What is the racial composition and socio-economic status of students in high and low tracks in your school?

In 1988 the National Educational Longitudinal Study (NELS) surveyed more than 20,000 8th grade students in more than 100 schools. Here is what they discovered in how 8th grade mathematics classes were divided into ability groupings:

	High	Middle	Low	Mixed
African Amercian (1,051)*	15%	35%	35%	16%
Native American (63)*	10%	46%	34%	9%
White (986)*	35%	40%	15%	10%
Asian American (207)*	47%	30%	17%	6%
Hispanic (698)*	18%	41%	25%	15%

The table¹ indicates that African American and Hispanic students were disproportionately grouped into low-ability tracks, while White and Asian American students fell into high- and middle-ability tracks. When looking at socio-economic status (SES), the data for 10th grade mathematics classes reveal 14% of students in the lowest SES quartile were regarded as above average, while 38% of those in the highest SES quartile were judged similarly.

Taken together, these two sets of data show that students placed in high-ability classes tend to be White or Asian American and from high socio-economic backgrounds. Students relegated to low-ability classes tend to be poorer and African American or Hispanic. In addition to the psychological impact such systems have on students, there are curricular issues as well. Noted researcher Jeannie Oakes writes about the differences in the kind of instruction students in high- and low-ability groups receive. Students in the former group are pushed to develop higher level thinking and problem solving skills, spend more time with hands-on activities, spend less time on "math facts," and have fewer quizzes and tests. Low-ability tracks, on the other hand, have more drill and practice, more worksheets, and more tests. Low-income students have less access to the best-qualified mathematics and science teachers and to quality classroom resources and facilities. ²

What is the racial composition and socio-economic status of students in high and low tracks in your school? Does the research support or refute your school's experiences?

¹Lockwood, John and Ella Cleveland. The Challenge of Detracking: Finding the Balance Between Excellence and Equity. Available at: http://eric-web.tc.columbia.edu/curriculum/detracking/

²Oakes, Jeannie. (1990). Multiplying Inequalities: The Effects of Race, Social Class, and Tracking on Opportunities to Learn Mathematics and Science. Santa Monica, CA: The RAND Corporation.

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