What is Acceleration?
Just like enrichment and extensions, acceleration is a tool for supporting a student's academic or intellectual ability. According to the Acceleration Institute, "Acceleration is an academic intervention that moves students through an educational program at a rate faster or at an age that is younger than typical. It is about creating a better match between the readiness and motivation of a student and the level and pace of instruction." There are actually 20 different types of acceleration that can be used to move a student ahead to appropriately challenging coursework and peers that are closer to their level of academic and intellectual ability.
Types of Acceleration Used in Austin ISD
In Austin ISD, we offer many opportunities for acceleration, including:
- Advanced Academics courses like Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), OnRamps, Dual Credit, and Dual Enrollment that expose students to college-level content and rigor.
- Credit-By-Exam for Content-Area or Whole Grade Level Acceleration (Grade-Skipping)
In-class differentiation from teachers may also involve forms of acceleration, especially when it comes to exposing students to content that is closer to their level of ability and mastery, processes that students may be ready for that others may not, as well as advanced product, presentation, or performance expectations as a result of projects.
Please view this presentation: Academic Acceleration: 20 Most Important Points from the Research
For up-to-date research on acceleration, please visit the Acceleration Institute at the Belin-Blank Center for Talent Development at the University of Iowa.
Who Might Benefit from Acceleration?
Not all GT students will benefit from acceleration, and acceleration is not only for GT students. That is why acceleration is not handled by the Advanced Academics Department. If you are interested in acceleration as a solution for your child's intellectual and social-emotional needs, please follow the steps at the bottom of this page.
Acceleration is Part of Our Tiered Supports for Learners
Tier 1
Tier 1 supports involve testing to know what a student has already mastered, then using that information to support enrichment and extension in the classroom with the use of district adopted or designed resources. Tier 1 supports are sufficient to ensure that most learners are growing academically, socially, and emotionally.
Tier 2
Tier 2 supports become more individualized, and may include targeted acceleration, flexible/ability grouping, group or individualized projects in areas of interest or passion, etc. Tier 2 supports are necessary for a very small proportion of students.
Tier 3
Tier 3 supports involve significant changes to student learning experiences addressed on a case-by-case basis aligned with academic, social/emotional, and behavioral needs. This is often where content or grade-level acceleration is suggested to ensure that a student continues to learn and grow academically, socially, and emotionally. Tier 3 supports are necessary for a much smaller portion of students than Tier 2.
AISD Credit-By-Examination Process:
- Please reach out to your campus administrator and let them know that you are interested in seeing if your child qualifies for grade-level acceleration (subject-area CBEs are available at the middle school level)
- The principal then reaches out to Angela Darby Satterwhite, the Assessment Specialist in Systemwide Testing over CBEs for next steps
- Testing takes place at specific times throughout the year, according to the District Testing Calendar
- Students test in the four core areas for the grade they would be skipping. For example, if they wanted to move from 3rd grade to 5th, skipping 4th, the student would take the 4th grade Math, Science, Social Studies, and Language Arts CBEs. Those tests would involve the state standards for those content areas in grade 4
- Study guides for the exams may be found here: University of Texas Credit-By-Exams Study Guides
- Students must score at least an 80% on each of the four CBEs in order to qualify for grade-level acceleration
For more information, please contact Systemwide Testing.