ITRACKING FOR EDUCATION SERIES

Successful examples of non-tracked or heterogeneous grouping can be found in school within and outside the U.S. Summing up the research, Mathis writes that lower-track classes “tend to have watered-down curriculum, less-experienced teachers, lowered expectations, more discipline problems, and less- engaging lessons.” But, he continues, it doesn’t have to be this way: “When high-quality, enriched curriculum is provided to all students, the effect is to benefit both high-achieving and low-achieving students.” “Whether known as sorting, streaming or ability grouping, an expansive body of literature conclusively shows tracking is harmful and inequitable and remains an unsupportable practice,” Mathis says. Children with the most limited opportunities to learn outside of school are then given lesser opportunities within the school. What this means, he explains, is that tracking is one of the primary mistakes that schools make if they hope to close achievement gaps. Mathis also points to the overwhelming research finding that tracking stratifies students by race and by parental wealth. Mathis is managing director of the National Education Policy Center, housed at the University of Colorado Boulder School of Education. William Mathis, the author of the series.

Rather than achieving its purported goal – to tailor instruction to the diverse needs of students – tracking has, over decades of extensive research, been repeatedly found to be harmful to students enrolled in lower tracks and to provide no significant advantages for higher-tracked students, writes Dr.

ITRACKING FOR EDUCATION SERIES

Mathis, (802) 383-0058, for this press release: īOULDER, CO (May 30, 2013) –The final installment in a series of short briefs summarizing current relevant findings in education policy research reviews the evidence about “tracking” students – that is, enrolling students in particular classes, curricula and courses of study based on perceived ability.

Prescribes Pathway to Access for All Students Brief Reiterates Harm from “Ability Grouping” in School,

Itracking for education