Does ability grouping impact achievement?

Introduction

The impact of ability grouping on student achievement has been a topic of extensive research for over a century. Ability grouping, also known as tracking, involves organizing students into groups based on their perceived abilities. This practice aims to tailor instruction to the varying needs of students, but its effectiveness and implications for academic achievement remain debated.

Key Insights

Positive Effects of Within-Class and Cross-Grade Grouping:
- Within-class grouping and cross-grade subject grouping have shown positive effects on student achievement, particularly in specific subjects like reading and mathematics .
- Special grouping for gifted students also demonstrates positive outcomes.
Negligible or Negative Effects of Between-Class Grouping:
- Between-class grouping generally shows negligible effects on overall student achievement .
- Some studies indicate that while high-achieving students may benefit slightly, low-achieving students often experience negative effects .
Differential Effects Based on Student Ability:
- High-ability students tend to perform well in both homogeneous and heterogeneous groups, whereas low-ability students benefit more from heterogeneous grouping.
- Ability grouping in low-performing, low socioeconomic status, and high-minority schools often has no effect or negative effects, particularly for low-ability students.
Impact on Achievement Inequality:
- Ability grouping can increase achievement inequalities, with higher-grouped students learning more and lower-grouped students learning less compared to non-grouped peers .
- In some contexts, ability grouping may reduce achievement inequalities, especially in schools with advantageous characteristics.
Long-Term Effects on Grades and Higher Education:
- The overall long-term effects of ability grouping on grades and the attainment of higher education are generally small and mixed, with some positive and negative differentiating effects.
Challenges in Measuring Impact:
- Research on ability grouping faces methodological challenges, such as controlling for student ability and motivation, which can lead to overestimations or underestimations of its impact .

Conclusion

The research on ability grouping presents a complex picture. While within-class and cross-grade grouping can positively impact student achievement, between-class grouping often shows negligible or negative effects, particularly for low-achieving students. The practice can exacerbate achievement inequalities, although it may reduce them in certain contexts. Overall, the effectiveness of ability grouping varies significantly based on the grouping method, student ability, and school characteristics.

Does ability grouping impact achievement?

Summary

Consensus Meter

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

What One Hundred Years of Research Says About the Effects of Ability Grouping and Acceleration on K–12 Students’ Academic Achievement

Ability grouping and acceleration positively impact K-12 students' academic achievement, with within-class grouping and cross-grade subject grouping showing the most significant effects.

Achievement Effects of Ability Grouping in Secondary Schools: A Best-Evidence Synthesis

Ability grouping in secondary schools has essentially zero overall achievement effects, with exceptions in social studies, where it shows a trend favoring heterogeneous placement.

Key difficulties in identifying the effects of ability grouping on student achievement

Ability grouping and tracking may not have the strong impact previously believed on student achievement inequality, and further research is needed to determine its differential effects on high-achieving and low-achieving students.

Ability Grouping and Student Achievement in Elementary Schools: A Best-Evidence Synthesis

Ability grouping for selected subjects, such as reading, can increase student achievement in elementary schools, with maximum effectiveness when done for one or two subjects, with frequent reassessment and varied instruction.

Ability Grouping Practices in Elementary School and African American/Hispanic Achievement

Ability grouping practices in elementary school may have differential effects on African American and Hispanic students' achievement gains, questioning the notion that it is beneficial in the early years of schooling.

Middle School Ability Grouping and Student Achievement in Science and Mathematics

Middle school ability grouping shows negligible overall gains in student achievement in mathematics and science, benefiting advanced students but harming slower students.

Effects of within-class ability grouping on social interaction, achievement, and motivation

Low-ability students achieve more and are more motivated to learn in heterogeneous groups, while average-ability students perform better in homogeneous groups, and high-ability students show equally strong learning outcomes in both groups.

The Effects of Within-Class Ability Grouping on Academic Achievement in Early Elementary Years

First-grade ability grouping can improve student achievement in schools with favorable characteristics, but may negatively impact low-ability students in public, low-performing, low socioeconomic status, and high-minority schools.

Ability Grouping’s Effects on Grades and the Attainment of Higher Education

Ability grouping has small positive and negative effects on grades, but its effects on gaps are inconsistent and point in different directions.

How should we measure the effect of ability grouping on student performance

Ability grouping in secondary schools shows little difference in student performance and resource allocation between formally and informally grouping students by ability.

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