Tracking

Tracking is separating students by what is assessed as academic ability into groups for all subjects[1] or certain classes and curriculum[2] within a school.[1][2] (The theory being that track assignment is based on academic ability, other factors often influence placement.) It may be referred to as streaming or phasing in some schools. In a tracking system, the entire school population is assigned to classes according to whether the students' overall achievement is above average, normal, or below average. Students attend academic classes only with students whose overall academic achievement is the same as their own... Many secondary schools now base track levels on course difficulty, with tracks such as basic, honors, or college-prep.[6] Public schools might track in terms of high, average, or lower ability. As noted by Oakes and Martin, "school policies determine three structural qualities of the tracking system: extensiveness (the number of subjects tracked and the type of distinct curricula offered); specificity (the number of track levels offered); and flexibility (whether students move from one track to another)". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracking_(education) (schooling)