Keeping Track: How Schools Structure Inequality

By Jeannie Oakes

Book Overview

Selected by the American School Board Journal as a "Must Read" book when it was first published and named one of 60 "Books of the Century" by the University of South Carolina Museum of Education for its influence on American education, this provocative, carefully documented work shows how tracking--the system of grouping students for instruction on the basis of ability--reflects the class and racial inequalities of American society and helps to perpetuate them. For this new edition, Jeannie Oakes has added a new Preface and a new final chapter in which she discusses the "tracking wars" of the last twenty years, wars in which Keeping Track has played a central role. From reviews of the first edition: "Should be read by anyone who wishes to improve schools."--M. Donald Thomas, American School Board Journal " This] engaging book] . . . has had an influence on educational thought and policy that few works of social science ever achieve."--Tom Loveless in The Tracking Wars "Should be read by teachers, administrators, school board members, and parents."--Georgia Lewis, Childhood Education "Valuable. . . . No one interested in the topic can afford not to attend to it."--Kenneth A. Strike, Teachers College Record

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0300108303
• ISBN13: 9780300108309
• Release Date: May 2005
• Publisher: Yale University Press
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.5" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

This book is a must read!

When embarking on any study of ability grouping, its root causes and affects on student learning it is important to read this book as well as Oake's other research articles on the subject. As painful as some teachers find changing practices deeply rooted in their own educational experiences this is one that is long overdue and deeply necessary if we are ever going to give all students fair access to educational and socioeconomic opportunity. Additional authors who must also be read are Anne wheelock, Jo Boaler, and Dweck.

Reveals the social oppression in today's schools

Oakes' findings are as relevant today as they were in 1985. The school system is using tracking to encourage social reproduction and keep the rich rich and the poor poor. As teachers, yes we are challenged by students of differing abilities in our classroom but a little inconvenience on our part is worth preventing the disastrous consequences of tracking. If you believe that all children should be given the chance to learn and succeed, then this book will be helpful to you.

This book shows the inequalities in K-12 education

Jeannie Oakes put forth the idea that tracking does not have a silver lining. When students are tracked, some are left behind. De-tracking may not be the answer but this topic (her work) is worth reading. I think that the previous review (the only other one as of 11/00) does not give Jeannie Oakes enough credit for her research on this topic. If you pick up the book and read it I'm sure you'll realize there is much inequality built into our educational system. For this alone...I'd read some of her work.