Implementation of Tracking in High schools

Katelynn Ogunfolami
Abstract: Tracking is currently used in

Adverse Effects of Tracking

many high schools throughout the United

States. Tracking serves as a way to
challenge higher ability students in need
of more fitting and rigorous classes.
Tracking at times has adverse affects
though- limiting students the learning
opportunities they deserve. Especially
when in regards to minority students and
students of lower economic standing. On a
significantly different hand tracking has
been proven to help further students as
they pursue their education and plan for
their futures.

Trackinghasshownusthatstudentsare
unevenlydistributedamongtracks.Withlowincome
andminoritystudentsmorelikelytobeinlowability
classesforthenoncollegebound.Thistheoryhas
beenbackedbytechnical/structuralfactors,cultural
norms,andunderstanding.Although,overalllittleis
stillknownabouthowhighschoolsdecidewhat
classestoofferandhowtoplacestudentsinthe
correctclasses.However,wedoknowthateven
thoughtheideaoftrackingiswellthoughttheeffects
ontheseminoritystudentsarecripplingtotheir
futures.Ithasbeenthoughthatschooltrackingis
maintainingasocietythatiscontinuouslyclassified
byraceandsocialclass.Letsthingofeachdifferent
curriculumopportunityastheequivalentof
occupationalopportunitiesinalargersociety;which
inawayitis.
Tangible indications. Manystudies
havebeenamassedandevaluated.Intheendthese
studieshaveshownthatsortingstudentby
achievementlevelexposesminorityandpoor
studentstolowerqualityteachersandlessresourced
classmates(Chambers,2009).Thisstrengthensthe
argumentthatthereareraciallyidentifiablecourse
enrollmentpatterns.Studentswithbetter
opportunitiesareplacedinthesehigher
advancementclasseswhiletheirpeers,whoarejust
astalentedarepunishedfortheirhomelife,social
standing,andethnicity.Manystudentstothisday
continuetoshowthattrackinghasadeleteriouseffect
onthelearningofstudents;althoughtracking
continuestobeused.Inrecentyearstrackingisbeing
characterizedasthemostimportantsecond
generationsegregationissue(Chambers,2009).

Keywords: Tracking, Benefits,

Harms, minorities, high school
Introduction
Asateacher,whenitcomestohelping
prepareyourstudentsforthefutureitcanbedifficult.
Particularlywhenyouseeatalentedyoungstudent
beingheldbackfrommorevigorousclassesbecause
ofarestrictingTrackingsystem.Trackingisa
methodofschoolsmakinganefforttouse
educationalstructuresandtechnologiestomatch
studentsandcoursesinawaythatwillfurthertheir
societalgoalsaswellasaccommodateindividual
differences(Oaks,1995).Thesetrackingclasses
includethingssuchasAP,HonorsCourses,andIB
courses;alsoextrarigorousmathandscienceclasses
fallunderthiscategory.Studentsareoftenunaware
thattheyarebeingputinunfittingclasses;though
withthehelpofeducatorsstudentscanbebetter
placedinsuitableclasses.
Asateacher,oneisalwayslookingoutfor
theirstudentsbestinterests.Whenstudentshave
discrepanciesbetweentheirlearninglevelandtheir
classestakenteachersshouldbebringingthisissueto
attention.Eventhoughtrackingisimplementedin
schools,thedistrictisnotseeingfirsthandhowit
impactsstudentseducation.Thatiswhyitissokey
thateducatorsareawareanddiligentaboutknowing
theirstudentsandtheirskilllevel.Thatwayifa
studentshouldbeplacedinahigherclasstheycanbe
placedcorrectly.

Organization
Theeffectivenessoftrackingalsodepends
inparttohowitisorganized,whichisthrough
structureandoverallimpact.
AsdefinedbyAageB.Srensen,thereare
fourmainstructuresofthetrackingsystem:
selectivity,electivity,inclusiveness,andscope.
Selectivityisinregardtotheamountofsimilarity
createdbygroupingstudentsaccordingto
characteristicsrelevanttolearning.Electivityisused
toseetheextentatwhichstudentschooseorare
assignedatrack.Inclusivenessideallyisusedtosee
whatleavesstudentsopentooptionsforfuture

schooling.Trackingisinclusiveifitassigns
relativelymorestudentstocollegeprep
classes/trackswhichunfortunatelywearenotseeing.
Lastly,scopeisusedtomeasuretheextenttowhich
studentsarelocatedinthesametracksacross
subjects.Generally,throughthesestructuresof
trackingwecanseethattrackingaffectsthe
dispersionofachievementandcreateseducational
inequality.Sincetrackingvariesfromschoolto
schoolwhatifsomeformsoftrackinginducemore
inequalitybetweentracksthanothers?Thatthe
questioneducatorsandresearchesarestilllookingto
answerastomakesurestudentsofallspectrumscan
beinfittingtracksthatwillinturnleadtotheirfuture
success.

Benefits of Tracking Students

Ofcoursetrackingwouldntbeimplemented
inschoolsifitwasntintendedtobebeneficial;so
despitethenegativeoutcomestherearegoodones.In
thismorepositivelightwecanseethatithashelped
showhowstudentsofdifferentcultures,races,and
socialclasses,whoeachhavedifferenteducational
prospects,workincertaincoursesandcurriculum
(Oakes,1995).Whenitcomestothebenefitsof
trackingletuskeepinmindthatwearereferringto
whenitworkscorrectly.Trackingpreparesstudents
forproductiveworkandprovidesthemwith
opportunitiesthatallowthemtopreparefortheir
futuresineducationandtheircareers.School
trackingpoliciesservetoseparatestudentsinto
differentgroupsbasedonperceivedability
(Chambers,2009).Therefore,whenstudentsare
placedinthecorrecttrackedcoursetheyendupbeing
challengedmoreintheireducationalendeavors.
Notonlydoestrackingchallengecorrectly
placedstudentsbutithasalsobeenprovento
maximizestudentattendanceinpublicschools
(Epple,2002).Whenstudentsarebeingchallengedin
theircourseworktheyaremore,interestedforlack
ofbetterwords,toattendclassandlearntheactual
curriculum.
Trackingisalsousedtoplacestudentswith
peersofequallearningskill,soastochallengethem.
Ithasbeenproventhatstudentsarebettermotivated
bytheirclassmates.Inclasscompetitionisoftenseen
inthesetrackandhigherlevelclassesbecause
studentsarechallengingwitheachothertobeas
successfulaspossible(Hanushek,2003).Inhealthy
aspectsthisisverygoodforstudentsastheybecome
motivatorsforeachother,sometimeswithouteven
knowingit.

Onasimilarnote,thiscompetitionand
motivationispossiblebecausetrackingservesto
retainhigherabilitystudentsinmorefitting
classrooms.Inthisgroupingofstudents,theyare
betterabletofocusoncurriculumwithouthavingto
bebotheredbytheminisculebutdisruptive
variablesthatoccurinclasseswithstudentsofall
learninglevelsandabilities.

Changing the Game

Eventhoughtherearemanyoverallissues
withthetrackingsystemsimplementedinschools
therearewaystomakesurethattrackingisbeing
correctlydone.Inthiseverchangingdayandage
wherethingscomeandgo,trackingmaybeonits
wayout.Although,whileitisstillarounditisthe
dutyofeducatorstomakesurethatintheirclasses
studentsarebeingchallengedandthatthecurriculum
isfitting.Ifastudentisbreezingthroughclasswork
continuouslythenthatwouldbeanindicatorthatthis
specificstudentneedsplacementinahighertracked
class.Sinceschoolboardsandhigher
administrationcannotseethetangibleaffectsof
trackingoftenitisuptoteacherstoraiseawareness
thatsometimesstudentshavebeentracked
incorrectly.
Itisyourduty,asaneducatortomakesure
yourstudentsarereachingtheirfullpotential.Itis
importantthatstudentsarenotbeinglimitedorheld
backsimplybecauseoftheirorigin.Weliveina
worldthatiseverchangingthepopulationofthe
UnitedStatesisprimarilymadeupofminorities.We
shouldntallowschoolstocontinuetotrytoblock
ourstudentsabilitiessimplybecausetheyhave
aspectsoftheirlivestheycannotcontrol.Each
studentdeservesachancetoreachgreatness,to
furtherthemselvesintheireducationalchoicesand
notberestricted.Asteachersandeducatorsitis
crucialthat,sinceweseefirsthandhowstudents
learn,weworktowardshelpingplacestudentsin
fittingclassesthatwillhelpthembeassuccessfulas
possible.Inbeingateacherwearepromisingtowork
hardforourstudentstriumphsthusweneedtoraise
awarenesstothedisturbingfactthattrackingis
harmingthefuturesoftalented,headstrong,and
smartstudents.
However,asmentionedearliertrackingdoes
havepositiveeffectsandoutcomes.Ithelpsstudents
staymotivated,determinedandchallenged.Itkeeps
attendancehighandgradeshigher.Studentsarebeing
placedinclassesthatfittheirneedsandwants,
allowingthemtobesuccessfulintheirschooling.It
isallowingstudentstobechallenged,helpingthem

learnnewlearningskillsandcontinuetohavethat
mentalstimulationthatleadstosuccess.
Intheendweneedtofocusonhelpingall
studentsbesuccessful,teachersandeducatorsneedto
betheeyesandearsthathelpredefinetheway
trackingisorganizedanddone.Thatwaystudentsare
bestabletosucceednomattewhatethnicityorsocial
standingtheyhold.Astimeschange,onethingwill
remainthesamethehardworkandeffortputforth
byteacherstohelpstudentssucceedandbe
successfulintheiracademiclives.Itstimeto
redefinethewaystudentslearnandthewaytracking
isimplemented.Itstimetomakesurethatall
studentsarebeingabletobetterthemselves!

References
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Matchmaking:
The dynamics of high school tracking
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Hanushek, E. A., Kain, J. F., Markman, J. M.,
&

Chambers, T. T. V., Huggins, K. S., &

Scheurich,
J. J. (2009). To Track or Not to Track
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American Students at Highview High
School. Journal of Cases in Educational
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Epple, D., Newlon, E., & Romano, R.
(2002).
Ability tracking, school competition, and
the distribution of educational benefits.
Journal of Public Economics, 83(1), 148.
Gamoran, A.. (1992). The Variable Effects
of High School Tracking. American
Sociological Review, 57(6), 812828.
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