Tracking(Ability Groups) in Education

Schools are dividing students into separate groups based on their test scores and previous grades. The main stated purpose of tracking is to permit students to study subjects that are suitable to their skills and interests. More and more schools are starting this system, and the practice of this tracking system continues from elementary school to high school. Elementary schools call tracking system as ability group, for groups are to be divided with people who have similar abilities. However, some people say that the tracking system is separating students by gender, class, and race, bringing a social inequality.
From the functionalist perspectives, tracking system fulfills the manifest functions of education. One of the five major manifest functions in society is a social placement which states that schools are responsible for identifying the most-qualified people to fill the positions available in society. By dividing students with similar abilities, students in one group could find similar interests and promote and develop their areas of study. Also, in some ways, it even prevents dysfunctions of education. Comparing to other countries, U.S. education is not promoting high-level skills in reading, writing, mathematics, and science. This is resulting low scores on the international tests. However, when groups are divided on the basis of grades and test scores, the group with highest test scores and best grades would get more promoted on studying, and their high-level skills can be developed easily when they are separated with others on an average level, but together with people who are also extraordinary on studying skills.
From the conflict perspectives, tracking system is not a good idea of learning, for the problem of tracking system could lead to a social inequality. Tracking affects students’ academic achievements and career choices. People in a low level group might think that they are not smart enough. They could get frustrated and even drop out of school, thinking that they cannot succeed academically. People in a high level group might be too proud of themselves, thinking that they are so special and that those in lower level groups are stupid. Also, since low-income students have fewer opportunities to study, such as getting a tutor or attending a private school or an academy, there are fewer possibilities for low-income students to be in a high level group. Eventually, there would be a gap between low-income students and other students. Not only these, but when dividing students in groups by similar interests, it is likely same gender or race to have similar interests. Groups would be separated by gender, race, and class, and because of their thoughts and some teachers’ different treatments on different groups, there would be an inequality which would lead to a bigger problem in a society, like a social inequality.
As more schools are beginning a tracking system, before the problem becomes worse, the system would have to be improved to prevent the weaknesses which can be viewed by the conflict perspectives. If the system remains the same, there would be more conflicts, and it would make discrimination between groups; students would acclimate themselves to a social inequality on the basis of genders, race, and class and bring it to the real world.