Briefly sketches some of the circumstances and beliefs that led to the institution of tracking for managing student diversity. Suggests how these social, political, and historical factors can continue to sustain deleterious tracking practices. Offers some promising directions for altering ability grouping and tracking. (PS)

Findings are presented from a two-year examination of educational tracking decisions at three comprehensive urban high schools. It is suggested that high school tracking decisions result from the synergy of differentiated, hierarchical curriculum structure; school cultures committed alternately to common schooling and accommodating differences;…

Continues the argument against tracking and ability grouping in schools. Traces circumstances and beliefs leading to this system of handling student diversity and shows how these factors obstruct schools' efforts to achieve two highly valued goals: academic excellence and equal opportunity. Suggests alternative approaches. (MLH)

Tracking--the system of grouping students for instruction on the basis of ability--reflects the class and racial inequalities of American society and helps to perpetuate them. In the junior and senior high schools studied, there were clear differences between upper and lower tracks in: (1) content and quality of instruction, (2) teacher-student…

In this report, the 25 secondary and 13 elementary schools participating in "A Study of Schooling" are described in two ways. First, the emphasis given to academics and vocational subjects in the curriculum is estimated and compared with that of the other schools at the same level. Second, tracking policies and practices at each of the schools are…

This study examined how high schools made decisions about which courses to offer and which courses were appropriate for various students. During year 1, researchers visited three senior high schools in a major West Coast urban center to observe, study school documents, and talk with educators and students about curriculum offerings and student…

Evidence from two school systems whose ability grouping and tracking systems were scrutinized in 1993 in conjunction with school desegregation cases demonstrates how grouping practices can create within-school segregation that discriminates against black and Latino students. In both cases, grouping practices created a cycle of restricted…

The relationship between secondary school students' socioeconomic status and ethnicity and their participation in vocational education programs was examined. Analysis of data from 25 secondary schools focused on three questions concerning: (1) the emphasis on vocational programs in non-white, ethnically or racially mixed, and white secondary…

Schools' course structures and policies allow some families to garner the best educational resources. To treat all students fairly, schools must recognize privileged parents' racial/class motivations, infuse academic talk into informal networks, acknowledge "invisible" parents' aspirations, demolish communication barriers, and encourage…

Results of the "A Study of Schooling" survey indicate that the practice of tracking in secondary schools makes it difficult for schools to achieve either academic excellence or equality of educational opportunities. Tracking, furthermore, forces schools to perpetuate social and economic inequalities. Eight footnotes are appended. (IW)

Argues that tracking students for instruction is usually neither equitable nor effective. Reviews what has been learned about tracking, considers impacts of these findings, and suggests new research to target needs of reformers more directly. Understanding and changing the norms and policies that buttress tracking is essential to reform. (SLD)

Classroom variables and student track levels were studied to determine the impact of tracking and the resulting differences in student educational experiences. A secondary analysis of nationwide data collected for "A Study of Schooling" was used in an analysis of the classroom experiences of students in 297 secondary school English and mathematics…