More Teachers Putting Students in 'Ability Groups' Despite Historic Criticism

Many found it meant separating students by race, class

More school teachers now feel fine placing students into "ability groups," according to new findings. For decades beginning in the 1970s, separating students by ability came under scrutiny as many believed it often amounted to separating students by race and class. By the early 1990s, several civil rights and education organizations condemned the practice. But now, between 1998 and 2009, the percentage of fourth-grade teachers who said they created ability-based reading groups skyrocketed from 28 percent to 71 percent. In math, between 1996 and 2011, the practice rose from 40 percent to 61 percent. Researcher Tom Loveless said the practice likely came due to new demands from the federal 2002 No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law which required schools to focus on struggling students in reading and math. (USA Today)

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