The most common method of acceleration istracking,? combining students of similar cognitive abilities and moving them through curriculum at the same rate. Many high schools have some form of this: often, there are 3tracks:? an average track, an accelerated track, and a remedial track. Students in the average track move through classes and curriculum at a supposedly standard rate. Generally, this type of track is formulated to prepare students for entrance to college. Students on the accelerated track move through curriculum faster, and learn more advanced material. While this track is intended as a means for preparing the student for college, a much more thorough emphasis is placed on the development of abilities. Students on the remedial track are usually prepared for vocational practices, and learn simpler material at a slower pace. Another type of accelerated learning is individual acceleration, in which a teacher, the parents, and the student decide to send the student through more advanced grades at an earlier age. The controversy over accelerated programs lies in differing views of the effects of such strategies. Many educators believe that a student's biological age is more important than his or her intellectual age, and that students should develop among peers that exhibit similar social, emotional, and physical development. Conversely, there are teachers and other professionals who support the belief that the intellectual readiness of a student outweighs biological age. (Mackay) Many different manifestations of these two gifted education archetypes have been implemented in schools across the country, all of which have been attacked at some point in time.
The opponents of gifted education seem to make a number of valid points. The tracking method has received the most attacks. In a collection of gifted education articles consolidated by the Roeper Review, one editor states:.