Institute for Research and Policy on Acceleration (IRPA)
Mission Statement
The Institute for Research and Policy on Acceleration (IRPA) is dedicated to the study of curricular acceleration for academically talented children.
The primary purposes of the Institute are to:
- conduct research on the cognitive and affective characteristics that moderate students’ success with different forms of academic acceleration;
- synthesize current research on acceleration in ways that are useful to practitioners, policy makers, and researchers; and
- serve as an international clearinghouse for research and policy on acceleration.
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.
The success of A Nation Deceived
In 2004, The John Templeton Foundation sponsored a report titled A Nation Deceived: How Schools Hold Back America's Brightest Students. This national report highlighted the disparity between the research on acceleration and the educational beliefs and practices that often run contrary to the research. The publication of A Nation Deceived has resulted in a national conversation about acceleration and gifted students. The founding of IRPA is a strong testament to the impact of A Nation Deceived and to the need for continuing research, information, and policy initiatives on acceleration.
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