Tracking in the U.S. Public Schools Essay - 1838 Words

Tracking is the grouping of students by perceived academic abilities for instruction. As a pedagogical strategy, tracking was initially introduced into U.S. public schools in the early 1900’s as a way to educate and socialize the broadly changing population of urban, northern cities that swelled from European immigration and poor southern black transplants seeking better opportunities. Societal beliefs of the time regarding distinct division of classes and the requisite assimilation of immigrants into American culture resulted in new educational laws that popularized a system that segregated classrooms into â€Å"slow, bright and deficient† (Ansalone, 2010, p. 4) levels of learners. Tracking was viewed and used as a practical strategy in†¦show more content†¦The second assumption tracking makes is that the practice is equitable, accurate and appropriate. The third assumption claims student affect will be negatively impacted if they are placed in inclusive g roups with higher performing classmates. The last assumption claims teachers prefer tracking as an instructional strategy because they prepare for and teach only one ability-level at a time. Many studies have been carried out to prove or disprove the effectiveness of tracking and analyze any related social impacts. Following is a review of research for both sides of the debate. In 1990, Slavin reported that tracking had only a small impact on academic achievement. Later, in 2000 and 2006 researchers revealed that average learners had no change in knowledge gain but higher-track students showed academic improvement (Ansalone, 2010). While the research to support impressive gains in academic achievement fall short, studies abound with statistics on the negative educational progress the high and low-tracking of students has generated. Throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s Hallinan found that standardized test scores were significantly lower for students tracked into low-ability classes than if they had been placed in inclusive or high-ability groups (Rubin, 2006). Furthermore, a startling 1987 report by Gamoran showed the educational gap between high and low-track students was greater than the gap between high school dropouts and high schoolShow MoreRelatedEqual Protection And Public Education : Ability Grouping And Tracking812 Words   |  4 Pag esEqual Protection and Public Education: Ability Grouping and Tracking The United States of America has a long and complicated history of segregation and inequality. Though the country has fought fiercely to redeem itself by eradicating the practice of inequality in many areas, there are still some concerns that remain. 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