About the Institute for Research and Policy on Acceleration (IRPA)

What is IRPA?
IRPA, the first institute of its kind in the world, was established at The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development at The University of Iowa in 2006 through the generous support of the John Templeton Foundation. (Read more about the Belin-Blank Center.)

IRPA is unique in that its sole focus is research on academic acceleration so teachers and administrators can implement the most effective curriculum for gifted students. IRPA also consults with policy makers so that educational policies and procedures will reflect research results.

What is the purpose of IRPA?
IRPA is dedicated to the study of curricular acceleration for academically talented children.

The primary purposes of IRPA are to:

• provide educators, parents, and the general public with current research-based information on the many aspects and types of acceleration;
• serve as an international clearinghouse for research and policy on academic acceleration; and,
• conduct and support research on the factors that moderate success with different forms of acceleration.

The Institute's Website is the primary source of this information for both practitioners and researchers.

Why was IRPA founded?
The 2004 publication A Nation Deceived: How Schools Hold Back America's Brightest Students made acceleration for gifted students in the U.S. educational system a topic of national discussion. A Nation Deceived highlighted the disparity between the research on acceleration and the educational beliefs and practices that often run contrary to the research. Political figures, educators, and parents are engaged in a new and vibrant conversation about the benefits of acceleration. The focus is on research, not personal opinion. A Nation Deceived is the foundational work that led to the formation of IRPA; the staff of IRPA seek to maintain public interest in acceleration through research, policy, and service activities.

Because A Nation Deceived was originally intended to support gifted education efforts in the United States, it was published only in English. However, there clearly is international interest in gifted education and academic acceleration. Therefore, we are pleased to make A Nation Deceived (Volume I) available for free download in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, Russian, Korean, Hindi, and Spanish. Although educational systems vary throughout the world, the needs of the gifted must be met everywhere. A Nation Deceived has been effective as a tool for advocacy and source of research. Our hope is that gifted education advocates in other countries can use the translated versions as an advocacy tool for acceleration and as an impetus for international research on acceleration.

Volume II of A Nation Deceived, which presents concise and informative summaries of the research on academic acceleration, is available for free download in English only. An annotated bibliography (in English) of much of the research cited in A Nation Deceived is available at IRPA's Website.

A Nation Deceived is making a difference in the U.S. educational system. The enduring impact of the translation of A Nation Deceived into nine languages will be a powerful advocacy effort on behalf of gifted students throughout the world.

You can read the executive summary of A Nation Deceived in ten languages here.

Who can I contact (in English) for more information?

Dr. Nicholas Colangelo
Director, Belin-Blank Center
nick-colangelo@uiowa.edu

Dr. Susan G. Assouline
Associate Director, Belin-Blank Center
susan-assouline@uiowa.edu

Comments?

We invite you to leave comments about A Nation Deceived (in English).

x