With support from the John Templeton Foundation, the authors held a Summit on Acceleration at The University of Iowa in May 2003. They invited distinguished scholars and educators from around the country to help them formulate a national report on acceleration. This first volume of the Templeton Report on acceleration trumpets an alarm to the nation's schools on the need for providing accelerative experiences for its brightest students. Founded on a solid research base established over the last 50 years, acceleration clearly deserves greater use in practice than has been the case. The report describes several types of acceleration and corresponding social concerns. It also attests to the cost effectiveness of acceleration for colleges, schools, and parents. Specific ideas are cited for what teachers and the general reader can do to help promote these accelerative practices. Appended are: (1) Executive Summary: "A Nation Deceived: How Schools Hold Back America's Brightest Students"; (2) About the Authors of "A Nation Deceived: How Schools Hold Back America's Brightest Students"; (3) The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development; (4) The Gifted Education Research, Resource and Information Centre; (5) The John Templeton Foundation; (6) Resources for Educators and Parents; and (7) What You Can Do Right Now. [For Volume 2, "A Nation Deceived: How Schools Hold Back America's Brightest Students. The Templeton National Report on Acceleration. Volume 2," see ED535138.]