{"id":6555,"date":"2017-05-22T07:39:43","date_gmt":"2017-05-22T13:39:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/janetheactuary\/?p=6555"},"modified":"2017-05-22T07:39:43","modified_gmt":"2017-05-22T13:39:43","slug":"wishful-thinking-isnt-enough-demise-tracking-illinois-high-schools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/janetheactuary\/2017\/05\/wishful-thinking-isnt-enough-demise-tracking-illinois-high-schools.html","title":{"rendered":"Wishful thinking isn’t enough: the demise of tracking at Illinois high schools"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/wendt-library\/4080320621\"<\/p>\n

Let me tell you about the course offerings at my son\u2019s high school:<\/p>\n

For math, there\u2019s a sequence that starts with Honors Geometry for freshmen and proceeds to Honors Advanced Algebra, Honors Pre-Calc, and then Calculus. \u00a0Within this there are two sub-tracks that lead to a version of Calculus that\u00a0prepares kids for the AB (single-variable) AP exam, or an\u00a0alternate version that prepares kids for the BC (multivariate) AP exam. \u00a0Another sequence leads from 9th grade algebra to \u201cadvanced algebra\u201d in 11th grade, and a 12th grade unspecified elective. \u00a0A third leads to \u201cintermediate algebra\u201d in 11th grade, and a fourth starts with \u201cmath\u201d in 9th grade, then algebra and finally geometry. \u00a0(Strictly speaking, only three credits of math are required for graduation, so the lower-tracked students might stop there.)<\/p>\n

For science, there\u2019s a sequence in which each of the basic courses, biology, chemistry, and physics, are labelled \u201chonors.\u201d \u00a0And then there are two sequences which are given no particular names, just different course numbers, but are clearly a middle and a lower track of the same subjects.<\/p>\n

For English and social studies, the same: \u00a0three tracks.<\/p>\n

Now, my son has had classes in both the middle and upper track, and the upper track is clearly challenging, but the middle track isn\u2019t exactly a cakewalk, either \u2013 or, at any rate, has that degree of challenge to it for him that demonstrates that it\u2019s the right placement. \u00a0And I\u2019d always figured this was standard \u2014 that the middle track was \u201ccollege prep\u201d and the lower track for kids who simply weren\u2019t college material, and for whom these courses were paired with the various vocational offerings available, whether auto repair or food services training or cosmetology. \u00a0Perhaps I\u2019m mistaken and the bottom track is really only for special ed kids but that would be nonsensical to me, since you need some sort of differentiation between the sort of coursework that\u2019s needed to get a kid ready to start college, and coursework that\u2019s appropriate for the non-college bound but still sufficient to obtain the high school diploma.<\/p>\n

That being said, according to an article in Sunday\u2019s Tribune<\/a>, that differentiation is simply gone at most Illinois public high schools, and with harmful consequences. \u00a0There exist only two tracks: \u00a0honors and \u201cgeneral\u201d which is intended to be \u201ccollege prep.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what seems to be the thought process:<\/p>\n