The Importance Of Tracking In High Schools

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Introduction
Tracking students by ability level has been an on-going issue in education for years. Many educators began questioning the practice of tracking in the 1970s when studies began to show that minority and low-income students were over-represented in the lower tracks where they receive less challenging instruction from less qualified teachers (Oakes 1990, as quoted by Haury & Milbourne 1999). Still the process of tracking and grouping individuals according to ability levels remains common throughout our nation. A new study on tracking in high schools shows the system of placing some students in college preparatory courses and others in easier English and History courses is "harming millions of students in American society"(Stanford
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The curriculum that is designed to promote segregation in the classroom and instructional approach. The Rockville Centre School District reform confirms closing the “curriculum gap” is an effective way to close the “achievement gap.” (Burris & Welner 2005). Often times the implementation and content of curriculum differs between different levels of tracked systems. Lower level tracks have been found to cover only a partial amount of the curriculum offered to the higher tracks. Higher-level tracked curriculum tends to emphasize concepts, inquiry, problem solving, independent thinking, interactive learners, and technology. While lower level tracked curriculum tends to emphasize low-level facts and skills, stresses rules and behavioral procedures, more time spent on teacher centered learning and discipline, more worksheets and seat time, along with less technological devices (Montgomery County Education Forum 2002). “Gamoran (1995) found that questioning patterns differ significantly in honors, regular, and remedial classes, indicating differences in the way students and teachers interact in those classrooms. Indeed, teachers in the academic tracks tend to place more emphasis on reasoning and inquiry skills than do teachers of classes in the other tracks. Students in the lower tracks also spend more time reading textbooks and completing worksheets while students …show more content…
Both proponents and opponents of tracking advocate good education but their assumptions about what makes education good differ (Eisenhower Southwest Consortium 2000). While there seems to be benefits for certain students who excel in a tracked system the advancement for all students is possible in a more heterogeneous environment. The findings indicate that low-income, minority, and inner-city students have fewer opportunities to critically think about historical events. They have considerably less access to materials, resources, they are less-engaging learning activities in their classrooms, and taught by less-qualified teachers. These differences are linked to both the characteristics of the schools and characteristics of the classrooms (Oakes 1990). As we move forward in education it is imperative that we press for the advancement of all students in an academic system. Academic success of schools is related to the advancement and growth of all students within their realms of instruction. It is the responsibility of all learning institutions to ensure the educational advancement of all students (Haury & Milbourne

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