Are teachers meeting students’ needs in untracked science classrooms? Evidence based on a causal inferential approach

TL;DR

This study finds that teachers meet students' needs equally well in tracked and untracked science classrooms, based on PISA data.

Contribution

The study uses causal inference to compare instructional support in tracked and untracked science classes.

Findings

Student perceptions of instructional adaptation are similar in tracked and untracked classes.

Individualized feedback and support are provided equally in both classroom types on average.

Results suggest detracking does not necessarily hinder teachers' ability to meet student needs.

Abstract

Tracking has been criticized for relegating disadvantaged students to lower track courses in which students encounter a greater lack of instructional support. While an end to tracks through detracking is a possible solution, there are concerns that detracking will create more heterogeneous classrooms, making it harder for teachers to provide adequate support to their students. Using the 2015 PISA dataset, this study conducts a causal inferential analysis to understand the differences in student perceptions of teaching in tracked and untracked environments. The results provide evidence that students’ needs, with respect to adaptation of instruction and provision of individualized feedback and support, are being met to the same extent on average in tracked and untracked science classes, suggesting that teachers may not necessarily have a harder time meeting the needs of students in untracked classes.

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