PSYC 190 - Acceleration & Homeschooling

(VIDEO 5.63) Academic acceleration vs. gifted & talented education program

• the option for acceleration is on component of a broader program for education students with especially high abilities for their age

• some acceleration programs focus on supplementing an existing curriculum with advance material

(VIDEO 5.63) Content-based acceleration

• supplementing an existing curriculum with advance material (National Work Group)

• can often accommodate students who excel more in some areas than others, by enriching only a subset of subjects

  • ex: AP classes

(VIDEO 5.63) Grade-based acceleration

• defined as any acceleration effort that reduces the total amount of time a student spends in K-12 education

  • ex: early entrance to kindergarten/ first grade, early college acceptable, skipping a grade

(VIDEO 5.63) Pros & Cons of acceleration

• common fear is that accelerating students may take them away from kids their own age

  • impeding their social & emotional development

• others argue that acceleration is the best option for students who act out, lose motivation, or distract other kids when the curriculum is too slow for them

(VIDEO 5.64) Short-term effects of acceleration

• in two studies we see that accelerated kids learned more in a particular amount of time

(VIDEO 5.64) Long term effects

• one study followed a group of students who skipped/didn’t skip a grade

• they found that kids who skipped

  • were significantly more likely to earn an advanced degree

  • author a scientific publication

  • register a patent

  • they achieved these things at younger ages on average

(VIDEO 5.65) Psychological adjustment

• children who entered school early were rated by their teachers as at least as well adjusted & happy in their environment as their classmates

  • better adjusted to their environments than the youngest classmates who older than the early entrances

(VIDEO 5.65) Pros of grade skipping

• a recent meta-analysis found that those who grade skip have consistent positive effects on academic, psychological & social measures

• in a study students reported positive effects like increased confidence, improved self-image & increased motivation

(VIDEO 5.65) Cons of grade skipping

• some short-term negative effects when they first skip a grade is some anxiety, fearfulness & depression all of which subside quickly

(VIDEO 5.66) Iowa Acceleration Scale

• designed to help parents & educators decide who is likely to benefit from grade skipping

• the survey which should be administered by a trained practitioner, examines a number of factors

(VIDEO 5.66) What does the IAS test?

• student’s IQ (115+, more commonly 125+)

• demonstrated achievement at grade level (95th)

• performance above grade level (50th)

• tries to assess interpersonal skills & attitudes

• how the child feels about acceleration

(VIDEO 5.66) Stats from the IAs & advance placement

• 84% adapted well academically

• 71% performed in top 5% of class

• none in bottom ¼ of class

• 74% adapted well socially

• 26% had some amount of trouble

(VIDEO 5.67) Homeschool in the U.S

• estimate about 2.3 million students were homeschooled (2015-16 school year)

  • about 50 million attended public school & 5 million attended private

(VIDEO 5.67) Homeschool

• allows highly customized & individual approach that many parents value

  • allows them to incorporate material that may not be present in school (like advanced/interactive methods & moral/religious content)

(VIDEO 6.58) who decides to homeschool?

• some parent’s also decide to homeschool because of the area where the public schools are located

(VIDEO 5.68) Conservatives & Liberal

• Conservatives wanted to include religion into their teaching while liberals wanted to focus on the creativity aspect of learning

(VIDEO 5.69) Religious outcome of those who are homeschool

• although religion is a driver of many families’ decisions → turns out that only 42% of homeschooling families report any religious faith compared to 53% of non-homeschooling families

(VIDEO 5.69) Self Selection

• when people choose whether or not to participate in something based on their own preferences, circumstances, or confidence — and those choices can affect how we interpret outcomes

(VIDEO 5.70) SAT stats

college educated parents > non-college educated parents

(VIDEO 5.70) Do homeschool kids get the opportunity to reach the same level of social interaction?

• the quality of their networks appears to be nevertheless quite high

• home school students engage with others through sports, religion & community service at least as much as public schools

• home schooling does not hold student back socially

(ARTICLE) Nation’s Report Card…(Meckler) - Overview of findings

• Key Point: Test scores for 13-year-olds in reading and math declined even before the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Significance: This is the first recorded drop in 50 years from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).

• Affected Group: The declines were concentrated among the lowest-performing students, not the top performers.

(ARTICLE) Nation’s Report Card…(Meckler) - Broader Trends & Gaps

• Educational Gaps Widening:

  • Scores fell particularly for Black and Hispanic students.

  • White students’ scores remained flat.

  • Gender gap emerged: Boys’ math scores held steady while girls’ scores declined.

• Conclusion: Achievement disparities are growing, not shrinking.

(ARTICLE) Nation’s Report Card…(Meckler) - Expert Reactions

• Peggy Carr (NCES Commissioner): Shocked by the decline; had staff re-check the data.

• Carissa Moffat Miller (Council of Chief State School Officers): Concerned about stagnation and worsening results for struggling students.

• Education Secretary Miguel Cardona: Emphasized the need to rethink and strengthen education systems post-pandemic.

(ARTICLE) Nation’s Report Card…(Meckler) - Data Specifics

• Testing Year: 2019–20 (before school closures).

• Score Changes (13-year-olds):

  • Math: Down from 285 (2012) to 280 (2020).

  • Reading: Down from 263 to 260.

• Score Changes (9-year-olds): No statistically significant change since 2012.

(ARTICLE) Nation’s Report Card…(Meckler) - Reading Habits & Algebra Enrollment

• Reading for Fun Decline:

  • Among 9-year-olds: 16% in 2020 said they rarely read for fun (up from 9% in 1984).

  • Among 13-year-olds: 29% rarely read for fun (up from 8% in 1984).

• Algebra Enrollment Drop: Fewer 13-year-olds taking algebra or pre-algebra, despite pushes to expand early math instruction.

(ARTICLE) Nation’s Report Card…(Meckler) - Long-Term Perspective

Compared to the 1970s:

• Reading (since 1971) and math (since 1973) scores have improved overall.

• Black and Hispanic students have made the largest gains over the half-century

(ARTICLE) Adoption & IQ/School Performance - Study Purpose

To answer:

1. Do adopted children show better cognitive development (IQ & school performance) than peers left behind?

2. Do they show differences compared to their current (nonadopted) siblings or peers?

(ARTICLE) Adoption & IQ/School Performance - Key Findings

Compared to “left behind” peers (institutional or birth families):

• Higher IQ (large effect size, d = 1.17)

• Better school achievement (medium effect size, d = 0.55)

2. Compared to current nonadopted siblings or peers:

• IQ: Nearly equal (small, nonsignificant difference)

• School performance & language: Slightly behind (small effect sizes)

• Learning problems: Higher rates; 2× more likely to be referred to special education

(ARTICLE) Adoption & IQ/School Performance - Important Factors Affecting Outcomes

• Age at adoption:

  • IQ not affected by age

  • School performance better in those adopted before age 1

• Preadoption adversity (malnutrition, neglect):

  • Strong negative effect on school achievement

  • Less effect on IQ, showing brain plasticity

(ARTICLE) Adoption & IQ/School Performance - “Adoption Decalage” Concept

• Definition: A gap where adopted kids have normal IQs but slightly delayed school performance

• Causes: Possibly due to:

  • Emotional challenges (e.g., grief, unresolved loss)

  • Pre-adoption risk factors

  • Socioemotional struggles affecting classroom performance

(ARTICLE) Adoption & IQ/School Performance - Implications & Conclusion

• Positive: Adoption helps most children recover from adversity and achieve nearly normal cognitive outcomes.

• Concerns: A small but important minority struggles with school and needs support.

• Recommendation: Early adoption and awareness of special needs can improve outcomes.

• Adoption works as a "natural intervention" that significantly boosts IQ and offers educational recovery — but timing and preadoption experiences matter.

(ARTICLE) The New counterculture - Intro & Growth of homeschool

• In the 1980s, homeschooling was seen as fringe and likely to fade.

• Despite social trends (e.g., working mothers, professionalized parenting), homeschooling grew rapidly.

• By 2001, estimates placed the number of homeschooled children between 1.5 to 1.9 million, up from 50,000 in 1985.

• The movement is deeply committed, well-organized, and influential.

(ARTICLE) The New counterculture - modern movement

• While it invokes traditional imagery, homeschooling is fundamentally modern.

• It addresses modern concerns like shielding children from consumerism and over-sexualized culture.

• The movement appeals to conservative Christian women who combine traditional roles with aspirations shaped by feminism.

(ARTICLE) The New counterculture - leftist origins

• Homeschooling was initially championed by 1960s leftists like John Holt, Ivan Illich, and A.S. Neill.

• Holt believed in child-led learning and distrusted institutional schooling.

• Early "unschoolers" favored experience-based learning and rejected authoritarian teaching.

(ARTICLE) The New counterculture - Christian homeschooling

• In the 1980s, Raymond and Dorothy Moore—Christian conservatives—brought religious motives into homeschooling.

• They criticized early schooling for its rigidity and developmental inappropriateness.

• With support from James Dobson’s “Focus on the Family”, the Moores reached a large evangelical audience.

(ARTICLE) The New counterculture - Legal recognition

• Initially legally precarious, homeschooling gained legal status in all 50 states by 1993.

• The Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) played a major role.

• Over time, conservative Christians became the dominant demographic—mostly white, middle-class, and highly educated.

(ARTICLE) The New counterculture - Academic Performance and Social Concerns

• Homeschooled students perform well on standardized tests and often get accepted into competitive colleges.

• Concerns about socialization are largely unfounded; homeschoolers are active in churches, Scouts, and community service.

(ARTICLE) The New counterculture - Homeschooling as Empowerment for Women

• Sociologist Mitchell Stevens, in Kingdom of Children, explores how homeschooling benefits mothers.

• For many conservative women, homeschooling offers:

  • A dignified, intellectually engaging form of domesticity.

  • Opportunities for leadership, authorship, and community engagement.

• The role of mother-teacher is respected and spiritually validated within Christian communities.

(ARTICLE) The New counterculture - Broader Social Implications

• While individual children may thrive, the societal effects of homeschooling remain debated.

• Concerns include:

  • Potential weakening of public schools.

  • Rise of homeschooling among parents dissatisfied with school quality, not ideology.

• However, most homeschoolers stay civically engaged and contribute to their communities.