Earls, S. W. (2023). Predictors of academic success in an early college entrance program. [Doctoral Dissertation University of North Texas].

https://doi.org/10.12794/metadc2257715

Early college entrance programs have existed in the United States since the 1950s, but in-depth research on academic success in these programs is lacking. Every year, early college entrance programs utilize a variety of data-gathering and candidate-screening techniques to select hundreds of students for admission into these accelerated programs. However, only a smattering of research articles has discussed the factors that predict academic success in these programs. This exploratory study investigated commonly-relied-upon admissions data points— such as high school GPA and ACT scores—and demographic information—such as sex, ethnicity, and locality—to see if any of these factors predicted academic success: namely, graduation and early college entrance program GPA. Secondary data from nearly 800 students admitted over an 11-year period to a state-supported, residential early college entrance program located at a large Southern university in the United States were utilized for this study. Logistic regression failed to yield a model that could accurately predict whether or not a student would graduate from the program. Multiple regression models showed that high school GPA and ACT scores were predictive of performance, and that factors like locality and ethnicity can have predictive power as well. However, the low variance in performance explained by the variables included in this study demonstrates that high school GPA, standardized test scores, locality, sex, and ethnicity can only tell us so much about a student’s likelihood of success in an early college entrance program.

Hemelt, S. W., & Lenard, M. A. (2020). Math acceleration in elementary school: Access and effects on student outcomes. Economics of Education Review, 74, 1–21.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2019.10192

This paper examines curricular acceleration in mathematics during elementary school using administrative data from a large, diverse school district that recently implemented a targeted, test-based acceleration policy. We first characterize access to advanced math and then estimate effects of acceleration in math on measures of short-run academic achievement as well as non-test-score measures of grit, engagement with schoolwork, future plans, and continued participation in the accelerated track. Experiences and effects of math acceleration differ markedly for girls and boys. Girls are less likely to be nominated for math acceleration and perform worse on the qualifying test, relative to boys with equivalent baseline performance. We find negative effects of acceleration on short-run retention of math knowledge for girls, but no such performance decay for boys. After initial exposure to accelerated math, girls are less likely than boys to appear in the accelerated track during late elementary school and at the start of middle school.

McClarty, K. L. (2015). Life in the fast lane: Effects of early grade acceleration on high school and college outcomes. Gifted Child Quarterly, 59(1), 3–13.

https://doi.org/10.1177/0016986214559595

Research has repeatedly demonstrated the positive effects of acceleration for gifted and talented students. This study expands the literature by not only evaluating the impact of early grade skipping on high school and college outcomes but also examining the role of postacceleration opportunities on subsequent performance. Using a representative national sample, accelerated students were compared with older grade-level peers who had similar academic and demographic backgrounds. Results suggest that, on average, accelerated students consistently and significantly outperformed their nonaccelerated peers, both in high school and in college. Furthermore, postacceleration educational opportunities provided additional benefit; students who skipped a grade and also participated in challenging academic programs (e.g., Advanced Placement, high-ability instructional groups) demonstrated particularly high achievement. Results suggest that gifted learners profit most when acceleration is coupled with additional opportunities for advanced study.

Kretschmann, J., Vock, M., & Ludtke, O. (2014). Acceleration in elementary school: Using propensity score matching to estimate the effects on academic achievement. Journal of Educational Psychology, Advance online publication.

Using German data, we examined the effects of one specific type of acceleration—grade skipping—on academic performance. Prior research on the effects of acceleration has suffered from methodological restrictions, especially due to a lack of appropriate comparison groups and a priori measurements. For this reason, propensity score matching was applied in this analysis to minimize selection bias due to observed confounding variables. Various types of matching were attempted, and, in consideration of balancing the covariates, full matching was the final choice. We used data from the Berlin ELEMENT Study, analyzing, after matching, the information of 81 students who had skipped a grade over the course of elementary school and up to 1,668 non accelerated students who attended the same grade level as the accelerated students. Measurements took place 3 times between the 4th and 6th grades, including the assessment of reading, spelling, and mathematics performance. After matching, the results of between-group comparisons regarding performance indices showed no significant effects of skipping a grade, other than a small positive effect found on spelling performance. Theoretical implications and methodological limitations are discussed.

Steenbergen-Hu, S., & Moon, S. M. (2011) The effects of acceleration on high-ability learners: A meta-analysis. Gifted Child Quarterly, 55(1), 39–53.

https://doi.org/10.1177/0016986210383155

Current empirical research about the effects of acceleration on high-ability learners’ academic achievement and social-emotional development were synthesized using meta-analytic techniques. A total of 38 primary studies conducted between 1984 and 2008 were included. The results were broken down by developmental level (P-12 and postsecondary) and comparison group (whether the accelerants were compared with same-age, older, or mixed-age peers). The findings are consistent with the conclusions from previous meta-analytic studies, suggesting that acceleration had a positive impact on high-ability learners’ academic achievement (g = 0.180, 95% CI = -.072, .431, under a random-effects model). In addition, the social-emotional development effects appeared to be slightly positive (g = 0.076, 95% CI = -.025, .176, under a random-effects model), although not as strong as for academic achievement. No strong evidence regarding the moderators of the effects was found.

Kuo, Y. L., & Lohman, D. F. (2011). The timing of grade skipping. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 34(5), 731–741.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0162353211417219

Gagné, F., & Gagnier, N. (2004). The socio-affective and academic impact of early entrance to school. Roeper Review, 26(3), 128–138.

https://doi.org/10.1080/02783190409554258

How well do early school entrants adjust socio-affectively when compared to their regularly admitted peers? Despite numerous publications on the subject, much controversy remains, mainly because of methodologically fragile studies. To assess the impact of a new early entrance policy in Quebec, 36 kindergarten and 42 Grade 2 teachers who had at least one early entrant in their class ranked all their students on four bipolar dimensions (conduct, social integration, academic maturity, and academic achievement). Data were collected for 98 early entrants and 1,723 regularly admitted children. The results revealed no substantial differences between the two groups, but a low correlation between age and adjustment among regularly admitted students. A semi-qualitative analysis showed that the teachers judged a significant percentage of early entrants less than well adjusted; perhaps explaining to a large extent the continuing resistance from educators and parents. Still, boys and the youngest among regularly admitted students were the two populations found much more at risk for social-emotional problems than early entrants.

Frunzi. (1995). Early school entry and later school success: The impact of a school district's early entrance policy. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.

This study investigates the effects of the early entrance policy in Littleton Public Schools, Colorado, on subsequent student success. The study looks at the relationship among teachers' beliefs and attitudes regarding early entry, their reported use of developmentally appropriate practices in their classrooms, and measures of success of the early entry children in school.

The research design includes a matched pairs investigation of 25 early entry children matched with their grade equivalent peer group. Data were obtained through interviewing and surveying teachers, administering the Wide Range Achievement Test-Revised, and inspecting students' cumulative records.

The research results show that the district's screening procedures were successful in screening bright children to enter school early. The test data indicate that the early entry children are achieving significantly higher academically than their matched regular entrance peers in the area of math (P<.05); and are doing as well in the areas of reading and language.

The teachers on the whole viewed the early entry children as being more delayed than their matched regular entry peers in the social, maturity, and leadership areas. Fourty percent of the teachers interviewed and surveyed indicated that they do not agree with the district's early entrance policy. No relationships were found between teachers' beliefs or teachers' espoused developmentally appropriate practices and students' academic achievement. This study could not address the developmental issues, as there was not consistency in treatment across grade levels. Few of the early entry children had continuous developmentally appropriate opportunities.

Should a school district endorse the practice of allowing selected children to enter school early? After completing this study, I conclude that the question can not be answered with a simple "yes" or "no". If the children are carefully selected to enter school early, if the teachers have a positive attitude toward young children, and if the classrooms are developmentally appropriate, the chances of the early entry children's success are great. If these conditions are not in place, the chances of success of the early entry children are at risk.

Proctor, T. B., Black, K. N., & Feldhusen, J. F. (1986). Early admission of selected children to elementary school: A review of the research literature. The Journal of Educational Research, 80(2), 70–76.

https://doi.org/10.1080/00220671.1986.10885726

Twenty-one studies reporting on early admission of selected children to elementary school are reviewed and discussed in terms of methodological design and findings. Two major kinds of designs were found. Comparisons of early entrants with their unselected classmates found, in general, no negative effects. Comparisons of early entrants with matched samples suggested that early admission may be preferable. Additional research is needed to formulate an ideal policy concerning early admission.

Arends, R., & Ford, P. M. (1964). Acceleration and enrichment in the junior high school: A follow-up study. Olympia, WA: Washington Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED028558).

To test the effectiveness of a program of acceleration and enrichment, five ninth grade classes of students (25 in each class, IQ's 120 or above) who had been in this program for 2 years were compared to two control (C) classes of academically talented students who had not had the program. All students were given a series of standardized achievement tests and were asked to complete a school attitude questionnaire. Two experimental (E) classes were significantly superior in all comparisons in mathematics, in two of three comparisons in reading, and in one of three comparisons in science (p=.05). In school systems A and B the E-groups were significantly superior in only two of six comparisons with the C-groups. An analysis of the total performance of all the experimental classes revealed that they were significantly superior to the controls in only 10 of 21 cases (p=.05). The performances of average E-groups from the same schools were significantly different from C's in only four of 30 comparisons. Responses from questionnaires did not indicate a significant difference in attitudes between the groups. Conclusions were that the acceleration and enrichment program did not hurt either academically talented or average students, that the special program could be improved, and that the program was more appealing to students and teachers than a more traditional approach.

Klausmeier, H. J., & Ripple, R. E. (1962). Effects of accelerating bright older pupils from second to fourth grade. Journal of Educational Psychology, 53(2), 93–100.

https://doi.org/10.1037/h0042790

An experiment was conducted to ascertain the effects of accelerating from 2nd to 4th grade pupils of superior learning abilities (SLA) who were above the median CA of all 2nd graders and who had attended a 5-week summer session. The Ss were 1 group of 26 accelerated to the 4th grade; 2 groups of 26 nonaccelerated 3rd graders of SLA, 1 above and 1 below median CA; 2 groups of 26 nonaccelerated 4th graders of SLA, 1 above and 1 below median CA; and 2 groups of 26 nonaccelerated 4th graders of average learning ability, 1 above and 1 below media CA. Based on the performance of the Ss on 32 measures, no unfavorable academic, social, emotional, or physical correlates of acceleration were found. Acceleration of pupils of SLA and above median CA after a 5-week summer session seemed desirable.

Justman, J. (1954). Academic achievement of intellectually gifted accelerants and non-accelerants in junior high school. School Review, 62, 142–150.

The present study seeks to assess the part that the special progress class plays in fostering academic achievement in mathematics, science, social studies, work-study skills, and creative expression in language arts.