The Power of Policy: A Case Study of Academic Acceleration Policies and Practices in One U.S. State

One of the most widely researched approaches for meeting the needs of advanced learners is acceleration. Even though over eight decades of research supports the use of acceleration for advanced students in PreK-12 education contexts, policymakers, educators, and caregivers still harbor misconceptions about what acceleration is, how it works, and who it benefits. In this session, results from a case study of one state with 67 local district education agencies that enacted an acceleration policy will be shared. Examples and recommendations for others interested in developing or revising their own acceleration policies will be presented along with Open Science materials.