Tracking and School Climate: A Case Study of a New Jersey Middle School

• In Event: Roundtable Session 41
  In Roundtable Session: The Intended and Unintended Consequences of Student Assignment Policies

Abstract

This mixed methods research project is designed to explore the effects of ability tracking on school climate and academic outcomes including grades and standardized test scores in one New Jersey middle school. Data sources include climate surveys (N=220), administrative data on students in grades five through eight (N=239), and focus group data (N=13). Analytic methods include t-tests and analysis of variance tests on factor scores reduced from survey data and triangulation of findings using coded focus group transcriptions. Findings include that students in tracked classes experience a more positive school climate than students in non-tracked classes. There were small or no differences in state test scores, and students in non-tracked classes experienced decreases in GPA after one year of tracking.

Authors

• Anjali Deshpande, New York University

• Colin Hogan