she'd written so proudly last night because "the other kids would laugh at me because I wrote a report and they don't know how to". Well, there is a Christian home-school book display Monday and I will buy a book at her level that will challenge her and excite her. She saw it at school and wanted to work on it, but it was another kid's. Yes, it's an 8th grade Pre-Algebra book and yes, she'd only eight, but she is motivated and excited to learn it. She says she wants to be "diligent". I'll just have to teach her math myself, like I did this summer, and I'd better get her a new library book to read in fifth grade math class. I wonder if the college library has a math book I could check out... I think I'll give the principal a copy of this article. I wonder if it will help him ease up on his rigid determination to hold her back at all cost.
I was in the doctor's office with my 8 year old daughter when I read this article. I ran out and bought the Time magazine just so I could finish it! I certainly can relate to it like all of you can. Being both dyslexic and gifted has leads to angry frustration when I think of all the years I spent hiding my ability just to "fit in" in schools where I clearly didn't. I kept thinking that if I could only pretend to be slower like them it would work, but then I knew I was a failure when even denying my giftedness wasn't enough to fit in. You know, that feeling that I can't even "fail" right, still hurts after 40 years when I think about all that wasted time in school. In fact, the thing that saved my education was doing the high school correspondence course from University of Nebraska as an independent study course for my senior year. Finally, I was on my own and could feel the excitement of challenge and success. Finally, I'd found a place I could fit in and really learn, and it was OK.
My adopted daughter is gifted, too, (reading at 2, doing simple math by 3). I'd thought things had changed in all these years, but this is rural West Virginia so maybe not. No public school here would take her as a 5-year old first grader, and I was encouraged when I finally found a Christian school that would give her a try. She flew through the work and was given second grade work to keep her busy. In second grade, the teacher suggested she be moved to fourth grade math for third grade because she finished so fast that it was clear she needed to move faster. I also took my daughter to see the county's only gifted program for elementary school kids (every school in the county buses them in there one day a week) and it was day camp! There were three classes, one English, one science, and one math. In the English class the teacher had the kids sit in a circle and read them a story about a horse, then had them color a picture of a horse. For science, the kids put balloons on plastic bottles and watched Mary's go further than Sam's. It was a race. Then in math, the teacher handed out Tangrams she'd cut out and told the kids to put them on paper to make the design she'd drawn. The only problem was that she'd drawn in the lines for each piece! My daughter said it was babyish. I agreed. In third grade with fourth grade math the teacher had her read library books and grade the other kid's papers when she'd finish her work in 10 minutes and had to wait on the others. To date, she has made nothing bur straight A's. Over the summer she asked to do the fifth grade math book, so we did, (she loves math). She finished it before school started, and we're in it again. All summer I've been trying to get the principal to agree to move her to sixth grade math and he is not to be moved. He has said that it would be a nuisance to the teachers. It would be a social problem for her "next year". It was against "school policy". and she would learn so much more from "watching the other children learn".
The latest testing showed her to be even more gifted than formerly thought, and the tester wrote that she needed compacting and acceleration, and not made to re-do math she'd already done. The principal said no, that she would have to repeat fifth grade math, and that's all there is to that. At parent's night, I spoke to her newly hired teacher, and was told that she was too new to confront the principal, even if she thought acceleration was right. After all, "She needs to complete every problem in that book again, it will develop her character". I'm beginning to see the first early signs of the denial I felt, as she hid the book report she'd written so proudly last night because "the other kids would laugh at me because I wrote a report and they don't know how to". Well, there is a Christian home-school book display Monday and I will buy a book at her level that will challenge her and excite her. She saw it at school and wanted to work on it, but it was another kid's. Yes, it's an 8th grade Pre-Algebra book and yes, she'd only eight, but she is motivated and excited to learn it. She says she wants to be "diligent". I'll just have to teach her math myself, like I did this summer, and I'd better get her a new library book to read in fifth grade math class. I wonder if the college library has a math book I could check out... I think I'll give the principal a copy of this article. I wonder if it will help him ease up on his rigid determination to hold her back at all cost.
Keri Stockton
I was tested many times in elementary school and always placed top of the class and at times even top of the school for giftedness. My first grade teacher recommended that I skip first and second grade and move straight to third. Unfortunately, nobody took her seriously except me. I was in the Columbus Public School system's gifted & talented program. I was learning algebra in third grade and reading with the fifth grade gifted classes. My teachers kept a stockpile of busywork for me to attend to while the rest of the class labored. They even set up private tutoring sessions for the least gifted children and had me tutor them. While still bored, at least someone was benefiting. Then my family moved, and I was placed in an even lower socio-economic level school; everything went from bad to much worse. The school special ordered the highest reading book they could and realized there was nothing more for me to move onto. Rather than be creative, they decided they would dole out reading lessons every three days to make the book last the entire year. (Previously, I had flown through three to four textbooks a school year.) They began sending me to the library in the middle of class. Rather than instructing me to read and perhaps submit a book report, they requested that I help the librarian put the books back on their proper shelves. When I finished that task, they sent me to the office to do light filing and message delivering. My boredom increased and I began to miss school regularly to make things more interesting. I missed over seventy days of school that year alone. By eighth grade, I achieved an all-time truancy best by missing one hundred twenty-three days that year, and yet I still made honor roll. Not surprisingly, I ended up dropping out of high school at my guidance counselor's off-the-record suggestion. She said that while I single-handedly increased my school's test scores, I also demolished their attendance percentage. She properly advised me that I would be far more successful in college where attendance did not matter as much as content. She recommended that I dropout and enroll in community college. Inevitably, I did just that and maintained a perfect cumulative 4.0 through graduation. Now, my daughter's school district is refusing early admission to kindergarten without even meeting with her. She is the average size of a five-year-old and emotionally apt as well. She can read, write, and count to 29. She knows her shapes, colors, and all of the usual basics they teach in kindergarten. Most of her friends are five and six years old. However, since she is still technically only three, she can't start early. If she were born a day later, they would make her wait another two years!! Thank you for creating this report and for helping all of us advocate for ourselves and for our children. At worst, I will continue my child's education at home and supplement her need for social interaction through other means. I will continue to discuss your report with my local and state school boards in an effort to raise awareness and pave the path for other gifted children to come. Thank you so much for all that you have done and continue to do for education system.
I was tested many times in elementary school and always placed top of the class and at times even top of the school for giftedness. My first grade teacher recommended that I skip first and second grade and move straight to third. Unfortunately, nobody took her seriously except me. I was in the Columbus Public School system's gifted & talented program. I was learning algebra in third grade and reading with the fifth grade gifted classes. My teachers kept a stockpile of busywork for me to attend to while the rest of the class labored. They even set up private tutoring sessions for the least gifted children and had me tutor them. While still bored, at least someone was benefiting.
Then my family moved, and I was placed in an even lower socio-economic level school; everything went from bad to much worse. The school special ordered the highest reading book they could and realized there was nothing more for me to move onto. Rather than be creative, they decided they would dole out reading lessons every three days to make the book last the entire year. (Previously, I had flown through three to four textbooks a school year.) They began sending me to the library in the middle of class. Rather than instructing me to read and perhaps submit a book report, they requested that I help the librarian put the books back on their proper shelves. When I finished that task, they sent me to the office to do light filing and message delivering. My boredom increased and I began to miss school regularly to make things more interesting. I missed over seventy days of school that year alone.
By eighth grade, I achieved an all-time truancy best by missing one hundred twenty-three days that year, and yet I still made honor roll. Not surprisingly, I ended up dropping out of high school at my guidance counselor's off-the-record suggestion. She said that while I single-handedly increased my school's test scores, I also demolished their attendance percentage. She properly advised me that I would be far more successful in college where attendance did not matter as much as content. She recommended that I dropout and enroll in community college. Inevitably, I did just that and maintained a perfect cumulative 4.0 through graduation.
Now, my daughter's school district is refusing early admission to kindergarten without even meeting with her. She is the average size of a five-year-old and emotionally apt as well. She can read, write, and count to 29. She knows her shapes, colors, and all of the usual basics they teach in kindergarten. Most of her friends are five and six years old. However, since she is still technically only three, she can't start early. If she were born a day later, they would make her wait another two years!!
Thank you for creating this report and for helping all of us advocate for ourselves and for our children. At worst, I will continue my child's education at home and supplement her need for social interaction through other means. I will continue to discuss your report with my local and state school boards in an effort to raise awareness and pave the path for other gifted children to come. Thank you so much for all that you have done and continue to do for education system.
Amy Fox Columbus, OH
Thank you so much for writing this!!! When I entered Kindergarten, I was already reading and doing basic addition. My teachers in both Kindergarten and 1st grade told my mother that I was extremely bored and already knew everything they were supposed to be teaching me. They said their hardest job with me was finding "special tasks" to do so I wouldn't be bored and act out. Unfortunately, my mother didn't realize anything could be done. Luckily, in second grade my teacher told my mother I should be tested and placed in the Gifted and Talented program. After entering the program, school became a lot more enjoyable. In middle school, my mother drove me to classes at a near by college which I loved. I took the ACT for Duke in 7th grade and did very well. In high school, I took every AP course available. I attended weekend and summer courses throughout Jr. High and High School. And in college, I took advantage of the CLEP exams. I have a 15 month old daughter. She drinks from a cup, uses a straw and feeds herself with a spoon. She can brush her hair and teeth as well as dress herself with assistance. She sits by herself, turns pages in her book and babbles about what she sees. She follows multi-step directions and will use up to three word sentences to tell you what she wants. She loves to scribble with crayons and works intently on putting puzzles together. In short, I can already see how gifted my daughter is going to be. I have a 15 month old daughter. She drinks from a cup, uses a straw and feeds herself with a spoon. She can brush her hair and teeth as well as dress herself with assistance. She sits by herself, turns pages in her book and babbles about what she sees. She follows multi-step directions and will use up to three word sentences to tell you what she wants. She loves to scribble with crayons and works intently on putting puzzles together. In short, I can already see how gifted my daughter is going to be. Thank you!!!
Thank you so much for writing this!!!
When I entered Kindergarten, I was already reading and doing basic addition. My teachers in both Kindergarten and 1st grade told my mother that I was extremely bored and already knew everything they were supposed to be teaching me. They said their hardest job with me was finding "special tasks" to do so I wouldn't be bored and act out. Unfortunately, my mother didn't realize anything could be done. Luckily, in second grade my teacher told my mother I should be tested and placed in the Gifted and Talented program.
After entering the program, school became a lot more enjoyable. In middle school, my mother drove me to classes at a near by college which I loved. I took the ACT for Duke in 7th grade and did very well. In high school, I took every AP course available. I attended weekend and summer courses throughout Jr. High and High School. And in college, I took advantage of the CLEP exams.
I have a 15 month old daughter. She drinks from a cup, uses a straw and feeds herself with a spoon. She can brush her hair and teeth as well as dress herself with assistance. She sits by herself, turns pages in her book and babbles about what she sees. She follows multi-step directions and will use up to three word sentences to tell you what she wants. She loves to scribble with crayons and works intently on putting puzzles together. In short, I can already see how gifted my daughter is going to be.
Thank you!!!
Elizabeth White Memphis, TN
I have spent 9 months worrying about acceleration of my 7-year-old daughter. Could she overcome the social, emotional, and age problems? Would I rob her of a year of her life and childhood? I was not allowed to accelerate by my Mother, a teacher, and reading the literature, wonder if I fell slightly victim to some of the pifalls, although I am a doctor. I will take this information to heart, and use it to ease my worry and will consider giving her what she wants and needs.
Mary Illinios
As a mother of 4 gifted children and being gifted myself, I DL a copy of both volumes of your report. I am gearing up to fight (if necessary) to get my 3 yr old in Kindergarten. She will be 4 yrs old 3 days after the cut off. She is teaching herself to read. I should have known, with my family history and all, but it surprised me. Thank you for doing the report. C Gladden Rhome, TX After reading many many articles on acceleration we accelerated our daughters. After reading A Nation Deceived, we allowed our 14 year old to attend the local Community College. We have joyously watched our child bloom. She enjoys the banter, leadership, and joy of learning that abounds at the college level. I am hopeful that other families struggling with the decision of whether to follow well meaning, but often ignorant public schools recommendations and what their hearts know as right will also find this publication reassuring. Regards
As a mother of 4 gifted children and being gifted myself, I DL a copy of both volumes of your report. I am gearing up to fight (if necessary) to get my 3 yr old in Kindergarten. She will be 4 yrs old 3 days after the cut off. She is teaching herself to read. I should have known, with my family history and all, but it surprised me. Thank you for doing the report.
C Gladden Rhome, TX
After reading many many articles on acceleration we accelerated our daughters.
After reading A Nation Deceived, we allowed our 14 year old to attend the local Community College. We have joyously watched our child bloom. She enjoys the banter, leadership, and joy of learning that abounds at the college level.
I am hopeful that other families struggling with the decision of whether to follow well meaning, but often ignorant public schools recommendations and what their hearts know as right will also find this publication reassuring.
Regards
D Washington
A friend sent me the info on your research study for Volume I. I downloaded it and printed it out, and cried all the way through. I see how this bubba town I live in has stunted my son's academic growth. He is thirsty for knowlege and they keep him at the minimum requirment along with all the other gifted kids. There is no challenge, acceleration or enhancement for them, and the middle school doesn't even practice differentiation for them. My son is Duke TIP, has been scholarshiped the complete fees for the summer 2006 and now for this summer 2007 by Duke. My son has taken the SAT, and was Duke TIP eligible in 7th grade with a CR score of 510. As an 8th grader this year, he retook the SAT test at Dr. Joseph Aicher's SAT prep seminar and scored 1650 this past Feb. 2007. I will be fighting with the school administration, you can be sure, so he can take accelerated classes in NINTH grade when he goes to HS fall 2007. Where is the money for gifted students going????? They have an alternative school for the behavior troubled kids, handicapped classes, and a charter school for slow learners....nothing for gifted in middle school. I would appreciate your help, any ideas for me to approach the school administration, so I don't sound like an ignorant parent while trying to get him accelerated classes in 9th grade. Thank you for allowing me to vent.
Lisa G. Hill Murphy, NC
I started first grade at age five and three months after I went to kindergarten and my teacher realized I was reading on a third grade level. In second grade, at age 6, I attended 3rd grade reading and math classes. In 4th grade, I was put in the gifted program. Sophomore year, at age 14, I was taking AP classes. At 15 I was named a National Merit Scholar and got a 1520 on the SAT. I graduated college at 20. I am so grateful that I was in a public school system (Columbia, SC) that let me perform to my abilities and didn't hold me back because of my age! On the other hand, my similarly-gifted husband grew up in a poor, rural school district in Northern California. Even after he tested extremely high on an IQ test at age 7, they wouldn't accelerate him because they "didn't have the resources." Finally, after years of being bored and ostracized by his peers, he complained to a guidance counselor (at age 12), who recommended that he skip 7th grade, which he did. He got an Associate's Degree at 18, and went on to get a BS in Engineering, an MS in Rocket Science, and will start an MBA at a prestigious school in the Fall. We were both late bloomers. I started puberty senior year, and Chris grew 9 inches his freshman year of college. We were both pretty socially inept in high school, but I think it had more to do with being smart and less with being skipped. Even after we were skipped, we were still some of the smartest kids in our class. But we had friends, and in college we thrived and outgrew our nerdiness, and now we are successful, well-adjusted adults. We also have a 4-year-old little girl. She can read, add, subtract, dress herself, use the bathroom, and make herself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She loves school, and she loves to learn. However, since she has a December birthday, she will not be able to even start public kindergarten for another year and a half. Since I don't have the money for private school (especially when my husband starts b-school), I am going to attempt to put in public kindergarten at 4 and 8 months. I imagine that it will be a huge battle, but it will be worth it. I will start the battle in a few months, after we decide which business school we are going to. My husband and I were happy being accelerated, so happy that we want to skip our gifted daughter.
I started first grade at age five and three months after I went to kindergarten and my teacher realized I was reading on a third grade level. In second grade, at age 6, I attended 3rd grade reading and math classes. In 4th grade, I was put in the gifted program. Sophomore year, at age 14, I was taking AP classes. At 15 I was named a National Merit Scholar and got a 1520 on the SAT. I graduated college at 20. I am so grateful that I was in a public school system (Columbia, SC) that let me perform to my abilities and didn't hold me back because of my age!
On the other hand, my similarly-gifted husband grew up in a poor, rural school district in Northern California. Even after he tested extremely high on an IQ test at age 7, they wouldn't accelerate him because they "didn't have the resources." Finally, after years of being bored and ostracized by his peers, he complained to a guidance counselor (at age 12), who recommended that he skip 7th grade, which he did. He got an Associate's Degree at 18, and went on to get a BS in Engineering, an MS in Rocket Science, and will start an MBA at a prestigious school in the Fall.
We were both late bloomers. I started puberty senior year, and Chris grew 9 inches his freshman year of college. We were both pretty socially inept in high school, but I think it had more to do with being smart and less with being skipped. Even after we were skipped, we were still some of the smartest kids in our class. But we had friends, and in college we thrived and outgrew our nerdiness, and now we are successful, well-adjusted adults.
We also have a 4-year-old little girl. She can read, add, subtract, dress herself, use the bathroom, and make herself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She loves school, and she loves to learn. However, since she has a December birthday, she will not be able to even start public kindergarten for another year and a half. Since I don't have the money for private school (especially when my husband starts b-school), I am going to attempt to put in public kindergarten at 4 and 8 months. I imagine that it will be a huge battle, but it will be worth it. I will start the battle in a few months, after we decide which business school we are going to.
My husband and I were happy being accelerated, so happy that we want to skip our gifted daughter.
Lauren Richins Maple Valley, WA
A gifted student, at 16 and finishing my junior year of high school, I was accepted for early admission to Florida State University. I received CLEP credit, so that I was admitted as a sophomore and in the Honors Program. I lived with the general population in a dormatory and received no special counseling. The experience was amazing, and I am thankful that I was able to move ahead. I was able to return to my high school and attend all the events that mark a typical senior year, including homecoming, prom, and graduation, so I never felt that I had missed these social landmarks. In the meantime, I was able to forge wonderful friendships at the university, including meeting my husband! After 30 years we are still together and happy! Never have I felt that I should have stayed back with my classmates. Now one of my sons is contemplating early admission, and I support his decision 100%.
Pauline David Fort Walton Beach, Fl
I was accelerated in elementary school, having skipped grade five. My older brother was also accelerated (grade 1 in his case). I have very mixed feelings about acceleration and am unsure that I would allow my own children to be accelerated. From an academic and professional perspective, the outcomes were positive -- I completed a master's degree at age 23, and now earn a very high income in the financial services sector. My brother completed a PhD and is a tenured professor. However I feel that our social development suffered through our childhood and teens. (I largely overcame this, but my brother remains a very socially awkward adult). Simply put, everyone knows you're the youngest in the class, and everyone treats you differently as a result. I believe it impacted my self-confidence and self-esteem for a number of years, up until my early adulthood. Acceleration also didn't solve the problem of classroom boredom, because the children in the next grade weren't any brighter or more motivated than the children that were my own age, they were simply a year older. The pace of the classroom was still much too slow for me, and I spent much of my academic career taking naps at the back of the classroom, or skipping class altogether (while still maintaining a very high academic average), learning at perhaps 20% of my potential. I think a much better (albeit perhaps more difficult to implement) solution would be to identify and group motivated, intelligent children of the same age and group them together, teaching them in an accelerated manner. This would allow them to learn at the rate that they're capable of, while having less of an impact on their social development.
David Toronto, Ontario
Hello. I entered the Detroit Public School system in 1971, and they had no idea what to do with me. I was reading newspapers at age three, which went unnoticed by my teacher until Valentine's Day in kindergarten. I was the only kid in class who could read the messages on the candy hearts. The teacher called me up to her desk and asked me to read from a Dr. Seuss book (Bears On Wheels). She then sent me with the book and a note to the principal's office to read again. Then I was sent home with a note. No one bothered to tell me what was going on, and I assumed I was in trouble for something. For the next week while the other kids were at play period I was in the library taking a battery of tests. I wasn't informed of the test results, but I learned I had an IQ of 140. No one told me what that meant either. I only recently found out how high that is. But the end result was that I skipped first grade. Once I was double-promoted, the school system congratulated themselves for doing their jobs and left me to rot. My entire educational experience was that of mind-numbing boredom. In those days integrating the remedial kids was the highest priority, and the gifted kids were ignored. I often wonder how my life would have differed if the gifted children of the time had had their educational needs met. Fortunately I am a voracious reader and can easily educate myself. More facilities like yours are needed all over the country. Goodness knows how many other gifted children are stagnating in inadequate schools.
I entered the Detroit Public School system in 1971, and they had no idea what to do with me.
I was reading newspapers at age three, which went unnoticed by my teacher until Valentine's Day in kindergarten. I was the only kid in class who could read the messages on the candy hearts. The teacher called me up to her desk and asked me to read from a Dr. Seuss book (Bears On Wheels). She then sent me with the book and a note to the principal's office to read again. Then I was sent home with a note. No one bothered to tell me what was going on, and I assumed I was in trouble for something.
For the next week while the other kids were at play period I was in the library taking a battery of tests. I wasn't informed of the test results, but I learned I had an IQ of 140. No one told me what that meant either. I only recently found out how high that is. But the end result was that I skipped first grade.
Once I was double-promoted, the school system congratulated themselves for doing their jobs and left me to rot. My entire educational experience was that of mind-numbing boredom. In those days integrating the remedial kids was the highest priority, and the gifted kids were ignored.
I often wonder how my life would have differed if the gifted children of the time had had their educational needs met. Fortunately I am a voracious reader and can easily educate myself.
More facilities like yours are needed all over the country. Goodness knows how many other gifted children are stagnating in inadequate schools.
Yours very sincerely, Michelle Plumb
In the late 70s, I attended 3 high schools. A. ROHS, in TX, rural 400 students 99% white B. DHS, in GA 1000 students ~50% white C. HHS, in AL 1000+ students ~70% white At the first (ROHS), everyone knew everyone else, there wasn't much harassment, coaches taught some subjects, but there wasn't a lot of motivation. At the second (DHS), the counselors tested the student and placed you based on your skill level. I was placed in advanced classes where I excelled at math, english, and history. Discipline was maintained so fights were rare. At the last (HHS), counselor put me back a year decided not to go with DHS recommendations. When I figured out how far behind HHS classes were, I was not allowed to change. I was pushed into ROTC and not told that they had soccer. I later found out that poor whites, blacks, and transfer students were put into ROTC and vocational courses by all counselors due to their prejudice. I tried to catch up in my senior year (Chemistry, Physics, Trig, Econ, AP English) but it was too much, too late after an easy Junior year. My grades and attitude went to hell. Since then I have seen how the elites and chosen ones at HHS were pushed forward and studies on televison where students who were pushed forward did well. The movie "Stand And Deliver" covered the story of Jaime Escalante who proved that poor hispanic students could pass AP Calculus.
Curtis Campbell Taylors, SC
This report is an exceptional tool for spreading information on gifted education. I have personally been held back and discriminated against by the education system in Arizona. I believe that this report could have an even greater impact if people like myself were evaluated as adults in comparison to those who were accelerated. Because of the injustice I have experienced from the education system, I have made it my personal goal to take action in the amendment of the education system. I watched people that couldn't read receive grants and scholarships to colleges and fail while I had to wait 8 years for financial aid eligibility. Among many other injustices, I do not regret a single discriminatory experience. Without that experience, I wouldn't have chosen to educate myself in this fight against educational prejudice.
Jeremy Michael Coleman Bartonville, IL Undergraduate Student
This is a much needed (and perhaps long overdue) resource that presents well-supported research on academic acceleration. It is a great tool for parents and educators trying to fight the uphill battle against "age-grouping trumps all" and "don't worry, they will grow out of it. don't be so pushy!" Giftedness is NOT something you grow out of. For highly and profoundly gifted children, the parents are usually trying to keep up, rather than pushing. The most vocal opponents I have heard against acceleration have been in cases of mild to moderate giftedness. I was accelerated one grade, and dearly wish it had been several, as I do not recall ever actually learning anything new in school until mid-college years. As a parent of two highly to profoundly gifted children, I will not hesitate to use both volumes one and two to support requests for additional acceleration if or when they seem necessary. We have successfully accelerated both kids a year each so far, and I can see it is very likely to be needed again. I am hoping that with these reports as a tool, my kids will have a chance for experiencing school as a place to be challenged, rather than endured. All children deserve this--not just the average ones!
Giftedness is NOT something you grow out of. For highly and profoundly gifted children, the parents are usually trying to keep up, rather than pushing. The most vocal opponents I have heard against acceleration have been in cases of mild to moderate giftedness. I was accelerated one grade, and dearly wish it had been several, as I do not recall ever actually learning anything new in school until mid-college years. As a parent of two highly to profoundly gifted children, I will not hesitate to use both volumes one and two to support requests for additional acceleration if or when they seem necessary. We have successfully accelerated both kids a year each so far, and I can see it is very likely to be needed again. I am hoping that with these reports as a tool, my kids will have a chance for experiencing school as a place to be challenged, rather than endured. All children deserve this--not just the average ones!
Susan South Bend, IN Parent and Professor
I have read all of the comments on this site and I am glad to know so many other people feel the way I do. I have not yet had a chance to read the report but I do look forward to it. My 5yr old was about to enter kindergarten in two weeks. I called the schools principal and asked if she could be tested prior to starting school. The school amazingly enough said bring her in. I know they believed I was just an over proud mommy and they didn't expect what they saw. My little one was reading at level 10! Her math skills were well above kindergarten. Every single test they gave her, no matter the type, she excelled in. The school administrator couldn't wait for the principal to get back so she called him on his cell phone. My 5yr old was offered 2nd grade! Though she is mature enough.. I have decided she will only advance into first grade and we can look at future advancement during the school year. Alot of people are really upset that I am allowing her to advance at all. I do not understand their thinking. She is socialized and very mature and highly intelligent and she is ready, beyond ready, to move forward quickly. Thanks for all of those who posted as it helps to reinforce my belief in my child and thanks for writing the report.. I promise to read it as soon as she stops squealing from the excitement of advancing and being proud of herself!
My 5yr old was about to enter kindergarten in two weeks. I called the schools principal and asked if she could be tested prior to starting school. The school amazingly enough said bring her in. I know they believed I was just an over proud mommy and they didn't expect what they saw.
My little one was reading at level 10! Her math skills were well above kindergarten. Every single test they gave her, no matter the type, she excelled in. The school administrator couldn't wait for the principal to get back so she called him on his cell phone. My 5yr old was offered 2nd grade!
Though she is mature enough.. I have decided she will only advance into first grade and we can look at future advancement during the school year.
Alot of people are really upset that I am allowing her to advance at all. I do not understand their thinking. She is socialized and very mature and highly intelligent and she is ready, beyond ready, to move forward quickly.
Thanks for all of those who posted as it helps to reinforce my belief in my child and thanks for writing the report.. I promise to read it as soon as she stops squealing from the excitement of advancing and being proud of herself!
Deborah H Tucson, AZ Parent
To the wonderful staff at Belin-Blank International Centre for G.E., On behalf of my two daughters and myself, please accept my sincere graditude for sending me a copy of 'A Nation Deceived'. I cannot adequately thank the authors of the report and your centre for producing and freely distributing such a relevant, useful, and elegantly succinct document for the assistance of parents (such as myself) to help educate the education establishment about catering appropriately for our gifted children. Your generosity is helping to disseminate current best practices in gifted education to the world, and with it, a huge dose of confidence to parents and advocates like me who are standing at the coalface of educational ignorance. I look forward to the support these documents will give me when negotiating with our schools. I feel that you have given me some extra aces for the most important card game that I will ever play. The creation of the laminated Q & A sheet was an inspired stroke of genius!
On behalf of my two daughters and myself, please accept my sincere graditude for sending me a copy of 'A Nation Deceived'. I cannot adequately thank the authors of the report and your centre for producing and freely distributing such a relevant, useful, and elegantly succinct document for the assistance of parents (such as myself) to help educate the education establishment about catering appropriately for our gifted children. Your generosity is helping to disseminate current best practices in gifted education to the world, and with it, a huge dose of confidence to parents and advocates like me who are standing at the coalface of educational ignorance.
I look forward to the support these documents will give me when negotiating with our schools. I feel that you have given me some extra aces for the most important card game that I will ever play. The creation of the laminated Q & A sheet was an inspired stroke of genius!
Many thanks,
Julie McCarthy Beldon, Perth, Australia
Thank you so much for sending me your study -- I wish I could have had it 12 years ago when I was making decisions for a kindergartner who was reading anything at 3 years of age. I have one comment and one question: Comment: Home education is one option that can fluidly access most of the acceleration options outlined in your study, if parents are motivated and able. I am curious why this growing and successful option was not addressed -- obviously it's not for everyone, but it is a viable way to keep kids challenged and pursuing potential without "marking time". This is the option we chose, as have several of my son's peers who have been privileged to be enrolled in your talent search testing program. High school offers more options, so we're dual-enrolled to take advantage of AP courses and community-college level art classes. With the level of cooperation enjoyed between public or private schools and home-schooling associations, there is a great level of flexibility and opportunity in academics, socializing, sports and arts. Once you dive in, home education is do-able and, on the whole, addictively fun and rewarding. Question: How does a parent access the testing and guidance you describe in your study? Even though we're entering Junior year in high school, it would be a tremendous relief to have someone with knowledge and understanding in this area affirm or suggest adjustment to the path we're on. Thank you for the service you provide and the passion you show for kids.
Comment: Home education is one option that can fluidly access most of the acceleration options outlined in your study, if parents are motivated and able. I am curious why this growing and successful option was not addressed -- obviously it's not for everyone, but it is a viable way to keep kids challenged and pursuing potential without "marking time". This is the option we chose, as have several of my son's peers who have been privileged to be enrolled in your talent search testing program. High school offers more options, so we're dual-enrolled to take advantage of AP courses and community-college level art classes. With the level of cooperation enjoyed between public or private schools and home-schooling associations, there is a great level of flexibility and opportunity in academics, socializing, sports and arts. Once you dive in, home education is do-able and, on the whole, addictively fun and rewarding.
Question: How does a parent access the testing and guidance you describe in your study? Even though we're entering Junior year in high school, it would be a tremendous relief to have someone with knowledge and understanding in this area affirm or suggest adjustment to the path we're on.
Thank you for the service you provide and the passion you show for kids.
Billie Barker Cedar Rapids, IA Parent-Teacher
It is so wonderful to see some hard evidence to what my husband and I have been telling our daughter's educators all year long! As individuals that spent most of their elementary, junior high, and high school years bored in the classroom, we have hoped to avoid the same pitfalls for our children. Lincoln Public Schools stands very firm in not permitting children to perform at the appropriate level. Hopefully, with the backing of this report, we can help our daughter to get the most out of her education. As a former National Scholars' Academy participant, I am exceptionally pleased that the Belin-Blank Center has taken the initiative to get this information out there.
Adriana Sikyta Lincoln, NE Parent
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for your research, I hope enough educators get their hands on this to really make a difference. The district here is resistent to acceleration by grade skipping but for some children the "back and forth" communication of ideas and concept with children at that are on the same level is a necessary part of acceleration.
Thank you for your Great Work!
B. Lamping Dry Ridge, KY
I am very grateful for your report. I am a gifted student who just graduated from the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts (LSMSA). I first heard of your report while I was ushering a Talent Search Recognition Ceremony this May. I was disappointed in your coverage of options for gifted high school students. You did not discuss local or state run accelerated high schools such as the school I graduated from, LSMSA. These schools are a step between remaining in a traditional high school setting and entering college early. For example, my school was a residential program, which taught at a college level. All teachers had at least a master's degree in the area in which they taught and over 60% of our faculty had PhDs. I was able to take classes such as Physics with Calculus and U.S. Foreign Policy from teachers who taught at such distingished colleges as Rice University. These schools provide students with a high level of academics, traditional high school activities such as prom, sporting events, and a wide variety of high school clubs. I found that at LSMSA I was able to surround myself with smart, motivated students like myself in a challenging environment while still getting the benefits of high school. Since many of these schools are local or state run they are often more affordable than college. At LSMSA students only paid the cost of room and board and other high school fees such as science lab fees, which roughly costs 1,000 dollars for the year. The state is also able to wave this cost for students on free or reduced lunch. I would like to direct you to the National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science, and Technology at the website http://www.ncsssmst.org. Many of the schools like LSMSA are a part of this organization and it has links to their websites. I urge you to explore this opportunity for gifted high school students. Thank you so much for your report and I'm sure it will serve many gifted students well.
Casey Green Folsom, LA Recent High School Graduate
I'm a former profoundly gifted child who did all my acceleration in college; I'd like to heartily second the comment by Prof. Julian Stanley: "Actually, there are at least twenty ways to accelerate one's progress, especially in subject matter, only a few of which involve skipping grades." I now have a profoundly gifted son who has never been interested in grade-skipping and as he gets older continues to reject the idea; he is neither "brainwashed" or "blending in", but, amazingly enough, is socially quite comfortable with children his own age, although he academically requires very advanced work and thrives when he's given it. Children like this appear to be in the minority in the literature, but are more common than you'd think, and are obviously extremely difficult to handle in a classroom without radical subject acceleration. We have been able to accomplish my son's education through homeschooling (from 3rd grade) which has allowed him to maintain his social comfort level and his academic comfort level simultaneously. I would like readers of these posts (and the report) to bear in mind that grade-skipping is just one of many options: and that for children who WANT to skip grades it is a fine and un-harmful option. There are gifted kids of all kinds who do not fit the textbook model and whose needs are difficult to accommodate short of a personality transplant. Since homeschooling is not an option for everyone, I would like educators to think harder about differentiating material in the classroom: a choice between social and academic dislocation is not much of a choice at all.
We have been able to accomplish my son's education through homeschooling (from 3rd grade) which has allowed him to maintain his social comfort level and his academic comfort level simultaneously. I would like readers of these posts (and the report) to bear in mind that grade-skipping is just one of many options: and that for children who WANT to skip grades it is a fine and un-harmful option. There are gifted kids of all kinds who do not fit the textbook model and whose needs are difficult to accommodate short of a personality transplant. Since homeschooling is not an option for everyone, I would like educators to think harder about differentiating material in the classroom: a choice between social and academic dislocation is not much of a choice at all.
Catherine Arnott Smith Syracuse, NY Assistant Professor Syracuse University
Mr. Colangelo: I want to touch base with you. We read the study – thanks to your staff for sending it to us. I've had several teachers and school administrators in our school district ask for copies also. Our son finished a very successful year after accelerating from kindergarten to second grade. The transition was seamless. There are many factors that can be attributed to this but let's say it was the right mix. We were fortunate enough to have a good experience and we want to help others make the right decision regarding acceleration.
I want to touch base with you. We read the study – thanks to your staff for sending it to us. I've had several teachers and school administrators in our school district ask for copies also.
Our son finished a very successful year after accelerating from kindergarten to second grade. The transition was seamless. There are many factors that can be attributed to this but let's say it was the right mix.
We were fortunate enough to have a good experience and we want to help others make the right decision regarding acceleration.
Laura & Rolly Taylor Nashville, TN Parents
I just received my copy of the report today, and it's made me realize just how thankful I should be for my personal opportunities. I attended the University of Washington Early Entrance Program a few years ago, and before that I was lucky to have facilitative parents and teachers that allowed me to take part time college classes while simultaneously enrolled in public elementary school. I hope this report will eventually allow others in similar situations as myself to have greater opportunities. Thank you for preparing it.
I hope this report will eventually allow others in similar situations as myself to have greater opportunities. Thank you for preparing it.
Harr Chen Cambridge, MA Graduate student Massachusetts Institute of Technology
I am grateful to receive a copy of the Nation Deceived report yesterday. As an immigrant from communist China, which totally deprived my generation's basic schooling for a decade, I received higher education from this wonderful country, and I naturally expect my talented offspring to do better. Unfortunately, this country's public education system disappoints me. Instead of accelerating the academically gifted kids, which will in turn reward our society in many productive ways, the administrators often use the excuse of "no child left behind" at the expense of fulfilling the needs of the advanced kids. Administrators point to their special classes for the gifted as addressing these kids needs, but I have found that even these classes are often watered down and more a charade than a real attempt to nourish the gifted. I understand that the administrators want an easy life, so they try to limit the competitiveness amongst our schools and students. This is shortsighted, for the next generation will be the one facing world class competition from such countries as China and India. With a deceived nation, how can this country's youth excel to face the future global challenges? I hope your wise and timely report will alert our leaders to act on this growing problem within our system. Let me quote you one paragraph from today's (4/28/05) Washington Post, "Gates Cites Hiring Woes, Criticizes Visa Restrictions". Shirley M. Tilghman, president of Princeton University, said during the discussion that a significant part of the problem is that U.S. schools, including universities, discourage girls and women from sticking with subjects such as math, science and engineering... "Too often," she said, of both male and female students, "by the time they get to us, they are math-phobic or science-phobic."
Unfortunately, this country's public education system disappoints me. Instead of accelerating the academically gifted kids, which will in turn reward our society in many productive ways, the administrators often use the excuse of "no child left behind" at the expense of fulfilling the needs of the advanced kids. Administrators point to their special classes for the gifted as addressing these kids needs, but I have found that even these classes are often watered down and more a charade than a real attempt to nourish the gifted.
I understand that the administrators want an easy life, so they try to limit the competitiveness amongst our schools and students. This is shortsighted, for the next generation will be the one facing world class competition from such countries as China and India.
With a deceived nation, how can this country's youth excel to face the future global challenges? I hope your wise and timely report will alert our leaders to act on this growing problem within our system.
Let me quote you one paragraph from today's (4/28/05) Washington Post, "Gates Cites Hiring Woes, Criticizes Visa Restrictions".
Shirley M. Tilghman, president of Princeton University, said during the discussion that a significant part of the problem is that U.S. schools, including universities, discourage girls and women from sticking with subjects such as math, science and engineering... "Too often," she said, of both male and female students, "by the time they get to us, they are math-phobic or science-phobic."
Nora Zhu Falls Church, VA parent
Dear Sirs: I recently read "A Nation Deceived: How Schools Hold Back America's Brightest Students." As Dean of Washtenaw Technical Middle College (a high school to college transition school) I can certainly agree with much of what was said as well as indicate that many students other than just the brightest have also been "held back." We are a school (Washtenaw Technical Middle College) that takes students in their sophomore year, transitions them to college, and by the time they graduate they must have completed not only a series of required classes but also a college certificate or degree. It is a program that has had some success with special education students who would not have had the same chance in a traditional school, underperforming bright students who are bored in their high schools, and bright students who are performing but are seeking more.
I recently read "A Nation Deceived: How Schools Hold Back America's Brightest Students." As Dean of Washtenaw Technical Middle College (a high school to college transition school) I can certainly agree with much of what was said as well as indicate that many students other than just the brightest have also been "held back."
We are a school (Washtenaw Technical Middle College) that takes students in their sophomore year, transitions them to college, and by the time they graduate they must have completed not only a series of required classes but also a college certificate or degree. It is a program that has had some success with special education students who would not have had the same chance in a traditional school, underperforming bright students who are bored in their high schools, and bright students who are performing but are seeking more.
Lee Schleicher Ann Arbor, MI Dean Washtenaw Technical Middle College
It has always been clear that tracking gifted students together benefits them enormously. What the report does not cover, however, is the unfavorable result to the rest of the student population. All of the other students miss the benefit of the gifted students' modeling of conceptual reasoning, creativity, and diversity of problem solving methods. While some of the remaining students may "step up" in some respects, they cannot achieve and model the same level of intellectual prowess.
Brad Arnesen Yakima, WA School Psychologist West Valley School District
Bravo to the esteemed Drs. and the Templeton Foundation for their thorough and timely research! It was easier for two of my siblings to skip multiple grades over 20 years ago than it was for my 5 year old gifted son to skip Kindergarten last year. Sadly, our extreme frustration and disappointment (and astonishment) at the lack of any significant/meaningful acceleration for advanced children in the primary grades has forced us to homeschool our two boys. The strides we have made are remarkable and we are thoroughly convinced of the outstanding option homeschooling presents for those parents who can no longer continue to invest vast amounts of time and energy to gain miniscule advances in their childrens' IEPs. Thank you for your ground breaking work -- I hope it will help gifted children everywhere receive the education they deserve!
R. Albright Heidelberg, Germany and Phoenixville, Pennsylvania Homeschooling Parent
This will be my third entry in the comments section. I had a meeting with my son's principal and ep team, who took his EXPLORE results seriously and allowed for a 2 year acceleration in specific subjects. I look forward to my daughter soon attending that school, where I believe another 2 year acceleration in specific subjects will be realized. The principal shared that her own granddaughters were homeschooled due to their school's reluctance to accelerate and began college at 15. Count me as an ardent supporter of A Nation Deceived and a strong believer that all children deserve appropriate instruction!!!!
Diane Hanfmann Palm Beach Gardens, FL Parent/Special Education Teacher
First of all, I'd like to thank you for the copy I've received. It really amused me and helped me a lot. The best thing is that ideas are discussed frankly and from a scientific point of view . I am looking forward to having another copy.
Said Quassem Egypt Teacher Al karamoos Religious Institute for Girls
I read your report and can only say AMEN. Thanks to the efforts of my parents, I was able to skip sixth grade at a private school that "never skips". Later, I graduated high school with over 35 college credits, through AP's and other testing. So college was done before I turned 20. I took a year and went to law school and at 27 am in my 4th year practicing IP law for a major international firm. By the age of 8, I was reading at university level and was considered a "discipline" problem for calling out answers in class, etc... The preferred solution of my teachers was to send me to the library, even though I was reading my own books under my desk in class. Socially, I had a lot of friends, and skipping just meant I had new friends. One thing that in retrospect was a good idea, was that even after I skipped a grade, I was with my old friends in summer camp. I am married now with a 16-month old son (who is/has been showing signs of giftedness himself) and another on the way. If you ever need a subject for interviewing, please feel free to contact me. Thanks for your important work.
Gaston Kroub New York, NY
Part Two. You may find this as unbelievable as I did. Within 1 hours time from returning from my gifted daughter's compensatory service meeting (as a result of inappropriate instruction when the curriculum did not match my daughter's ability in reading) and finally beginning an acceleration educational plan, I received a phone message from my gifted fifth grade son's middle school where he will transition next year. They were in receipt of his EXPLORE test results, where he outperformed 88% of the eighth graders in Reading, Math, English, and Science. I was told he could only access the sixth grade enrichment program despite my request for accelerative options. Here comes battle #2. Your report could not have been more accurate!!!! It is a treasure to me.
Thank you, Diane Hanfmann (again) Palm Beach Gardens, FL Parent/Special Education Teacher
Dr. Assouline, Dr. Colangelo, and Dr. Gross, I have to thank you for giving my husband and me (and our daughter,) the renewed energy to advocate for her as she enters High School next year, as a gifted student. In reading "A Nation Deceived...", I am inspired and unafraid to push for appropriate instruction for her. I almost want to cry reading the publication, as everything about it hits home. I now have better tools to advocate for her, such as clear terminology and examples of types of acceleration, but even more importantly, the research to remind educators, and myself, that acceleration isn't harmful...in fact it makes for happy kids. Our daughter took the EXPLORE test as a fourth grader and the SAT as an eighth grader, all provided through your center. At the time, we asked ourselves the usefulness of these above level tests, other than our own reassurance. Well, the results are now sitting on the high school counsellor's desk, to give additional insight into her abilities and aptitude for learning. Also sitting on his desk is a copy of your publication. She also attended BSI's creative writing class last summer. This experience was so very rewarding for her, I can't praise it enough. The attitude of the staff towards these kids so they could hit the ground running was refreshing. She also continues to meet with and correspond with other BSI students, as real soul mates. Truly this will be a life long memory.
I have to thank you for giving my husband and me (and our daughter,) the renewed energy to advocate for her as she enters High School next year, as a gifted student. In reading "A Nation Deceived...", I am inspired and unafraid to push for appropriate instruction for her. I almost want to cry reading the publication, as everything about it hits home.
I now have better tools to advocate for her, such as clear terminology and examples of types of acceleration, but even more importantly, the research to remind educators, and myself, that acceleration isn't harmful...in fact it makes for happy kids.
Our daughter took the EXPLORE test as a fourth grader and the SAT as an eighth grader, all provided through your center. At the time, we asked ourselves the usefulness of these above level tests, other than our own reassurance. Well, the results are now sitting on the high school counsellor's desk, to give additional insight into her abilities and aptitude for learning. Also sitting on his desk is a copy of your publication.
She also attended BSI's creative writing class last summer. This experience was so very rewarding for her, I can't praise it enough. The attitude of the staff towards these kids so they could hit the ground running was refreshing. She also continues to meet with and correspond with other BSI students, as real soul mates. Truly this will be a life long memory.
Thank you for the research and inspiration,
Margaret Pardini Solon, Iowa Parent
Though this may seem odd to you I wish I was an American student. I will be graduating from high school at barely 16 with one of the highest averages at my school. I skipped a grade in primary school, against the wishes of a school social worker. I was promised regular meetings with a child psychologist but they never happened. After skipping a grade I became top of my split class though I was the youngest student in it by over two years. I was admitted into a Gifted program eventually where I spent a few happy years with students who were at my level. Sadly, at my high school there were not enough gifted students for there to be many senior gifted classes. I decided that enough was enough and I asked a guidance councilor about early graduation at the beginning of Grade 11. I was told that it was impossible. At my school about a third of students stay for a fifth year. I was advised to try and be like everyone else. Instead I took additional online classes. The guidance department 'forgot' to submit my applications to universities but eventually they did go through. In July I will be starting at university. Unlike in America there are no universities here with programs for young students. In fact, some universities will not accept applications from students my age. I am too young to withdraw money from my education savings plan at the bank. However, I am determined to succeed. I wish that the Toronto District School Board would read your findings.
Mandy Toronto, Ontario, Canada Student
I felt like I was seeing a mirror of many of the difficulies my family has faced. Thanks for your research.
Kristi Hubbs Montgomery, Texas Homeschooler, Parent, Teacher
I have only read all the prelim. info on your report, so I am anxiosly awaiting the full copy. To what I've already read, I can't wait. I have been called every name that you read about. I have been told every negative thing that could be told to me about my 2 eldest. So I left that school & searched. I found a school where my eldest has a teacher that is G&T trained (thru one of Miraca's courses). My eldest is no longer an underachiever & loves school. My middle son is still plodding along. My youngest is causing great debate. He's in prechool over here, but can easily do Yr1 work... but acceleration is only being discussed by our G&T teacher. This report has already dispelled all the arguments said against moving Steven. We are having a meeting soon, so hopefully I will have the report by then & can use the info. Thank you for all you do. Without such dedicated people like yourselves we as parents would be so alone, trying to convince admin/teachers the best path for our children. You have given me the courage to be my children's advocate. Along the years I have read your research & applied it, & even when I've met resistence, I've known that I need to be persistent. Keep up the amazing work. Thank you on behalf of my boys.
Thank you for all you do. Without such dedicated people like yourselves we as parents would be so alone, trying to convince admin/teachers the best path for our children. You have given me the courage to be my children's advocate. Along the years I have read your research & applied it, & even when I've met resistence, I've known that I need to be persistent.
Keep up the amazing work. Thank you on behalf of my boys.
Linda Magin Loganholme, QLD Past Teacher, Parent of 3 g&T boys, G&T myself
The Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia has one of the largest and most innovative programs for the gifted and talented in the nation. Through the hard work of the coordinator and her staff, many highly qualified students have been selected to participate in this program. Rigorous testing procedures which use two nationally standardized tests, and input received from teachers, administrators, psychologists, students and parents have led to demonstrable improvement in the opportunity for all qualified students to participate in this gifted and talented program. As a result, Fairfax County Public Schools leads the nation in NOT deceiving teachers and parents about the unlimited potential of its gifted students.
Maurice D. Fisher, Ph.D. Manassas, VA Educational Psychologist
I've been reading a purloined copy of "A Nation Deceived" on the sly. I feel like a kid reading a Judy Blume book under the covers. It says everything I already knew about my son but was afraid to ask for. Having been told when my son was in kindergarten (eight years ago) that I was "a pushy, overbearing mother who was going to cause a lot of pyschological harm if I didn't let up," as well as other even uglier accusations since then, I've given up advocating for my son. Now I go outside the system to get him what he needs as best I can. I'd like to take every set of tests scores, his IQ, his SAT scores, Talent Search awards and these books, and smack those people upside the head with them. How dare they tell parents we're at fault for wanting to give our gifted children the opportunities they deserve? I hope parents take heart from these findings and keep on being pushy and overbearing - with school administrators! Don't give up. Nobody knows your kid better than you.
Cathy Taylor Glenside, PA Parent
Our district selects students for a cluster program mainly based on language skills and doesn't require comparable math skills. Our 5th grade daughter is bored stiff by the incredibly trivial busywork which passes for academics (worksheets specifying which color crayon to use in 5th grade?). When we asked for more suitable math work, the teacher informed us that she would not be providing challenging math work for our daughter and that we parents should provide those challenges outside the GIFTED classroom. The administration implies that we are unreasonable for expecting anything further than a space in their selective class. Grouping high ability students without adapting the curriculum leads to a classroom where most students are bored, not just a few. Neither clustering or grade skipping eliminates the attitude problem. When the educators believe their only responsibility is to get students to pass the No Child Left Behind tests, they ignore the majority who already meet those requirements. When schools actually encourage the brightest children to leave, NCLB best translates to No Child Leaps Beyond.
Neither clustering or grade skipping eliminates the attitude problem. When the educators believe their only responsibility is to get students to pass the No Child Left Behind tests, they ignore the majority who already meet those requirements. When schools actually encourage the brightest children to leave, NCLB best translates to No Child Leaps Beyond.
Linda Hawkins Elgin, IL Parent
Dear Sir or Madam, I have already ordered a single copy of A Nation Deceived. I read the report online in December and it has profoundly changed my views about acceleration of students. It is well-written, easy to understand, and very straight-forward in reviewing the issues. It caused me to order the Iowa Acceleration Scale and to offer to help a third grade teacher in one of our rural schools to use it with one of her very talented students. I am writing to request 10 copies of the report for the principals in the five districts in which I work. The principals are the ones who make the day-to-day decisions about the acceleration of students. I have an opportunity to meet with all the principals in mid-March to talk about gifted education in our area. If I could put the report in each of their hands, I am convinced that they would see the wisdom of considering acceleration for their gifted students. They would also have a professional research report that they could share with staff and parents as the needs of able students are considered. Yes, they could download the report from the Web, but it will not be viewed on the same level as other professionally printed documents would be regarded in a rural setting. The principals are far more likely to read and share the report if their introduction to it is as professionally done as possible. I work for a small rural Colorado Board of Cooperative Educational Services as the gifted and talented coordinator. My contract with the BOCES is for 80 hours a year, so I do not have the opportunity to meet regularly with the principals, teachers, students, or parents in the five districts. I am doing all that I can to promote the reading of the report on the Web, but it would really give my efforts a boost to put a printed copy of the report in the hands of the educational leaders in the five districts, the principals. Thanks for considering my request.
I have already ordered a single copy of A Nation Deceived. I read the report online in December and it has profoundly changed my views about acceleration of students. It is well-written, easy to understand, and very straight-forward in reviewing the issues. It caused me to order the Iowa Acceleration Scale and to offer to help a third grade teacher in one of our rural schools to use it with one of her very talented students.
I am writing to request 10 copies of the report for the principals in the five districts in which I work. The principals are the ones who make the day-to-day decisions about the acceleration of students. I have an opportunity to meet with all the principals in mid-March to talk about gifted education in our area. If I could put the report in each of their hands, I am convinced that they would see the wisdom of considering acceleration for their gifted students. They would also have a professional research report that they could share with staff and parents as the needs of able students are considered. Yes, they could download the report from the Web, but it will not be viewed on the same level as other professionally printed documents would be regarded in a rural setting. The principals are far more likely to read and share the report if their introduction to it is as professionally done as possible.
I work for a small rural Colorado Board of Cooperative Educational Services as the gifted and talented coordinator. My contract with the BOCES is for 80 hours a year, so I do not have the opportunity to meet regularly with the principals, teachers, students, or parents in the five districts. I am doing all that I can to promote the reading of the report on the Web, but it would really give my efforts a boost to put a printed copy of the report in the hands of the educational leaders in the five districts, the principals. Thanks for considering my request.
Sincerely,
Ginny Ficco Ridgway, CO
I agree with your report. I am a twelve year old in sixth grade. I have been in G/T since kindergarten. I was behind my kindergarten class because I couldn't read. One night I was looking at the pictures in my Little Critter Story Book, it is a childrens chapter book, when I just started reading it. Ever since then I have been in G/T. Anyway, I have met some people in school who are so bored that they cause trouble. I hope that educators embrace more of the ideas in your report. Thank you for writing the report.
I was behind my kindergarten class because I couldn't read. One night I was looking at the pictures in my Little Critter Story Book, it is a childrens chapter book, when I just started reading it. Ever since then I have been in G/T. Anyway, I have met some people in school who are so bored that they cause trouble. I hope that educators embrace more of the ideas in your report.
Thank you for writing the report.
Alexis Des Moines, IA Middle School student
This is not just an issue for very bright students, although from personal experience, I sure wish my programs had moved at a faster pace. As the parent of a LD student, the issue of age-matched classes just has to be hit head on. Many students who don't qualify for either advanced placement or special ed are very uneven in ability to work with different subjects. In fact, maybe this uneven ability to understand and have interest in different subjects might be the norm if we looked. Now we bore them in their good subjects and leave them never really mastering their weak subjects. Those who have mastered a subject need to move on immediately. Those who haven't need to keep working on the topic until they get it. We move students on when they've mastered only 70% of the material. Each year that group gets more behind and slows down even the average students as teachers try to cope with unprepared students. Technology has potential to help with this a bit, but the main problem is lock-stepped age groupings that never meet the needs of the majority of students.
As the parent of a LD student, the issue of age-matched classes just has to be hit head on. Many students who don't qualify for either advanced placement or special ed are very uneven in ability to work with different subjects. In fact, maybe this uneven ability to understand and have interest in different subjects might be the norm if we looked. Now we bore them in their good subjects and leave them never really mastering their weak subjects.
Those who have mastered a subject need to move on immediately. Those who haven't need to keep working on the topic until they get it. We move students on when they've mastered only 70% of the material. Each year that group gets more behind and slows down even the average students as teachers try to cope with unprepared students.
Technology has potential to help with this a bit, but the main problem is lock-stepped age groupings that never meet the needs of the majority of students.
BJ Brown Houston, TX IT Instructor, technical school
The only saving grace in our highly gifted daughter's favor is the Virginia Plan for the Gifted which states that the educational program for the gifted shall meet the gifted student's potential. Our administrators have read your report but are not becoming advocates for the highly gifted. I believe our County School Board Policy needs to be changed so that highly gifted students can be accelerated without their parents making the endeavor to match the curriculum to their child's capabilities a full time job. Our county (Fairfax, VA) commits great resources to bus students to GT Centers where all identified GT students are just given the same math curriculum, for instance, despite some students (like our 8 year old daughter getting a 99% score in a 5th grade distance math course) having demonstrated above grade level math skills. Administrators and parents need to also keep reading the TIMMS report to remind themselves that when we accelerate our students in math, we are just barely meeting the expectations that Japan has for its students in math. Why more parents are not outraged that the U.S., including U.S. universities, has to keep importing math talent from other countries for the U.S. to remain technologically advanced is beyond me! Many parents I have talked to just seem to want their children to bring home 99s on their papers rather than to be challenged at school. Our state requires a gifted and talented advisory committee to be formed with county parents and school staff but our School Board (and our GT Coordinator allows it) has assigned the majority of its members to be school staff so parents do not have a voice of advocacy despite having this report. Again, written policy needs to be changed.
Lori Cole Vienna, VA Parent/Home school teacher
This is a document that is long overdue. It is a shame that more copies are not making their way into the hands of the people who set policy and drive change in our schools. Perhaps the Templeton Foundation could approach the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to fund the printing of even more copies (as Gates did for "Breaking Ranks 2"). That way every principal in the nation (or North America) would have their own copy of this needed resource.
Perhaps the Templeton Foundation could approach the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to fund the printing of even more copies (as Gates did for "Breaking Ranks 2"). That way every principal in the nation (or North America) would have their own copy of this needed resource.
Kim Hoar Calgary, Alberta Canada AP Curriculum Coordinator CRCSSD1
Thank you for your timely and comprehensive report. You not only highlighted the key issues that must be addressed so that gifted learners can continue to grow intellectually, but you also cited valuable research and practical solutions that go far beyond grade skipping which at one time was the only option. In Fairfax County Public Schools, we have created a continuum of gifted services for grades K -12 that offers multiple opportunities for students to be challenged at various levels. As I read your report, I wondered, how can we be sure that every child has access to the appropriate level as well as the opportunity to move to the next level when ready? For us the next step is to identify appropriate assessments that will provide us with that information, and the second volume of your report is replete with assessments and research that will help us in that work. Our ultimate goal is to offer gifted services in such a way that all students are held to high standards and have ongoing opportunities to experience continuous intellectual challenge and growth.
Carol V. Horn Alexandria, Virginia Coordinator, Gifted and Talented Programs Fairfax County Public Schools
The Advanced Learning Coordinator in my school district has been singing praises about this report. The district website even links to it. But please let me share with you the way it is being interpreted here in today's Standards based learning environments. Our "Spectrum" program is for advanced learners who score well (90th percentile) on cognitive and achievement assessments. It used to be stated that they worked a year above grade level on reading and math, at grade level on everything else. Now the official line is that every year the Spectrum students would work toward mastery of grade level benchmarks (ie. standards) and then would proceed with the benchmarks of the next grade level in most (but not all) of the reading and math standards. Some students would master both sets of benchmarks and would need more material. The option of pretesting out of anything on the first day of school is left completely to the discretion of the teacher. There are however no materials to support this. While differentiated instruction is the big buzzword in the district administration, it is not practiced by the majority of teachers. Currently, the district is creating a curriculum map to show what resources are to be used for each math strand for each year. In particular, if and when a Spectrum student has demonstrated mastery in grade level and one year above benchmarks, material will be offered, but in particular, teachers are expressly forbidden to accelerate with materials that are used at two years above grade level. Using material reserved for two years above grade level would cause too much difficulty for the next year teacher; it would not be fair to expect the child to repeat this material from the same source twice. We parents were assured that this really was acceleration, letting the kids soar as the Templeton Report so clearly tells us is needed and desired. They are simply not using specific resources that will be used in the higher grade. When a parent asked "what is the difference between learning long division from one book or another?" a Spectrum teacher in the room matter-of-factly stated "well of course there will be repetition." And of course there is the big repetition of always starting with grade level work re-using material from last year, no matter what you had mastered last June. Yet when I asked about how this fits with the Templeton Report, I was told that this model of acceleration is very much in keeping with many of the 18 ways to accelerate proven to be effective in that ground-breaking wonderful report. Sigh.
Our "Spectrum" program is for advanced learners who score well (90th percentile) on cognitive and achievement assessments. It used to be stated that they worked a year above grade level on reading and math, at grade level on everything else. Now the official line is that every year the Spectrum students would work toward mastery of grade level benchmarks (ie. standards) and then would proceed with the benchmarks of the next grade level in most (but not all) of the reading and math standards. Some students would master both sets of benchmarks and would need more material. The option of pretesting out of anything on the first day of school is left completely to the discretion of the teacher. There are however no materials to support this. While differentiated instruction is the big buzzword in the district administration, it is not practiced by the majority of teachers.
Currently, the district is creating a curriculum map to show what resources are to be used for each math strand for each year. In particular, if and when a Spectrum student has demonstrated mastery in grade level and one year above benchmarks, material will be offered, but in particular, teachers are expressly forbidden to accelerate with materials that are used at two years above grade level. Using material reserved for two years above grade level would cause too much difficulty for the next year teacher; it would not be fair to expect the child to repeat this material from the same source twice.
We parents were assured that this really was acceleration, letting the kids soar as the Templeton Report so clearly tells us is needed and desired. They are simply not using specific resources that will be used in the higher grade. When a parent asked "what is the difference between learning long division from one book or another?" a Spectrum teacher in the room matter-of-factly stated "well of course there will be repetition." And of course there is the big repetition of always starting with grade level work re-using material from last year, no matter what you had mastered last June.
Yet when I asked about how this fits with the Templeton Report, I was told that this model of acceleration is very much in keeping with many of the 18 ways to accelerate proven to be effective in that ground-breaking wonderful report.
Sigh.
Dorothy Neville Seattle, WA Parent
As a babyboomer whose school was innundated with students, the experience of 4th graders sharing a classroom with the 6th graders, I found to be a wonderful experience that gave me some insight. "A bright child will learn as much as you are willing to teach them." My oldest was tested out early to be in the top 1% of students nationally in math, closely followed by every other subject, and by far the highest score in the district. The next year was the first offering for a gifted class, and guess what? He wasn't included. It seems every spot was taken by the progeny of the schools teachers. This was a political lesson for both me and him (and the reason I am mentioning it). I did insist he be included the next year, and decided that I would need to do an 'end run' around this sort of positioning by taking things into my own hands. An international math camp, and a little arm twisting at the local college to allow him to be the first 15yr old ever admitted. (He got all A's there and now it is routine policy). We also had a wonderful physics teacher who connected my son, by way of the web, with opportunities to establish an ongoing dialogue with several cutting edge research scientists from around the world. A generous gift on their part. I wonder if they knew they were talking to a 13 yr old theorist?
My oldest was tested out early to be in the top 1% of students nationally in math, closely followed by every other subject, and by far the highest score in the district. The next year was the first offering for a gifted class, and guess what? He wasn't included. It seems every spot was taken by the progeny of the schools teachers. This was a political lesson for both me and him (and the reason I am mentioning it).
I did insist he be included the next year, and decided that I would need to do an 'end run' around this sort of positioning by taking things into my own hands. An international math camp, and a little arm twisting at the local college to allow him to be the first 15yr old ever admitted. (He got all A's there and now it is routine policy).
We also had a wonderful physics teacher who connected my son, by way of the web, with opportunities to establish an ongoing dialogue with several cutting edge research scientists from around the world. A generous gift on their part. I wonder if they knew they were talking to a 13 yr old theorist?
Sallie Northern, NY
After my fifth reading of the report I feel I can comment. First I am beyond grateful for this report. Everything in the report backs up my personal beliefs and choices I have made with/for my children for their accelerations. I will say that I was slightly disappointed that more was not said on children that struggle with acceleration. My eldest accelerated two years. I will say that I feel strongly that academically she could still do much more but the acceleration was not easy on us or our child. We were not supported by our school district. We were forced to home school and hunt down loopholes within our district. That is a lot of stress in it's self but when my child transitioned back to public school we were given very little support to help her transition or succeed. At 9 she was in sixth grade and actually placed in a mixed gym class with many 8th graders. Many other issues occurred but we were very much on our own. May I say she is doing quite well now and seems to be really enjoying High School but it would have been soooo much easier with a little support from our district. It is not easy to accelerate. It takes a lot of dedication from parents, staff and student. With my younger child the school she returned to after acceleration was incredibly supportive. My child and I both felt confident that the school was very much behind my child being successful and I know they have all considered her individual needs. I know that she has had a lot less stress in her acceleration then her sister because the school was supportive. I suspect that many accelerations that are not ideal could be much more successful should our schools not only understand the need for acceleration and allow acceleration but most importantly support the student and parents with acceleration. Thank you.
Diane Neuman Richmond, TX Parent
I am so thankful that you did this research and published this report. I am waiting for my copy with 'baited breath' :-) and am looking forward to sharing it with my family and friends. 'No Child Left Behind'....I'm afraid that some are being 'left' and I am doing my best to educate myself and my friends who have children who are academically talented. Thanks again!
Helga Lewis Michigan Educatonal Audiologist
The report confirms our most recent new practice for our identified, gifted students. There are from 15 to 20 of these students in each of our grade levels of about 460 students. Our eighth-grade students travel to the high school for one period a day to participate in a class of their choice. (Most choose science.) Like most change, it has been hard to win a sense of approval from some of our colleagues, and the students would benefit from their enthusiasm. The report may help some. The students and their parents have found acceleration the best part of a program we have worked hard to build. Thank you.
Janie Edmonds Westfield NJ Asst. Supt. of Schools, Westfield Public Schools
Thank you for researching and writing this important report. I hope it is read by educators who want to put gifted children in mixed ability classes and offer them "differentiation" and "enrichment." My family members all have been "accelerated" in multiple ways. My husband and I each skipped a grade before Harvard Law School. Our oldest daughter had a compacted geometry class, skipped Algebra I and Precalculus, and is thriving academically and socially in a selective math/science magnet school. Both her little sisters skipped third grade, and have since won academic and other awards. Mere enrichment -- which is what was usually recommended -- would have been far less beneficial. Getting the system to allow my daughters to be challenged during the school day has been time-consuming and often frustrating, even in a county with a full-time GT Center program. That's how I ended up becoming the president of the Fairfax County Association for the Gifted. In advocating for gifted students, so-called equity concerns have been a frequent issue. Schools are trying to minimize actual and perceived academic differences among students, and to make their GT programs less "elitist." But if schools encourage math acceleration, some 9th grade students will take Algebra I while others take Calculus BC. If math acceleration is discouraged, the most advanced students will be only one or two years ahead of the others. That's an effective way to close the achievement gap, and the technique is not limited to math classes, It also lays the foundation for a later argument that gifted classes and programs aren't necessary at all. I look forward to receiving my hard copy of your study.
My family members all have been "accelerated" in multiple ways. My husband and I each skipped a grade before Harvard Law School. Our oldest daughter had a compacted geometry class, skipped Algebra I and Precalculus, and is thriving academically and socially in a selective math/science magnet school. Both her little sisters skipped third grade, and have since won academic and other awards. Mere enrichment -- which is what was usually recommended -- would have been far less beneficial.
Getting the system to allow my daughters to be challenged during the school day has been time-consuming and often frustrating, even in a county with a full-time GT Center program. That's how I ended up becoming the president of the Fairfax County Association for the Gifted.
In advocating for gifted students, so-called equity concerns have been a frequent issue. Schools are trying to minimize actual and perceived academic differences among students, and to make their GT programs less "elitist." But if schools encourage math acceleration, some 9th grade students will take Algebra I while others take Calculus BC. If math acceleration is discouraged, the most advanced students will be only one or two years ahead of the others. That's an effective way to close the achievement gap, and the technique is not limited to math classes, It also lays the foundation for a later argument that gifted classes and programs aren't necessary at all.
I look forward to receiving my hard copy of your study.
Louise Epstein McLean, Virginia President, Fairfax County Association for the Gifted
Dear Mr.Colangelo,Ms.Assouline, And Ms.Gross: I am a Chinese graduate student in the College of Education, Hebei University. I am very interested in the American gifted education, especially its educational acceleration. So thank you very much for your important work! I especially appreciate the dissemination efforts and hope that you can send me a copy of "A Nation Deceived." Thank you again!!!
Fan Mingli Hebei Province, China graduate student Collge of Education, Hebei University
Dear Mr. Colangelo, For the last 15 years I have done research into acceleration, especially into grade skipping here in Germany. Therefore I was very pleased to read an article in Time (Saving the smart kinds, 27th Sept. 04) which confirms my research and my experience with the positive effects of acceleration - always provided the right students are chosen and they are properly supported. One of the boys in whose acceleration I was personally involved still says: "One of the best things that happened to me in school so far." In another case the boy´s parents, both teachers, were against acceleration for vague political / emotional / gut feeling reasons; they were looking for after-school enrichment classes instead. I was able to convince them that in their case acceleration was the better option - and the father was so pleased with how his son developed that he is now trying to start an acceleration program at his school. And encounters the same vague political / emotional / gut feeling reasons among his colleagues that he had before. In September I presented my latest findings at the 9th Conference of the European Council for High Ability. I am sending the abstract as an attachment. If you are interested I can also send you the complete paper. My question: how can I get hold of the results of your study? I am particularly interested at the moment because I have got into a row with a lady who doesn´t agree with acceleration because a close relative - I think a nephew - didn´t do too well!!!. I wonder who or what she´ll blame if he later doesn´t do too well at university. We were planning to have a small conference in November on all aspects of acceleration: early entrance into school, grade skipping, skipping in one subject, early entrance into university, etc..... It would have been the first ever in Germany exclusively on this specific aspect of gifted education. The idea was to give those responsible, especially the teachers, more information so that whatever happened to that boy (wrong decision about acceleration, wrong handling of the matter) will not happen again or at least become more rare. Unfortunately we had to cancel the conference. It was most annoying. But we do hope to be able to hold this conference at a later date.
For the last 15 years I have done research into acceleration, especially into grade skipping here in Germany. Therefore I was very pleased to read an article in Time (Saving the smart kinds, 27th Sept. 04) which confirms my research and my experience with the positive effects of acceleration - always provided the right students are chosen and they are properly supported. One of the boys in whose acceleration I was personally involved still says: "One of the best things that happened to me in school so far." In another case the boy´s parents, both teachers, were against acceleration for vague political / emotional / gut feeling reasons; they were looking for after-school enrichment classes instead. I was able to convince them that in their case acceleration was the better option - and the father was so pleased with how his son developed that he is now trying to start an acceleration program at his school. And encounters the same vague political / emotional / gut feeling reasons among his colleagues that he had before.
In September I presented my latest findings at the 9th Conference of the European Council for High Ability. I am sending the abstract as an attachment. If you are interested I can also send you the complete paper.
My question: how can I get hold of the results of your study? I am particularly interested at the moment because I have got into a row with a lady who doesn´t agree with acceleration because a close relative - I think a nephew - didn´t do too well!!!. I wonder who or what she´ll blame if he later doesn´t do too well at university. We were planning to have a small conference in November on all aspects of acceleration: early entrance into school, grade skipping, skipping in one subject, early entrance into university, etc..... It would have been the first ever in Germany exclusively on this specific aspect of gifted education. The idea was to give those responsible, especially the teachers, more information so that whatever happened to that boy (wrong decision about acceleration, wrong handling of the matter) will not happen again or at least become more rare. Unfortunately we had to cancel the conference. It was most annoying. But we do hope to be able to hold this conference at a later date.
Yours sincerely, Dr. Annette Heinbokel Teacher and lecturer Germany
Thank you for your important work! Parents need this kind of research as ammunition when we face educators who are too attached to the old-fashioned "fear of skipping". I accelerated 3 grades (did K and 1 in one year, was "telescoped" in high school and finished 4 years in 3, and was admitted to 2nd year of college). When my daughter showed the same needs, she was given TAG and special assignments but it just wasn't enough. The TAG coordinator and I managed to convince the principal, but it would have been much easier to do with your report. She is now a very happy 7 year old in 3rd grade, placed in a 3/4 blend and being allowed to do 4th grade work for half the day. I hope it helps others who have highly gifted children whose needs are not being met. Personally, I am profoundly grateful to have been allowed to accelerate!
Ally Sinclair Portland, OR Parent
Thanks so much for the report. It confirmed my own conclusions on whole grade acceleration after endless hours I spent researching the topic last school year. My seven year old son was always advanced, and taught himself to read at the age of four. By five he was doing multiplication, division, percentages, and even square roots! Last year, we had him tested for a gifted camp, and were not suprised to learn that his IQ is at least 146. We then met with the school Principal, who ordered asssessments by the school math and reading specialists. After collecting the results and getting the recommendations from the specialists and my son's classroom teacher, the Principal agreed to accelerate him from first to third grade. The principal noted fears of future social problems, etc., but agreed to give acceleration a try. It was the best thing for my son! He is thriving in third grade, and we could not be happier with the school for taking this "bold step." I believe that my use of the Iowa Acceleration Scale throughout the decision-making process helped the Principal to make the right choice. I am hopeful that this report will allow schools to see how beneficial acceleration can be, and how unfounded their fears are. Thanks again! I've ordered a copy for myself and for my children's school.
After collecting the results and getting the recommendations from the specialists and my son's classroom teacher, the Principal agreed to accelerate him from first to third grade. The principal noted fears of future social problems, etc., but agreed to give acceleration a try. It was the best thing for my son! He is thriving in third grade, and we could not be happier with the school for taking this "bold step." I believe that my use of the Iowa Acceleration Scale throughout the decision-making process helped the Principal to make the right choice.
I am hopeful that this report will allow schools to see how beneficial acceleration can be, and how unfounded their fears are. Thanks again! I've ordered a copy for myself and for my children's school.
Dawn Schildhorn Oradell, NJ Parent
It is so much work to ensure that my g&t twins are challenged. The teacher is insulted (!) that the children think math is boring. I am the mean parent for having to fight for a challenging curriculum for them and skipping up a grade is simply frowned upon for "social" reasons. I can't transfer within our public school system. Here: the children, elementary school-aged, WANT To LEARN. However, they need to do their learning in school, they are not ready to sit and learn more at home after 6 boring hours there. Plus, I'll admit right now, I'm not a teacher. But I ensure that they get extra coursework to stay challenged. I figure this: if they want to learn advanced geometry right now (not that they do right now, but hey!) then teach it to them. Then if they get to 7th or 8th grade and want to focus on sports or fashion or whatever, well, they've had the challenging base. Right now they are simply wasting away. One more point: it's as if school systems are wearing the talented kids down - they say most kids even out by third grade. Well, that's because the focus is entirely on bringing the lower kids up and letting the talented kids simply waste away. Thank you so much for this report. I will use it as I continue to work with the school to ensure that my children remain challenged.
One more point: it's as if school systems are wearing the talented kids down - they say most kids even out by third grade. Well, that's because the focus is entirely on bringing the lower kids up and letting the talented kids simply waste away.
Thank you so much for this report. I will use it as I continue to work with the school to ensure that my children remain challenged.
Laura Burke Chesterton, Indiana Parent
I think it is great that "A Nation Deceived" has been published!! Fortunately for me, while in second grade I was tested for reading and allowed to skip SEVEN reading books rather than be bored with reading work I could manage too easily. At the time, I was attending what was then considered a modern public school with "divisions" instead of grades. That was over 30 years ago and to this day I can still remember how pleased I was to be able to read at my own pace rather than be in a book just because everyone else my age was in it!! I am now homeschooling my son because he was in the opposite situation--being dragged along when he was not ready to read at "grade level". I hope your report is taken seriously by all who work with children.
Melanie Nichols Fairland, IN Parent
CONGRATULATIONS and thank you for opening the eyes of the WORLD!!! It is phenomenal that this work has been done, but ridiculous that these points have been ignored for soooo long!! I have attended many workshops as a School Board Member and have inquired many, many times about what is being done for the high achieving students, where is their state mandate? Where are their interests being federally legislated? I have written my Governor and my Commissioner of Education with the same questions. And, quite frankly, nobody has EVER treated my inquiries with any respect or dignity! I have long contended that we are losing these children-the most gifted, talented minds are being numbed listening to hours upon hours of lessons they knew long ago! Why is nobody interested in expanding this resource and letting these children soar?!! Wouldn't everybody gain from nuturing our most gifted minds? I have watched my child's light be diminished more everyday. HE IS A SPONGE and has always been! I fed his mind at home and still do, but his enthusiasm has waned significantly from the bright mind I sent off to kindergarten reading already and desperate to pursue the math problems he loved so much, to the first grader who doesn't question me so much anymore. He has learned that he already knows what they are teaching him and his patience is exhausted awaiting the lessons he wants. I desperately hope that the educational community embraces this report, that things are made different by it. That the gifted do finally have a voice! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, your efforts have been sincerely appreciated!!! And I sincerely hope that we all see the fruits of your labors!
Michele Pelliccio Island Heights, New Jersey Parent, former School Board Member
Your book couldn't have appearred at a better time for my family. I have a 6 year old who was tested last year with an IQ of 145. We asked (along with the doctor that tested him) that he be allowed to skip kindergarten. We were told no and that he would "level out and that his peers would catch to him." We asked that he be given higher level work. That never happened. After several meetings with the principal she still took no interest in Evan. SHE HAS NEVER SPOKEN WITH HIM. He is now in first grade. He tells me every day how he is tired of coloring and wants to do harder work. When he was 4 he would count to 400 by 12s just for the fun of it, while riding his skateboard. He asked me the other day when the beginning of time was. I then proceeded to explain the theory of B.C. AND A.D. We are a very average family who just happens to have a very bright little boy and can get no help from the schools. He has started coloring only in pencil in school which I think is a way of acting up because he is bored. He has memorized most of the people in the Bush administration just from overhearing the news. We are a lower-middle income family that cant afford private school. I FIND THE SCHOOLS ONLY PUT EFFORT FORTH IF THE CHILD IS HAVING A HARD TIME. Evan is now doing 4th grade math book that we purchase and is reading the same series of books my 5th grader is (a series of unfortunate events). I was actually in tears this morning over this and then I came across this report though I dont think it will change the principal's mind she will be getting a copy and I will be ordering the book. While American kids are struggling so much with academics, why are we hiding the brightest of them? THANK YOU FOR MAKING ME NOT FEEL SO ALONE IN THIS!
Elizabeth Starr Romeo, MI Mom
I am concerned by several things in the report regarding grade skipping and the manner in which sweeping generalizations are being promoted. First, grade-skipping is not a panacea for all the difficulties of being gifted. They have serious social and emotional needs that require attention also. Grade-skipping may be the only solution for a highly gifted child who is academically many years ahead in many subjects, but it is not an ideal solution for many typically gifted children, as previous posters have noted from personal experience. Second, if grade skipping is being embraced by school districts as a money-saving plan, how likely is it that they will cut into the savings by properly screening - perhaps with Dr. Colangelo's Iowa Acceleration Test - and ongoing monitoring and counseling? The report says most of the failures were due to poor planning, but that is exactly what one can expect if grade-skipping is used to move students through school more quickly. As the Columbia University professor and others noted, there are many different types of acceleration, which is why the report writers' emphasis on grade-skipping for the early years as the best solution seems curious to me. Third, the sponsor of this report, the Templeton Fund, is a well known promoter of conservative agendas. Instead of this being the answer that gifted educators and parents pray for to the neglect of gifted students under NCLB, is it possible that this is just a continuation of the same, with the intent to eliminate gifted programming, asserting that acceleration will serve the same purpose? I hope that this is not the use to which it will be put or for which it was intended, but it wouldn't be the first time. I agree with AP classes and differentiated classes in middle and high school and most of the other suggestions in the report. But I think that the reason administrators may be reluctant to grade skip in the early years is that they have too often seen the cases in which it was detrimental. Another solution, unfortunately expensive, would be for students to be able to move from group to group, across grade levels, as their current ability warranted. As they demonstrated mastery of each level they could move to the next. I understand some school systems in California are using this model now. Since many gifted children are "unevenly" gifted - not equally gifted in math as say, reading or writing - a solution such as this would be more helpful in making sure work was on the child's level, which couldn't be done by simply grade-skipping. If this were common practice there would be less of a stigma to being younger in a higher level class, as an earlier poster noted. I personally experienced negative consequences to grade-skipping. I also know fellow teachers who had negative consequences to grade-skipping. I have had students who I believe would have been leaders had they been with their age peers, but since they were so much younger than the other students - a year is a long time in the life of a seven-year-old - they learned to hang back. I personally investigated starting my fall-birthday daughter in elementary school early as I was fairly confident she would be gifted. Teachers and administrators convinced me otherwise at the time, and I believe our choice was correct. The opportunities provided by the gifted program kept her challenged, and she learned how to work with her intellectual and age peers, both. She has been successful and a leader throughout her school years, continuing now into college, where she is a senator. I don't think she would have had so many positive school experiences if she'd been struggling with being younger. To sum up, I agree that grade-skipping should be considered in extreme cases with highly gifted children who are shown to be academically and emotionally ready. But I think an excellent gifted program and more support for differentiated education may be better answers for many gifted children.
First, grade-skipping is not a panacea for all the difficulties of being gifted. They have serious social and emotional needs that require attention also. Grade-skipping may be the only solution for a highly gifted child who is academically many years ahead in many subjects, but it is not an ideal solution for many typically gifted children, as previous posters have noted from personal experience.
Second, if grade skipping is being embraced by school districts as a money-saving plan, how likely is it that they will cut into the savings by properly screening - perhaps with Dr. Colangelo's Iowa Acceleration Test - and ongoing monitoring and counseling? The report says most of the failures were due to poor planning, but that is exactly what one can expect if grade-skipping is used to move students through school more quickly. As the Columbia University professor and others noted, there are many different types of acceleration, which is why the report writers' emphasis on grade-skipping for the early years as the best solution seems curious to me.
Third, the sponsor of this report, the Templeton Fund, is a well known promoter of conservative agendas. Instead of this being the answer that gifted educators and parents pray for to the neglect of gifted students under NCLB, is it possible that this is just a continuation of the same, with the intent to eliminate gifted programming, asserting that acceleration will serve the same purpose? I hope that this is not the use to which it will be put or for which it was intended, but it wouldn't be the first time.
I agree with AP classes and differentiated classes in middle and high school and most of the other suggestions in the report. But I think that the reason administrators may be reluctant to grade skip in the early years is that they have too often seen the cases in which it was detrimental. Another solution, unfortunately expensive, would be for students to be able to move from group to group, across grade levels, as their current ability warranted. As they demonstrated mastery of each level they could move to the next. I understand some school systems in California are using this model now. Since many gifted children are "unevenly" gifted - not equally gifted in math as say, reading or writing - a solution such as this would be more helpful in making sure work was on the child's level, which couldn't be done by simply grade-skipping. If this were common practice there would be less of a stigma to being younger in a higher level class, as an earlier poster noted.
I personally experienced negative consequences to grade-skipping. I also know fellow teachers who had negative consequences to grade-skipping. I have had students who I believe would have been leaders had they been with their age peers, but since they were so much younger than the other students - a year is a long time in the life of a seven-year-old - they learned to hang back. I personally investigated starting my fall-birthday daughter in elementary school early as I was fairly confident she would be gifted. Teachers and administrators convinced me otherwise at the time, and I believe our choice was correct. The opportunities provided by the gifted program kept her challenged, and she learned how to work with her intellectual and age peers, both. She has been successful and a leader throughout her school years, continuing now into college, where she is a senator. I don't think she would have had so many positive school experiences if she'd been struggling with being younger.
To sum up, I agree that grade-skipping should be considered in extreme cases with highly gifted children who are shown to be academically and emotionally ready. But I think an excellent gifted program and more support for differentiated education may be better answers for many gifted children.
Mary Jackson Largo, Florida Gifted Program Teacher
Please write another book about Kindergarten deception. Visit a good Montessori Kindergarten and a public school kindergarten where the kids are tested and see the difference. A good early preparation really matters for the rest of the child's school career. Thank You for your work. It was nice to meet you at the Florida State Conference for the Gifted.
Marie Thomas, MA Celebration, Fl Teacher Celebration Children's House
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I appreciate the passion but also the substance of these two volumes. One thing that I find extraordinarily conservative is the estimate of years saved if students are accelerated, only a year or two out of 12-14 years, and the implication that this speed might only be associated with profoundly gifted children. Whether it is practical from a societal point of view to have kids finishing high school at 12 or 13 is another issue altogether, but I have no doubt that many could do it.
One thing that I find extraordinarily conservative is the estimate of years saved if students are accelerated, only a year or two out of 12-14 years, and the implication that this speed might only be associated with profoundly gifted children. Whether it is practical from a societal point of view to have kids finishing high school at 12 or 13 is another issue altogether, but I have no doubt that many could do it.
Becky Hurwitz London, Ontario parent Association for Bright Children
This was such a phenomenal piece of information! It is long past due. I have ordered a copy to share with parents, teachers, administrators and board members in my district and throughout my region. Thank you for getting such an important message out there. Advocating for acceleration has never been a popular issue in education. Maybe this will remove some of the misconceptions out there for many of our leaders (so called experts) who believe that we are offering equitable education for all students.
Lynne Deleon El Paso, TX GT Instructional Specialist Socorro Independent School district
Congratulations on your report, “A Nation Deceived”. I have been reading much of it on-line and I think it is great, and so glad somebody is saying this. From the perspective of looking back now on the four of ours I think the school system was so caught in this mindset for so long. I will never forget what a hard time the principal gave me at the junior high school when I wanted Ben to take math at City High when he was in 8th grade. And we had to provide our own transportation (Yellow Cab), which we could afford. But what about those who couldn't? Now they offer that level of math right at the junior high I believe. Also, the rigid starting dates for kindergarten: Ben missed it by 5 days. So silly. And all my kids took ELP and while I am not denigrating the ELP teachers I am convinced from conversations with my children that ELP really does not provide that much of a solution. It pleases parents and kids to know that they are in a special group, but a real acceleration of subject or grade would be more satisfactory and ultimately cheaper I would guess. Anyway, I agree with all your conclusions, and I hope teachers and school systems take a hard look. Many teachers, well-meaning, are still prejudiced against acceleration, and believe it will create some kind of “freak”. Very bright kids have their own baggage, as all kids do, and they would have to deal with it whether they are more challenged academically or not. And if they are feeling challenged, they may feel more able to accept the baggage of “different”.
Anyway, I agree with all your conclusions, and I hope teachers and school systems take a hard look. Many teachers, well-meaning, are still prejudiced against acceleration, and believe it will create some kind of “freak”. Very bright kids have their own baggage, as all kids do, and they would have to deal with it whether they are more challenged academically or not. And if they are feeling challenged, they may feel more able to accept the baggage of “different”.
Mary Lu Callahan Iowa City, IA Parent
Congratulations. It's good to see people are still working to improve the educational environment for gifted kids at all levels. For thirty years, I advocated gifted education in Michigan. Most administrative responses fell into two categories: Gifted education is not "democratic"; and Gifted education is too expensive. Both responses, I think, conceal the real administrative motive: It's more work for the boss. What do you think?
For thirty years, I advocated gifted education in Michigan. Most administrative responses fell into two categories: Gifted education is not "democratic"; and Gifted education is too expensive.
Both responses, I think, conceal the real administrative motive: It's more work for the boss.
What do you think?
Robert Wesolowski The Villages FL Retired English Teacher Livonia Public Schools, Michigan
Another key to a gifted child's success is flexibility on the part of educators. They must remove barriers and enable these children to thrive and succeed. There are schools systems, administrators, principals, and teachers at all levels that do understand. For example, our child has been formally identified as a profoundly gifted child. We live in a somewhat rural area with limited options. Yet, the McCracken County School Superintendent, Tim Heller, understands this unique situation and is doing everything possible to enhance and challenge our daughter. The President of West Kentucky Technical and Community College, Dr. Barbara Veazy, has eliminated barriers to permit our daughter to proceed with her education. The Community College allows our (then 8-year-old) child to attend a.m. classes in pursuit of an associate degree, while McCracken County allows her to attend p.m. classes at Lone Oak High School under the watchful eye of its principal, Ms. Donna Wear. As a 9-year-old, our child is happy and settled into both her high school and college environments. The high school embraces and accepts its smallest peer. She recently ran for sophomore class president, is a member of the Biology Club and is a member of the Beta Club. Her college colleagues are equally accepting. Radically accelerated students will need some special considerations, but these accommodations will be far outweighed by what the children bring to the class.
Radically accelerated students will need some special considerations, but these accommodations will be far outweighed by what the children bring to the class.
Ric Ladt Paducah, KY Parent Kentucky Association for Gifted Education
I am a high school mathematics teacher who started first grade at age 5 having not had Kindergarten since there were no private schools accepting 4 year-olds in 1963. I graduated Valedictorian in my class, but struggled through most of elementary school. I felt like I worked twice as hard as any of my classmates to get straight A's in high school. Also, at that time there were no AP courses that our high school offered, only acceleration in mathematics, which I did by taking Algebra I in 8th grade. Admittedly, my IQ was just 129, but socially, emotionally, and academically, I believe I would have been more successful had I started one year later even though I already knew how to read. As an educator, I teach in a suburban district where many students accelerate one or more years in math. For a small percentage who are the very best, they experience success though there is no way to know how much more they'd have if they had waited. However, for the vast majority, there is a push toward acceleration due to parental peer pressure that does not serve their children well. Students taking AP Calculus in 9th or 10th grade don't have the study skills to handle it as well as others. Students taking Algebra I in 7th grade often hit a wall in 8th or 9th grade and opt out of honors level to an easier CP course though they were considered the best math students in the district only 2 years earlier. Mostly, students who are bright never have an opportunity to socialize with "average" children who have lots of other gifts to offer them other than intelligence. The value of peer coaching in all academic areas and the ability for all students to successfully meet higher standards are good reasons for heterogeneous grouping in all subjects including math until at least middle school. After that, there are numerous ways for students to differentiate their course load without skipping grades or courses. When material is skipped, it is often not learned satisfactorily. Teachers must challenge brighter students, but this can effectively be done without acceleration or exemption of courses.
As an educator, I teach in a suburban district where many students accelerate one or more years in math. For a small percentage who are the very best, they experience success though there is no way to know how much more they'd have if they had waited. However, for the vast majority, there is a push toward acceleration due to parental peer pressure that does not serve their children well. Students taking AP Calculus in 9th or 10th grade don't have the study skills to handle it as well as others. Students taking Algebra I in 7th grade often hit a wall in 8th or 9th grade and opt out of honors level to an easier CP course though they were considered the best math students in the district only 2 years earlier. Mostly, students who are bright never have an opportunity to socialize with "average" children who have lots of other gifts to offer them other than intelligence. The value of peer coaching in all academic areas and the ability for all students to successfully meet higher standards are good reasons for heterogeneous grouping in all subjects including math until at least middle school. After that, there are numerous ways for students to differentiate their course load without skipping grades or courses. When material is skipped, it is often not learned satisfactorily. Teachers must challenge brighter students, but this can effectively be done without acceleration or exemption of courses.
Carlen Blackstone Allentown, PA Dept. Chair Mathematics East Penn School District
As the mother of a second grade daughter with an IQ in excess of 150 and test scores to match, I asked for 4 meetings, did one observation, and sent at least 4 emails stating the curriculum was not appropriately matched to my daughter's abilities in the area of reading. She was in a full time gifted class for first graders. My requests to move her to a higher grade for reading was denied as well as my request that she be released from grade level work in the area of reading. Not surprisingly, her pre and post testing showed no growth in the area of reading. Having brought this lack of growth to the school's attention, it was suggested that I move on from last year, a suggestion I refused. Instead, I will investigate further and I believe your report will be most valuable. Thank you!!
Diane Hanfmann Palm Beach Gardens, Fl. Parent/teacher
Why do I only see one negative comment? Did you just ignore negatives? I would like to see some debate on this topic. Maybe you can foster it using the forum.
Xudong Chen Sacramento, CA Parent
Templeton Report Note: We have posted all the negative comments that have come in to date (10/5/04)
Thank you for your report. Schools in our area only pay lip service to gifted education. Advent of the Kentucky testing program and now NCLB, have only made matters worse. When CTBS test scores are broken down into three ability performances (low, middle and high) our school system does extremely well with low ability students, are in the middle with middle ability students, but are behind when it comes to higher achieving students. As a parent and now a teacher I have sat in committee meetings that examine test scores and create a plan to increase overall scores. I immediately point out that we need to address our high end students. Without fail I get an initial response of, "yes, we can see that we are not doing enough for our high end students." Talk begins concerning how to address this issue and withing five minutes someone says, "I know they need more, but we can't forget our low end students." Everyone quickly jumps on that bandwagon and high achieving students are left out once again. Many people, especially teachers and administrators, appear intimidated by students whom are gifted. Thanks for continuing to bring the issue to the forefront.
As a parent and now a teacher I have sat in committee meetings that examine test scores and create a plan to increase overall scores. I immediately point out that we need to address our high end students. Without fail I get an initial response of, "yes, we can see that we are not doing enough for our high end students." Talk begins concerning how to address this issue and withing five minutes someone says, "I know they need more, but we can't forget our low end students." Everyone quickly jumps on that bandwagon and high achieving students are left out once again.
Many people, especially teachers and administrators, appear intimidated by students whom are gifted. Thanks for continuing to bring the issue to the forefront.
Lisa Duzyk Mount Sterling, KY Teacher and parent of three gifted children
Thank you for providing a "confidence boost" to parents and educators who have made the emotionally difficult decision to accelerate a child. My 7-year old son skipped second grade and is (for the moment) enjoying a good fit. However, he is quickly learning his times tables and asking to be taught division while simultaneously memorizing all of the countries in Africa. I feel constantly inadequate as a parent educating this thoughtful, sweet and talented young man. Your report (along with the Iowa Acceleration Tool) has helped immensely with our educational placement decisions. Keep up the good work.
Carolyn Amick Vashon Island Parent
Thank you! Before this report, I felt less hopeful of our success as a Nation. This is a start on uniting our efforts for children around the world.
Karen Owatonna, MN Teacher/Parent
Thank you so much!! I am very hopeful you report will be given the attention it deserves. We were very fortunate that our daughter was able to skip 7th grade. Our school (a small parochial school) was very open minded and willing to work with us to make her transition successful. Unfortunately, when it was time for High School (public school) the counselors were completely inflexible. They insisted on placing her in a low level Science class (despite an score of 21 on her ACT at age 12) because she had skipped 7th grade science!! Effectively "undoing" the skip. We ended up letting her attend a private school out of state. We were very fortunate to be able to do that. I hate to think of the consequences for families without options.
Tammy Diebold Paola, KS Parent
Hi, I am a parent of a nine year old gifted son who has attended both a public and private school in California. Despite the fact that we are both teachers, and have tried very hard, the teachers, administrators refuse to accept that our son is bored (even after SAT9 test and WISC) and needed to be challenged. Consequently, we are homeschooling him this year and finally he is happy because he can learn and challenge himself. I would like to find out how I can request two copies of your book. I would like one for myself and my husband, and one for a board member of a private school near us. He is trying to educate the administration about the gifted, and I would like to give him this book along with any articles that can address the myths of giftedness, elitism, and that gifted children need to be with other gifted children. This particular administration feels that if they are with others who are gifted they are not getting used to the 'real world'. They also have stated that it is the kids on the 'lower end' of the specturm academically that they feel sorry for. Do you have info on this subject? I would so appreciate it. Thanks so much.
Nancy Reeder-Daubenmire SF area, CA Parent, teacher
Dear Mr.Colangelo,Ms.Assouline, And Ms.Gross The article truly represents the feelings of the gifted children and their parents. My twins have been in an accelarated program since their 1st grade. Socially they adjust very well in higher level classes. Only problem we encounter is with the administrators; Who don't do what it takes to help a young child. I only hear them sing same song like eventually every one will academically adjust. What they don't realise is that they are mentally suppressing the gifted students. Thank You.
Rajani Iyer Port Jefferson Station, NY Parent
Sir: I would like permission to make copies of the two part report, "A Nation Deceived." My daughter (age 10) has been "skipped" once but the policy of the local system is that "once is enough." Because of the policy, I now home educate my two children. I would like to get the local system to change the policy. To that end I intend to speak before the school board. At that time, I would like to provides copies of the report to the board members.
I would like permission to make copies of the two part report, "A Nation Deceived."
My daughter (age 10) has been "skipped" once but the policy of the local system is that "once is enough."
Because of the policy, I now home educate my two children.
I would like to get the local system to change the policy. To that end I intend to speak before the school board. At that time, I would like to provides copies of the report to the board members.
John Gilmer King George, VA
It is about time! I am so pleased that "those that know" are bringing this travesty to the attention of the policymakers, parents, and educators. Gifted children have never had a STRONG voice when it comes to services provided, and have been completely ignored in the legislation of NCLB. If we do not recognize and nourish the minds of the gifted, we will lose this population and all that it has to offer. Keeping the options open for this population is what is best. Take a risk and do what is right for the child!
Patti J. Pitcock Tulsa, Oklahoma Elementary Principal
Last night I said a thank you prayer for "A Nation Deceived". As a "slightly accelerated" student, I was extraordinarily lucky to have parents and educators who were able to offer me challenges.... maybe not up to my potential, but enough to keep my mind from stagnating and enough to keep my soul soaring. As the parent of a highly gifted 7 year old boy (and perhaps a 2 year old highly gifted boy) and the spouse of another highly gifted adult, I was relieved to be offered anecdotal and statistical evidence that affirmed many of my life experiences and intuitive beliefs. The more I share tidbits of the report with my husband, the more we laugh about our common experiences. As a pediatrician, and one for whom neurobiology and learning/attentional issues have always been a major focus, I have been spending alot of time thinking about how the medical establishment is equally as ignorant about some basic developmental,psychological, and physically intrinsic characteristics of many of our patients. We have so far to go to bring our nation to equal treatment of all students...your report is a great start!
Mary Beth Miotto, MD Northborough, MA Parent/pediatrician Suburban ADHD Clinic
I skipped grades as a child, and my experience ran sharply counter to the other items posted on your site. In fact, it was so negative socially that my parents decided not to pursue it for my sister. It must take a child who is advanced in maturity as well as intellectually to handle it. I never quite felt accepted as a peer in junior high and high school, and it affected my ability to deal with people; remnants still exist. The difference in these teenage years includes physical maturity (height, physical development) as well as society's rites of passage (driver's license, registering to vote, etc.). Now that I'm a parent (of a bright but unmotivated child), I more fully understand the difficulties my parents must have had, the constant conflicts between "what a child that age should be allowed to do" and what the others in my grade were traditionally allowed to do. My mother has spoken of the heartbreak of not knowing what to do to help when I came home miserable after being teased or rejected by my older classmates.
Cindy Guendert Milwaukee, WI
Dear Prof. Colangelo I am looking forward to seeing the full text on a topic I have been preoccupied with in a reflexive manner for perhaps 70 years. I was amused to see my name listed as one who (doubtless) benefited from acceleration as practised in NYC schools of my generation. How How were you able to compile a list of such? I really will be quite fascinated to see the research literature on the up (and down) side of that policy. My subjective experience was that though I had skipped about 2-3 grades, I was still about 3 ahead (I was reading medical textbooks at age 12). So what can one do about such anomalies? More comment when I've read the full report. What I was starved for was intellectual company, other "gifted" kids I could locate myself with, and mentorship -- the latter I only found when I entered college. What saved my education was the NY Public Library, and sympathetic (if bewildered) teachers who at least did not get in my way.
I am looking forward to seeing the full text on a topic I have been preoccupied with in a reflexive manner for perhaps 70 years.
I was amused to see my name listed as one who (doubtless) benefited from acceleration as practised in NYC schools of my generation. How How were you able to compile a list of such?
I really will be quite fascinated to see the research literature on the up (and down) side of that policy. My subjective experience was that though I had skipped about 2-3 grades, I was still about 3 ahead (I was reading medical textbooks at age 12). So what can one do about such anomalies? More comment when I've read the full report.
What I was starved for was intellectual company, other "gifted" kids I could locate myself with, and mentorship -- the latter I only found when I entered college.
What saved my education was the NY Public Library, and sympathetic (if bewildered) teachers who at least did not get in my way.
Prof. Joshua Lederberg Raymond and Beverly Sackler Foundation Scholar The Rockefeller University
Templeton Report Note: Joshua Lederberg was the youngest Nobel Laureate in medicine and physiology
Dear Mr. Colangelo, Just a note to let you know how much I appreciate the work you do with gifted students. Congratulations on your most recent publication, "A Nation Deceived". My name is Michael Cartier. I am a 15-year-old university sophomore. I am also Founder of the World Youth Organization, with representation in over 40 countries; as well as a professional motivational speaker. If you should want some insight into my experiences as a gifted student, having pursued an unconventional education, let me know. I am a full-time college student, live in the dorm, participate in sports, leadership, and several social clubs including a fraternity ... the full college experience! I want others to know that you can be gifted and happy too! Keep up the good work!
Just a note to let you know how much I appreciate the work you do with gifted students. Congratulations on your most recent publication, "A Nation Deceived".
My name is Michael Cartier. I am a 15-year-old university sophomore. I am also Founder of the World Youth Organization, with representation in over 40 countries; as well as a professional motivational speaker.
If you should want some insight into my experiences as a gifted student, having pursued an unconventional education, let me know. I am a full-time college student, live in the dorm, participate in sports, leadership, and several social clubs including a fraternity ... the full college experience! I want others to know that you can be gifted and happy too!
Keep up the good work!
Michael Cartier Rockville, MD University Student
I can't wait to get this report! My oldest started kindergarten in August this year. We thought she was ready to go last year, but she missed the birthday cut-off date by less than 3 months, and we didn't know how to go about getting her in early. She was recently tested and is reading above 2nd grade level, with other skills at or above 1st grade level. She has been getting in trouble in class, but we believe it is because she is bored. We asked about placing her into 1st grade (SKIPPING ONLY ONE GRADE). The school is reluctant to bump her up, instead putting her in a special reading program. Her teacher says that "putting her up a grade will not be good for her socially", although she is only a few months younger than the other 1st graders. After I read this report, I'm taking it to the school!
L. K. Greenville County, SC Parent
I have not read your report as yet, but I can wholeheartedly agree with and endorse your research conclusions. Having brought up (and battled) a highly gifted and motivated 9th grader through the current wall-like "say no to acceleration" system and mindset in our public schools, seeing a report like yours expose the over-blown "social-emotional" misconceptions about "acceleration" is a bit bitter-sweet. I understand that it takes a monumental research and thick reports to put a contrarian point-of-view accross, but to me what you have concluded has always been so obvious and intuitive. It will take a lot of re-engineering over a long period to undo a system - and its entranced structures - that clearly neglects the special needs of the gifted children and, in fact, holds back natural capacity for accelerated learning. Our child herself was brainwashed (by school) to resist skipping a grade even though she was pacing at least 2 years ahead of her typical classmate in almost every subject. So she took private coaching, summer school and self-study to remain challenged at her true learning level. It is like attending 2 differnt schools at the same time. Even now, she is officially in Grade 9 but is taking Grade 11 and 12 AP-level classes.
Tarun K. Seam San Antonio, TX Parent
THANK YOU for this report. I have been telling many people it was coming, and that it would finally close the door on the knee-jerk response of schools to preclude grade or subject acceleration due to "social-emotional concerns for the student." Your report is everything I was hoping for, and then some. It even came out earlier than I anticipated. “A Nation Deceived” will make the difference in the lives of many people: the highly gifted children who will finally be able to get beyond "age appropriate placements" and the rest of the world, who will benefit from us actually educating our best natural resources at the proper levels.
Your report is everything I was hoping for, and then some. It even came out earlier than I anticipated. “A Nation Deceived” will make the difference in the lives of many people: the highly gifted children who will finally be able to get beyond "age appropriate placements" and the rest of the world, who will benefit from us actually educating our best natural resources at the proper levels.
Shulamit Widawsky Annandale, VA Gifted Specialist www.shulamit.info
I know from personal experience that, required to go through the steps (each grade one year at a time), reduced my interest in school, to the point in which I put off getting a degree. This was due to a lack of interest in the schools/universities 'year by year' schedule, eventhough I already knew the subject matter, and could 'test out' from the classes. Oh well, if you fall into the not-very-bright group, there will always be someone to help you along your way. If your too-smart-for-your-own-good, then you can easily find yourself being held back. The report is correct, sometimes, it doesn't pay to be gifted.
Tom Massey Dallas, TX CEO, FashionWindows.Com, Inc.
As a gifted child during the deproesion era I had two experiences which mirror parts of the report: 1) I was judged unready for kindergarden-which my parents were told by a very fine doctor in whose house I was made to live for some months-was because I was bored. (I already knew how to read.) 2) In later grades I received much approbation, but no extra learning opprotunities. Finally, I decided to enter the University early. School was just boring. My children had it better: A few gifted students, my sons among them, were encouraged to take college courses at the local liberal arts college. Better than nothing, but the college was nit at the top level. My grandchildren had the beenfit of AP courses, which help but do not really replace a sound college-level course. Naturally, these courses, along with the fine arts, are high on the list to be cut when money is short. Many private enterprises are beginning to recognize the problem they face with an under-educated workforce. Perhaps they can be induced to recognize the need to foster those who can, and given the means, will lead the way in the future.
1) I was judged unready for kindergarden-which my parents were told by a very fine doctor in whose house I was made to live for some months-was because I was bored. (I already knew how to read.)
2) In later grades I received much approbation, but no extra learning opprotunities. Finally, I decided to enter the University early. School was just boring.
My children had it better: A few gifted students, my sons among them, were encouraged to take college courses at the local liberal arts college. Better than nothing, but the college was nit at the top level.
My grandchildren had the beenfit of AP courses, which help but do not really replace a sound college-level course. Naturally, these courses, along with the fine arts, are high on the list to be cut when money is short.
Many private enterprises are beginning to recognize the problem they face with an under-educated workforce. Perhaps they can be induced to recognize the need to foster those who can, and given the means, will lead the way in the future.
Charles Kelber Rockville, MD Judge (Technical)
Kudos to everyone responsible for this report. I was one of those students who skipped a grade in elementary school. I believe the long-term experience was more difficult for my parents than for me. In fact, I cannot remember any problems, social or academic, at all. My parents, however, were always reluctant to give me permission to do the peer-age appropriate activities (dating, later curfews) that my friends were involved with. This may have been more a function of cultural differences: their upbringing was in some ways more strict than the norm in the US. I highly recommend acceleration to all students whose abilities lead us to believe they would benefit from it. Conversely, children should be given all the time they need to master requisite skills and attitudes. If we accelerate more students and provide others with the extra time they require, it will no longer necessarily be the norm for students to be with their age peers, and the stigma will be removed for all.
I highly recommend acceleration to all students whose abilities lead us to believe they would benefit from it. Conversely, children should be given all the time they need to master requisite skills and attitudes. If we accelerate more students and provide others with the extra time they require, it will no longer necessarily be the norm for students to be with their age peers, and the stigma will be removed for all.
Barbara Civitillo Hillsdale, NJ Teacher Teaneck Public Schools
Throughout our son's public school education, we had issues with his boredom and lack of motivation, since we'd known from early on that he was gifted. He flourished in the 3rd grade when a teacher took him and three other students aside and created special projects for them. She recognized their giftedness and encouraged it. I am not a proponent of grade-skipping... these kids tend to be socially and physically immature. It would be wonderful if school systems spent just a small percentage of what they allocate to sports on gifted and talented programs. As an example, when our son was a junior in high school, he was encouraged by another fantastically interested teacher to compete on the Academic Decathalon team. He immediately went into fifth gear and hasn't stopped since (graduate student... bio-med engineering). Even though the team placed third nationally that year, the local paper printed a very short story while devoting pages to the football teams' accomplishments. Once the country realizes that it's our scientists, engineers and thinkers who will solve the world's problems, not the athletes, we'll all be much better off!
I am not a proponent of grade-skipping... these kids tend to be socially and physically immature. It would be wonderful if school systems spent just a small percentage of what they allocate to sports on gifted and talented programs. As an example, when our son was a junior in high school, he was encouraged by another fantastically interested teacher to compete on the Academic Decathalon team. He immediately went into fifth gear and hasn't stopped since (graduate student... bio-med engineering). Even though the team placed third nationally that year, the local paper printed a very short story while devoting pages to the football teams' accomplishments.
Once the country realizes that it's our scientists, engineers and thinkers who will solve the world's problems, not the athletes, we'll all be much better off!
Rose Sullivan Boston, MA Parent
Thank you, thank you, thank you! After fighting with a non-accomodating school in a rural area for years, and homeschooling as a last resort, we finally decided to move to a larger town so that our children would have access to more resources. Despite reasurrances from the principal at her new school that our daughter would be placed appropriately academically, her teachers are now telling us that she cannot be advanced because she doesn't have a "history" within the district, and they cannot take into account any of her test results because there is no one in the district who knows her and can vouch for her abilities. This is a child with a 140+ IQ and the test scores to match! Please send me two copies so I can give one to the principal. We are actually contemplating homeschooling/distance learning/and or college courses because we don't know what else to do.
Shana Crondahl Juneau, AK Parent
Your blanket statement that schools are not willing to accelerate kids does not ring true with either my experience when I was a child or in the schools I work in. A far larger problem than unwillingness (for whatever reason) is a lack of resources - both time and money. For example, in my school district the state only provides funding for one "enrichment" teacher for 4500 kids K-12. Fortunately our district feels this is important, so it funds additional staff from other sources, but that comes at the expense of other programs. The demands of the current high-stakes testing environment have several ill effects on highly-capable students as well. It leaves leave little time for teachers to get creative with them, and it forces schools and districts to focus resources on the students who are struggling, often at the expense of the gifted kids. In my own experience as one of those "gifted" kids, I encountered both ends of the spectrum. One district I attended sent all the brightest kids to a separate school which had an "accelerated" curriculum; meaning they just gave us less time to get the work done, but no broadening of our experiences or "enrichment." When I began attending the district in which I now work, l had to not take math for a year because the district didn't want to pay for me to go to Community College once I completed the High School's math sequence. Fortunately things have changed dramatically, but it is always a work in progress. If there ever was a day when education was adequately funded, districts wouldn't have to make decisions like that, and while it has gotten much better, there will always be more demands than resources. For that reason, my parents (who were both educators at some point during their careers) always felt that it was their duty to provide enrichment. While it would be nice if the school could, that's not always possible, and if it is truly important to parents, they will make it happen for their kids.
The demands of the current high-stakes testing environment have several ill effects on highly-capable students as well. It leaves leave little time for teachers to get creative with them, and it forces schools and districts to focus resources on the students who are struggling, often at the expense of the gifted kids.
In my own experience as one of those "gifted" kids, I encountered both ends of the spectrum. One district I attended sent all the brightest kids to a separate school which had an "accelerated" curriculum; meaning they just gave us less time to get the work done, but no broadening of our experiences or "enrichment." When I began attending the district in which I now work, l had to not take math for a year because the district didn't want to pay for me to go to Community College once I completed the High School's math sequence. Fortunately things have changed dramatically, but it is always a work in progress. If there ever was a day when education was adequately funded, districts wouldn't have to make decisions like that, and while it has gotten much better, there will always be more demands than resources. For that reason, my parents (who were both educators at some point during their careers) always felt that it was their duty to provide enrichment. While it would be nice if the school could, that's not always possible, and if it is truly important to parents, they will make it happen for their kids.
Brian Hays Yakima, WA School Psychologist/Counselor Ahtanum Elementary
As the mother of 4 children, I am constantly amazed by the redtape necessary to meet the needs of academically gifted children in the public schools. Currently my 3 oldest children have been full grade accelerated and also have additional acceleration for math and or science. This year my oldest (14) and a sophomore in high school by standing was offered full-time college admission. He declined because of jazz band. The only child whose academic needs are not being met is now having the emotional problems that go along with boredom. I wish I could get my school district and the elementary principal to read this report and see the research. The reading program is touted as being "research based," but they won't read the research on gifted children.
Sarah Flesher Caldwell, Idaho Parent
Thank you for this timely and excellent report. Fairfax County, VA is moving away from acceleration. The GT Program Coordinator and her bosses claim that mixed ability groups with "differentiation" and enrichment are better than classes of gifted students who are accelerated as well as enriched. The School Board believes them, because it only hears about research to support that viewpoint. I hope that this report helps change some minds. I skipped second grade with no problems. A few year later, I was asked to enroll in a NYC program that would have compacted three years of middle school instruction into two years, but my mother said no. She made a mistake. School was too easy, and most of my high school friends graduated one or two years before I did. My three daughters have all been accelerated in one or more ways, and their acceleration has always been very successful. My oldest attended our GT Center when it was more selective and also more accelerated. She took Calculus BC in 9th grade and spent that summer researching black holes and learning physics on the job. She loves her magnet school, where she can take college-level math and science classes with other highly gifted high school students. We just hope that the school doesn't change too much, given the new admissions process that deemphasizes cognitive ability and academic achievement. My younger daughters skipped third grade at our GT Center. Things have worked out just as the acceleration studies would have predicted. One won a trophy for being the top math student last year. The other represented the school at chess competitions in fourth and fifth grades. At age 11, both enjoy reading some of the 10th grade sister's textbooks and novels.
Fairfax County, VA is moving away from acceleration. The GT Program Coordinator and her bosses claim that mixed ability groups with "differentiation" and enrichment are better than classes of gifted students who are accelerated as well as enriched. The School Board believes them, because it only hears about research to support that viewpoint. I hope that this report helps change some minds.
I skipped second grade with no problems. A few year later, I was asked to enroll in a NYC program that would have compacted three years of middle school instruction into two years, but my mother said no. She made a mistake. School was too easy, and most of my high school friends graduated one or two years before I did.
My three daughters have all been accelerated in one or more ways, and their acceleration has always been very successful.
My oldest attended our GT Center when it was more selective and also more accelerated. She took Calculus BC in 9th grade and spent that summer researching black holes and learning physics on the job. She loves her magnet school, where she can take college-level math and science classes with other highly gifted high school students. We just hope that the school doesn't change too much, given the new admissions process that deemphasizes cognitive ability and academic achievement.
My younger daughters skipped third grade at our GT Center. Things have worked out just as the acceleration studies would have predicted. One won a trophy for being the top math student last year. The other represented the school at chess competitions in fourth and fifth grades. At age 11, both enjoy reading some of the 10th grade sister's textbooks and novels.
Louise Epstein McLean, VA President Fairfax County Association for the Gifted
As a parent, and as a former accelerated student, I found your report insightful. Even though I am intensely involved in my children's schooling, and I research enrichment opportunities as a matter of course, I can still buy into the myth that we are asking for a special privilege when we seek appropriate challenges at school. Your report opened my eyes to consider the plight of families who don't have the resources to pursue enrichment activities beyond the school curriculum. It was an interesting side to the social equity concerns! I do find the report title to be a stumbling block. I did forward a link to our gifted education specialist, but I hesitate to send a publication to other school personnel that seems likely to engender defensiveness before it is read. You make many statements in the report that express support for teachers and schools - why must the front cover appear to attack them? I suppose SOMEONE must be practicing deception SOMEWHERE, if a proven, convenient, cost-effective solution is so dramatically underutilized. It's just a bit difficult to believe that most teachers, administrators, or school boards, or even teacher unions and college Education departments would intentionally avoid such practical strategies. I do hope that your report will have a positive impact on individual students, families, teachers, and schools, and also expand our national understanding of "No Child Left Behind."
I do find the report title to be a stumbling block. I did forward a link to our gifted education specialist, but I hesitate to send a publication to other school personnel that seems likely to engender defensiveness before it is read. You make many statements in the report that express support for teachers and schools - why must the front cover appear to attack them? I suppose SOMEONE must be practicing deception SOMEWHERE, if a proven, convenient, cost-effective solution is so dramatically underutilized. It's just a bit difficult to believe that most teachers, administrators, or school boards, or even teacher unions and college Education departments would intentionally avoid such practical strategies.
I do hope that your report will have a positive impact on individual students, families, teachers, and schools, and also expand our national understanding of "No Child Left Behind."
Lynn Ayers St. Charles, MO Parent, Accelerated Student
As a student, I am very glad to see this report. In all of the public schools I have atended, the focus was always on the remedial students and there were virtually no accommodations made for gifted students. Skipping grades was highly discouraged if even allowed , and gifted students were rarely, if ever, recognized for their talents. I really hope that this report will help teachers and educators be more aware of the disadvantages of forcing advanced students to remain in classes that are too slow for them.
Paula Sudbury, Massachusetts Student
My earliest memory of school is getting in trouble for trying to climb the library shelves. The books were organized vertically by reading level, and we were only allowed to check out those on the bottom shelf. I learned to read at two, and my favorite book by kindergarten was Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland--I remember looking up the words "comfit" and "treacle" in the dictionary as a four year old. After my first week of first grade I was accelerated to second. I've always wished it had been more. The school said academically I could be accelerated at least three grades, but they didn't recommend it on social grounds. For years I played games... could I pass without turning in the final paper? What grade would I get if never once opened the book? I vacillated between teacher's pet with straight A's and a sullen rebel on the verge of flunking. My husband is also a former gifted child (he wrote novels and drew cartoons in class, got bad high school grades but 5's on all his APs). Now our oldest is beginning to read--at two years old. I have always regretted the years I wasted sitting behind a desk pretending to learn. I hope that educators pay close attention to this report. It is desperately needed. Until then, we'll be homeschooling.
After my first week of first grade I was accelerated to second. I've always wished it had been more. The school said academically I could be accelerated at least three grades, but they didn't recommend it on social grounds. For years I played games... could I pass without turning in the final paper? What grade would I get if never once opened the book? I vacillated between teacher's pet with straight A's and a sullen rebel on the verge of flunking.
My husband is also a former gifted child (he wrote novels and drew cartoons in class, got bad high school grades but 5's on all his APs). Now our oldest is beginning to read--at two years old.
I have always regretted the years I wasted sitting behind a desk pretending to learn. I hope that educators pay close attention to this report. It is desperately needed. Until then, we'll be homeschooling.
Kay Barre Tarzana, CA Parent
Acceleration in gifted students is something my parents had to consider for all four of their children. As the oldest, it was quite a battle just to get me accelerated in math. But I was lucky to be in a large school district, so that once I reached high school I had all sorts of opportunities to take advanced and AP classes. Having worked as an RA for the Talented and Gifted summer programs at Iowa State, I have even more of an appreciation for the difficulties gifted students can have staying interested and plugged in to academics when those academics are not nearly challenging enough. It is especially difficult for those students in smaller districts, where there aren't as many choices. I truly hope that this report can shed some light on the current status of gifted education and provide an impetus for school districts around the country to reevaluate how they approach the education of talented and gifted students.
Alanna Rice West Des Moines, IA Medical Student University of Virginia
AT LAST!!!!!!Someone who knows what they're talking about. My son, Derek, skipped 3 grades in school and finished, at barely 15 with 42 AP credits. He had tons of friends, who had nothing but awe and respect for him, got the highest SAT scores in his class (1570), received more 5s than 4s on 10 AP exams (the first in Gr. 10, at 12 yrs.), got 700 somethings and 1 800 on SAT IIs (the higher math one). In addition to that he graduated at the top of his class of nearly 500, received nearly $360,000 in scholarship money offers (including Duke) and was named an Echols at UVA. He just started college in August, living in the dorm (which he EARNED the right to do). But besides the fact that he started high school at 11 yrs. (2000 kids in a high-achieving school) he rose immediately to the top, gaining many friends, offices, and was captain of the debate team (debated at 11 against some 19-yr.-olds.) I don't want to go into the STRUGGLE we had to get him there, but it was the BEST THING EVER for him. If he was in 10th grade this year, he would be a TOTAL drop out. I don't know WHEN people will get it that friends are chosen by interests, intellect, senses of humor----but NEVER BY AGE!!! Thanks for your efforts
Thanks for your efforts
Sally Austin Richmond, VA Parent first, art teacher second Henrico County Public Schools
As the parent of two children who were successfully accelerated, although not nearly soon enough, I hope this report can make the path of obtaining the right education for our highly gifted children a little easier. We must acknowledge the different needs at both ends of the ability scale and address those needs appropriately. Thank you to the Templeton Foundation for making the wide dissemination of this report possible.
Dorothy Beer Omaha, NE Parent
Excellent report. Should be required reading for all board members and administrators.
James Fedako Lewis Center, OH President Oletangy Board of Education
This has been a neglected issue for far too long. I detested my elementary school years and middle school years because: I was constantly picked on (a euphemism) day after day, year upon year. Repetition of material was incredibly boring. I would have thrived in an accelerated learning program. I could has easily started college at 14. But my family was poor, with huge medical bills. Other concerns took precedence and I was neglected. I could have been an astronomer or veterinarian or professor of history, et al. I feel like a major underachiever in this area of my life. Secretarial work has been my necessary source of income instead. But I still feel like I have so much to offer if only I could pursue a vocation that would utilize my brainpower and compassion for humanity.
Nancy Levine Chelsea, MA Secretary
Thank you for validating what parents of gifted children have known for years. We need the verification of research to take to school administrators and legislators so that our children can be adequately served.
Joanna Baleson Seabrook, TX Parent CASE for Gifted Children Charter Member
Wow! As a parent of one "grade-skipping" child and potentially another, I was thrilled to read your executive summary and look forward to receiving the full report. I have had the same conversation with many parents of gifted children about their needs being ignored while the system tries to catch up those who have fallen the furthest. This information will be forwarded to our gifted and talented program whose teachers work tirelessly as advocates for children on the forgotten end of the spectrum.
Holly Prescott Hartsville, SC Parent volunteer for Darlington County School District
It's about time that this issue is put front and center in the rhetoric of No Child Left Behind. Dispite adamant disagreement from Grandparents, teachers, and adminsters, my son has been accelerated twice. It has not always been easy for him or for his parents, but it has been by far, the best solution for dealing with his giftedness. Few, if any schools or teachers, are prepared to deal with kids with high IQs and as a result, these children are being left behind and ignored. Parents must constantly be advocates for their intellectually gifted children, educating themselves and educators alike about the pros and cons of grade acceleration. Our best and brightest and being locked in a dark box and can't get out, a nightmare my child had for years.
Tracy Stewart Austin, Texas Parent
In the Fall, 2003, issue of Education Next I wrote: "Centrally planned systems do not encourage ideas from the grassroots, thereby ignoring the nature of knowledge and discovery. Market-like mechanisms, not central planners, are the best way to direct resources toward success and away from failure. They are the only way to nurture sustainable innovation--as opposed to K-12 education's endless fads." Acceleration is one idea -- among many -- "from the grass roots" that is unlikely to gain the attention of K-12 education's central planners, whatever the evidence. For further insight as to the status of today's above average students, read my piece, "Unintended Consequences of No Child Left Behind." At Google type "no child left behind unintended consequences". The article is listed first or second.
Acceleration is one idea -- among many -- "from the grass roots" that is unlikely to gain the attention of K-12 education's central planners, whatever the evidence. For further insight as to the status of today's above average students, read my piece, "Unintended Consequences of No Child Left Behind." At Google type "no child left behind unintended consequences". The article is listed first or second.
Tom Shuford Lenoir, NC Retired Teacher
I just learned of the report and am downloading it to read and share within our school. The report should be a great asset. However, I feel its title does a disservice to public schools. Do schools act without a complete research basis on some or many issues? Inevitably. Does this mean we are "deceiving" the public? Not in any school I've worked in. Unless the report's publishers think something will be gained by more public-school bashing, or that change happens faster if you first offend those who will do the changing, or like playing "Gotcha!," this was a very unfortunate choice of titles. What's the agenda?
Paul Lowe Hyde Park, VT Principal Lamoille Union Middle School
Every gifted advocacy group should read and distribute this report to schools, state education administrators, and state legislators. The research will help activists convince decision makers to increase the practice of acceleration and educational planning for bright students who are ready to advance.
Michael Swanson Nashville, Tennessee Board Member and Founding President Tennessee Initiative for Gifted Education Reform (tigernetwork.org)
A Nation Deceived has come out not a minute too soon. Every year as many children struggle with their schoolwork and others engage in just the right amount of challenge, another set of students is underserved by "age appropriate" curriculum expectations. This well documented report provides criteria that should be considered when making decisions to accelerate a child or adolescent in school. The report also offers an array of evidence-based acceleration options for policy makers, parents, and teachers to implement.
Rena F. Subotnik, PhD Director, Center for Psychology in Schools and Education and Esther Katz Rosen Center for Gifted Education Policy Education Directorate American Psychological Association
The public education bureaucracy opposes acceleration for the same reasons it opposes school vouchers: accelerated students mean fewer years those students will bring tax dollars to the school district, and accelerating puts power in the hands of students and parents and takes power away from the bureaucracy. Thank you for this excellent report.
Ken Collison Midland, MI Teacher
Many thanks for this timely work. I especially appreciate the dissemination efforts and hope that this report inspires badly needed dialogue and action within general education concerning this important, necessary array of options for talented youth. Kudos!
Kudos!
Marcia Gentry West Lafayette, IN Associate Professor Purdue University
This report should leave no doubt in anyone's mind about the critical issues that are facing our nation regarding the development of talent among our young people. Our culture, economy, and the leadership America plays in the world are a direct function of the inventiveness, creativity, and advanced contributions of our people. Without massive and sustained investment in America's most promising young people we are in danger of relinquishing our leadership position in the world.
Joseph S. Renzulli Storrs, CT Director, The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented University of Connecticut Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor Raymond and Lynn Neag Professor of Gifted Education and Talent Development
We are living in an era where there is a national priority on identifying educational practices that are evidence based, that demonstrate powerful effects on achievement. Here we have a definitive report that identifies one of these--educational acceleration. This report makes it clear that acceleration is the poster-child for evidence-based practice and makes a contribution that moves this vital national agenda forward in a significant way. Now we need to get to work to get this practice widely implemented by our nation's schools.
Camilla P. Benbow Nashville, TN Vanderbilt University
THANK YOU, Drs. Colangelo, Assouline and Gross and the Templeton Foundation! This is just the information we need to get the schools attention about options for serving gifted learners. Your work is clear, concise and on target. Educators are too busy to read through all the research supporting an accelerated educational program for highly able learners, but your report highlights the important findings for them. I am very excited about getting this into the hands educators. Teachers and administrators want to do the right thing for all their students; this report will help them understand the needs for their gifted learners. Thank you for great work!
Jan Davidson Reno, NV President and Co-Founder, The Davidson Institute for Talent Development
A Nation Deceived presents educators, parents, and those of us who rely on the American educational system for success with a straightforward, research-based analysis of the overlooked needs of the academically gifted child. In our work with urban, highly diverse population schools, it is very clear that "no child left behind" must apply to all students, including the gifted minority child, who often goes unnoticed. A Nation Deceived calls for an end to all children being neglected and offers immediate, feasible, and inclusive solutions for identifying, supporting, and educating the gifted student with compassion and effectiveness.
Dr. Trudy Day San Francisco, CA Systemwide Director: Educational Practice and Policy, Alliant International University
As a parent, teacher and teacher educator I commend the many contributors to this report for their courage, integrity and rigor. The respect and genuine concern for the well being of students is tangible. As a researcher it dismays me to think that it takes such tenacity and fortitude to advocate for research based decision-making in Education, but I take heart from this extraordinary endeavour to make sound research on acceleration more widely accessible. Such access is obviously crucial to achieving informed and truly equitable educational provisions for all students.
Katherine Hoekman, PhD Sydney, NSW, Australia Lecturer in Gifted Education, School of Education, UNSW
Most educators identify "educational acceleration" as grade-skipping. Actually, there are at least twenty ways to accelerate one's progress, especially in subject matter, only a few of which involve skipping grades. For example, a school might offer its ablest algebra students two years of the subject in one year or allow them to take the first course a year or two earlier than usual. Also, a college student might complete more than one major subject-matter concentration during the four years; an MIT student did four. Some college students take heavier course loads and graduate in three years instead of four. The list could go on. The two volumes of A Nation Deceived (whose title and subtitle I don't like) cover such possibilities rather well. They afford much-needed guidance for teachers and gifted-child specialists. It seems likely that these volumes will have major effects on curricular flexibility in a number of schools.
Julian C. Stanley Columbia, MD Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Johns Hopkins University and creator of the national talent search model, used by Johns Hopkins University, Duke University, Northwestern University, and the University of Denver
The National Report on Acceleration is a gem. Every parent and policy maker will appreciate its clear language and sensible recommendations. Educators will be intrigued and challenged by the rich information from first-rate thinkers in the field. Get your copy and have a conversation with your colleagues and friends about this lively report. It's a great "read" for parents, policy makers, and educators alike.
Ann Robinson Little Rock, AR Director Center for Gifted Education, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Please send me a copy of "A Nation Deceived," (great title, by the way)!
Professor James Delisle Kent, OH Kent State University