Designed for teachers and parents, this pamphlet addresses academic acceleration for gifted children and offers brief descriptions of some major types of acceleration along with issues of assessment and appropriateness for each. Early admission to kindergarten is described as attractive because it allows children to be accelerated without the disruption of social life and curriculum that later grade skipping might cause. Primary school advancement may cause concerns about serious difficulties such as loss of friendships with age peers, difficulty fitting in with the new class, and problems with both emotional and physical maturity, however, most research studies on grade skipping have not found these commonly feared effects. Many high schools and middle schools offer a wide range of acceleration options. Because students are with their age peers, there are fewer concerns about possible detrimental effects. The last type of academic acceleration described is early college entrance, one of the most controversial acceleration practices. Advantages include increased likelihood of pursing graduate studies and increased motivation due to an appropriate level of challenge. Possible negatives include difficulty with peer relations and regret at missing out on normal high school and college experiences. (CR)