Acceleration: More than grade skipping

To many people, acceleration is a red flag meaning grade skipping, with concomitant problems of a social and/or emotional nature. In this article, the definition of acceleration is expanded to include early entrance, partial acceleration, compressing curricula, advanced courses, mentors and tutors. Popular theories about the social and emotional harm to accelerants is disproved throughout the literature. A challenge to parents, teachers and administrators to allow appropriately tested students to progress at their innate speed is offered as a way to maintain early creative and intellectual interests of gifted children throughout their educational years, and to speed their contributions to society.