Tracking in Elementary Schools
Carol Bell Elementary Case Study. [Image]. (2019). School Specialty Blog.
https://blog.schoolspecialty.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Carroll-Bell-Elementary-Case-Study.jpg
What is Tracking?
Before diving too deep into this topic it is important to know some of the key terms and what they mean in this context. The most important term is “tracking”. In this context, tracking “refers to a method used by many secondary schools to group students according to their perceived ability, IQ, or achievement levels” (Tracking and ability grouping in middle level and high schools 2020). This tracking is how students are placed into schools, district boundaries are created and even what class students are in. Another key term to know is “achievement gap” and this term refers to some students being more successful than others due to things outside of their control whether that is the quality of their education, family issues, or even just having different priorities. Due to these outside factors, there is a large gap between the level of achievement in different students. These are the three main key terms that are very important to know when discussing how the level of education changes based on the school district boundaries.
Tucson Elementary Schools. [Map Image]. (n.d.). Brenda O'Brien. http://www.brendaobrien.com/maps/tucson-elementary-schools-ne.jpg
Why Tracking is bad
Tracking in the schools is not good because it causes the students change how they view themselves because of what classes they are put in and what school they are told to go to. Schools do not know they background your family has and they should not assume and change where your child should attend school and what class they should be in because of that. Tracking has a huge effect on a child's development. If these schools group together the low achievers together and the high achievers together the students will know and will see themselves as unable to achieve more than that which becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. If these kids are constantly told and grouped as if they will not achieve anything they will eventually believe it. The students who in are in the high level areas get placed in the better schools. The tracking limits some students because of stereotypes and their race assuming everyone who is that race all have the same intelligence or motivation or work ethic. This leads to self-fulfilling proposes and white students with high-level education, African American students with "on track" education, and Asian Americans with High level and math-focused learning. You never know what a child's knowledge level is going to be, how much work they can or will put in, or what their home life is, and basing what school or class a student is in it can deeply affect their self-view when all students should be treated equally.
Stakeholders
Teachers are very big stakeholders. They are the ones actually teaching the students and deciding what to teach and how to teach. They do not get to pick who is in their class and what level they are at but they are the ones who have to figure that out and adapt their teaching style and lesson plans to fit the students. Students are another large stakeholder. This is their education and tracking has a huge effect on it. It can affect if they are successful or not, self-esteem, if they go to college, or even if they have the right information to go to college.
You as parents are even more important stakeholders because this is your child's education and future and you want them to do well and succeed but sometimes this can be a struggle. The schools track the students and place them in the schools and if you lack the knowledge of where to send your child, you can get lumped into the tracking due to lack of information. I recognize that some parents even struggle with English so you are unable to even ask questions which can make trying to learn about how the district works even harder.
Administrators and school board members are a stakeholder because they decide the school boundaries and where students go. They are essentially who decide the boundaries and set up the tracking. They decide who goes to what school and pick which neighborhoods go where and this leads to tracking.
If you are a parent and want your child to get the best education, I encourage you to question your school board, school administrators and look at the district boundaries. It is important to gain a better understand of how the district works so you can ask the right questions and set your child up for success.
It is also very important to remember that it is not the teachers fault because they have no control over who is in their class. They are doing their best and it is always good to be kind and respectful to them.
Why I think tracking is important:
I chose to do research about school district boundaries and how they affect the different levels of education. I chose to do this because I am studying to be a teacher and I want to have a better understanding of the field I am going into and why some areas do not get the same level of education. I think that everyone deserves the same opportunities and education no matter what. This is a relevant issue because most school districts around the country are having this issue and leaning towards segregation again. Here in Arizona they claim they are better and provide equal education opportunities for all but that comes with a catch.