Sociodemographic Diversity, Correlated Achievement, and De Facto Tracking

Lucas, Samuel R.; Berends, Mark

doi:10.2307/3090282

Cited by 157 publications

(140 citation statements)

References 21 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

134

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…This research provides clear evidence that students are sorted to different types of peers (i.e., based on academic ability or race) and curricula within schools, especially at the middle and high school levels (Conger 2005;Gamoran 1987;Oakes 1985). The practice of ability grouping creates considerable variation in the average achievement levels of classrooms within schools (Gamoran 1993;National Education Association 1990) and contributes to racial or socioeconomic segregation within schools since minority and low-income students tend to have lower achievement (Gamoran 1987;Lucas and Berends 2002;Oakes 1985;Oakes and Guiton 1995). This body of research suggests that there are potentially large differences in student characteristics across classrooms within schools; however, less clear is the extent to which there is systematic sorting of teachers with different characteristics to courses that serve students of different abilities.…”

Section: Prior Research On Teacher Sortingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Systematic Sorting

2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Although prior research has documented differences in the distribution of teacher characteristics across schools serving different student populations, few studies have examined the extent to which teacher sorting occurs within schools. This study uses data from one large urban school district and compares the class assignments of teachers who teach in the same grade and in the same school in a given year. The authors find that less experienced, minority, and female teachers are assigned classes with lower achieving students than are their more experienced, white, and male colleagues. Teachers who have held leadership positions and those who attended more competitive undergraduate institutions are also assigned higher achieving students. These patterns are found at both the elementary and middle/high school levels. The authors explore explanations for these patterns and discuss their implications for achievement gaps, teacher turnover, and the estimation of teacher value-added.

show abstract

Section: Prior Research On Teacher Sortingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Systematic Sorting

2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Even in racially diverse schools, minority students are more likely than white students to be placed in lower level academic tracks which provide fewer opportunities to learn than higher level tracks (Eitle, 2002;Lucas & Berends, 2002;Mickelson, 2001Mickelson, , 2005Mickelson & Smith, 1999;Oakes, 2005;Southworth & Mickelson, 2007).…”

Section: Race and Achievementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Examining the Effects of School Composition on North Carolina Student Achievement over Time

Southworth

2010

EPAA

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This study explores the effects of school-level characteristics on North Carolina students' reading and math achievement from fourth through eighth grade, focusing on the relationships between achievement and the racial and poverty composition of schools. After creating race-by-poverty cohorts of schools, I use multilevel models to examine math and reading achievement for the same students in fourth, sixth, and eighth grades. The racial and poverty composition of schools affect student achievement after factoring in student, family, and other school influences. In addition, increasing teacher quality and school resources reduces but does not eliminate the effects of school racial and poverty composition on student achievement. Policies leading to reductions in racial and poverty isolation in schools and increases in teacher quality should be pursued to guarantee equality of educational opportunities to all children in North Carolina schools. Keywords: North Carolina; educational achievement; math; reading; poverty; segregation; multi-level models.Examinando los efectos de la demografía escolar a través del tiempo en el rendimiento de los estudiantes en Carolina del Norte Resumen: Este estudio explora los efectos de las características demográficas a nivel escolar en el rendimiento en matemáticas y lectura de los estudiantes en Carolina del Norte desde cuarto a octavo grado, centrándose en las relaciones entre el rendimiento académico y la composición racial y de la pobreza de las escuelas. Después de crear cohortes de escuelas según las variables demográficas de raza-por-pobreza, se utilizaron modelos multinivel para examinar el rendimiento en matemáticas y 1 Accepted under the editorship of Sherman Dorn. Education Policy Analysis Archives Vol. 18 No. 292 lectura para los mismos estudiantes en cuarto, sexto, y octavo grados. Después de considerar las influencias estudiantiles, familiares, y otras influencias escolares, se determinó que la composición racial y el nivel de pobreza de las escuelas impacta el rendimiento de los estudiantes. Además, el aumento en la calidad de los docentes y de los recursos escolares reduce pero no elimina los efectos de la composición racial y el nivel de pobreza de las escuelas en cuanto al rendimiento estudiantil. Deben aplicarse políticas orientadas a reducir el aislamiento racial y el nivel de pobreza en las escuelas y que aumenten la calidad de los docentes para garantizar la igualdad de oportunidades educativas para todos/as los/as estudiantes en las escuelas de Carolina del Norte. Palabras claves: Carolina del Norte; logro educativo; matemáticas; lectura; pobreza; segregación; modelos multinivel. Examinando os efeitos da demografia escolar ao longo do tempo no desempenho dos alunos na Carolina do NorteResumo Este estudo explora os efeitos das características demográficas a nível escolar em matemática e leitura do desempenho dos alunos na Carolina do Norte a partir de quarta até a oitava série, enfocando a relação entre desempenho acadêmico e da composição racial e d...

show abstract

“…These practices may partially explain why low-income and URM students who attend highly integrated schools take less intensive coursework than their counterparts who attend more segregated schools (Crosnoe, 2009;Kelly, 2009). As a result of de facto tracking, disadvantaged students who attend wellresourced high schools are not guaranteed access to rigorous courses that is equal to the access enjoyed by their more advantaged peers (Lucas & Berends, 2002).…”

Section: Access To Advanced Curriculamentioning

confidence: 99%