We had ability grouping when I was at school with up to 6 groups. Being with the top 15%-20% of students is vastly better than lumping everyone together. You can move through material more quickly and, for example, get to calculus by grade 9 or 10. People around here are used to thinking of top 2.5% or top 0.1%, but even a top 15%-20% group can gain a couple of years over an average group.


Originally Posted by Bostonian
This essay explains why some educational policy-makers and researchers are opposed to ability grouping.

http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/living-in-dialogue/2013/05/michelle_newsum_tracking_our_w.html
Michelle Newsum: Tracking Our Way to Wider Achievement Gaps
Education Week
May 29, 2013

What an infuriating article. I really wasn't aware of such extremist views. Why do some people think "Wider Achievement Gaps" is a bad thing. If everyone learns to the best of their ability, then of course there will be wider achievement gaps. Wider achievement gaps is what should happen.