Acceleration FAQ

Learning acceleration is an approach to supporting students’ learning needs that strategically embeds essential content/skills from prior grades into grade-level content and instruction. Learning acceleration is also known as “just in time” instruction.

Remediation is an approach to supporting students’ learning needs that prioritizes mastering most or all content/skills from prior grades before introducing grade-level content. Remediation is also known as “meeting students where they are”.

A study comparing acceleration and remediation as Tier 1 approaches showed that students who experienced learning acceleration struggled less and learned more than students who started at the same level but experienced remediation instead. (Source: Accelerate, Don’t Remediate)

No. There may be instances where remediation is necessary, though it’s important to note these decisions should be informed by data. Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions are essential for students who need specific, differentiated support. Small-group stations in elementary classrooms are an example of how remediation can be leveraged to support specific, identified learning needs for groups of students. What research shows, however, is that these interventions should not replace grade-level content nor are they meant to take the form of Tier 1 instruction for multiple lessons or units. Targeted remediation approaches are informed by reliable data or stated IEP goals for students and typically support small subsets of students based on those needs, whereas learning acceleration supports students by strategically embedding prior content and skills “just in time” to support learning of grade-level content.

No. Intervention differs from remediation in that it refers to scaffolds provided during Tier 2 or Tier 3 instruction. Students receive targeted support in small groups or 1:1 in addition to Tier 1/core curriculum & instruction. (Source: NeMTSS Layered Continuum of Supports)

Acceleration refers to scaffolds provided during Tier 1 instruction. This is also known as “core” instruction that lays a strong foundation for all students. The first tier in Nebraska’s multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) is high-quality, core academic instruction, which is where “just in time” supports can be embedded to accelerate learning. (Source: NeMTSS Layered Continuum of Supports)

The foundation for successful learning acceleration is ensuring we are putting grade-appropriate assignments in front of students. Students can’t master grade-level content and standards if the assignments they work on are below grade-level.

Adopting high-quality instructional materials is the first step in ensuring students have access to grade-appropriate assignments, but it’s not enough. How teachers implement HQIM is equally important.

No. While the term "acceleration" has been associated with high ability learning in Nebraska, learning acceleration, as defined above, refers to focusing on what students need right now to excel at grade-level work this year and beyond.

Curriculum acceleration or academic acceleration refers to high-ability students moving more quickly through grade-level material, including strategies such as grade-skipping or curriculum compacting. (Source: Regulations Governing High Ability Learners)

Learning acceleration aids students in accessing grade-level content, whereas curriculum acceleration moves the student beyond grade-level content. For more information regarding high ability learning acceleration, visit the website for the Acceleration Institute at the Belin-Blank Center.

Attending to students' social-emotional learning needs is absolutely critical, but we must also strive to do what schools are intended to do - equip students with knowledge and skills. What we prioritize is not an either/or - it's an and.

"It's not either/or but both/and." -Zaretta Hammond

We are tasked with marrying social emotional learning and rigorous, grade-level teaching that develops students' independence. While the focus of this PL series is on strong instruction, we will also explore elements of culturally responsive teaching practices that are tightly connected to the dimensions of social-emotional learning.

The design team is made up of volunteer representatives from ESUs and schools. The purpose of the design team in the 21-21 year was to brainstorm focus areas and provide input on this professional learning series. The design team came together between January-March 2022 to ideate and provide multiple rounds of feedback on the 22-23 learning acceleration PL scope & sequence.

Read more about the Design Team's process and participants here.

NDE’s role in this work is to collaborate with the design team, PL participants, and TNTP to provide learning that is responsive to schools’ needs and aligned to other statewide work.

TNTP is a national nonprofit that helps schools put the elements of great teaching to work in their classrooms to offer ALL children an excellent education that prepares them for success in college and beyond. TNTP’s role in this work is to facilitate knowledge-building and collaboration, draft a PL scope & sequence based on the design team’s input, and deliver the PL sessions.