An Organizational Analysis of the Effects of Ability Grouping

Abstract

Ability grouping appears to be a logical means of organizing a student body with diverse academic skills. Many observers contend, however, that the practice favors students in high-ability groups at the expense of students in lower groups. An organizational conception of ability grouping clarifies the rationale for ability grouping but also illuminates its shortcomings: Grouping students leads to segregation on nonacademic as well as academic criteria, and differentiated instruction may lead to unequal results for students assigned to different groups. These issues are explored with data from 92 honors, regular, and remedial English classes in eighth and ninth grade. We examine the characteristics of students placed in different groups, similarities and differences in the quality of instruction across groups, and the links between instruction and achievement. The data show that rates of student participation and discussion are higher in honors classes, contributing to the learning gaps between groups. Rates of openended questions are similar across classes, but honors students benefit more from such discourse because it occurs more often in the context of sustained study of literature.

Sociology and School Choice: What We Know After Two Decades of Charter Schools

“…I conclude by providing directions for future research that draws on the social organization of schooling to further research in this area and to inform theory and policy. In this perspective, researchers focus their attention inside schools-examining the relationships between teachers and students as well as the other social relationships among parents, peers, and administrators-to understand how the organization of schools influences the learning opportunities and schooling processes (Bidwell & Kasarda 1980, Gamoran et al 1995. Summarizing the importance of this perspective when examining school choice, Schneider (2003, p. 212) writes, Studies of school choice have also not yet overcome the inadequacies we find in studies of the social organization of public schools.…”

Education and the Reproduction of Inequalities

“…Gamoran et al (1995) explain that there are two main problems with differentiation. First, students are not a "raw material" and sorting them, as opposed to sorting goods or services in large organizations, is not a neutral act.…”

Listening to the Student Voice: Understanding the school-related factors that limit student success

“…The first negative effect of streaming is the undesirable peer structures created in low-track classes. This leads to discouragement and alienation, and it creates disengaged learning environments for students in the lower streams (Curtis, Livingtone, & Smaller, 1992;Gamoran et al, 1995;Mac Iver & Mac Iver, 2009). The second negative effect is that streams tend to be permanent.…”