Basing classroom composition on proven research, best practices

Posted 10/16/15

To the Editor:

I am writing in response to Mr. Caswell’s commentary regarding heterogeneous grouping in our schools (10/6/15).   

No one would dispute that the expertise of …

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Basing classroom composition on proven research, best practices

Posted

To the Editor:

I am writing in response to Mr. Caswell’s commentary regarding heterogeneous grouping in our schools (10/6/15).   

No one would dispute that the expertise of our teachers is key to the school and district improvement process. However, as educators, we also need to make certain that we are basing recommendations and decisions not on opinions alone, but rather on proven research-based best practices. Fortunately, and as it relates to this topic, there is much research that disputes homogenous grouping as a best practice for Instruction.

Heterogeneous grouping is the practice of providing all students with the opportunity for success by educating students of mixed ability levels in the same classrooms.  This is a research-based and widely accepted practice that has been utilized in education for over 30 years.  Heterogeneous grouping is a practice that is used throughout Warwick at the elementary and high school levels.  

Every day we see successful implementation of this practice in our schools by masterful teachers.  It is widely known that teachers must use a variety of grouping strategies dependent on the activity, student needs, and situation.  Heterogeneous grouping gives teachers the opportunities to create these fluid needs-based groups when necessary while still maintaining high expectations for all. 

By comparison, homogenous grouping, which involves systemic ability grouping or tracking, often brings low or varied expectations, labels, and the inability to move out of the track that is assigned at a single point in time.  Ability grouping also has been shown to lead to widened achievement gaps. Research indicates that rigid tracking systems, such as the stanine system in Warwick, lead to the highest levels of inequality in student achievement.  The National Education Association, the largest union in the country, felt so strongly about this issue that they passed a resolution supporting the elimination of ability grouping. 

Warwick Public Schools is committed to utilizing sound, research-based practices and instruction that maximize achievement and growth for all students. For this reason, we support the use of heterogeneous grouping for our students.

Sara Monaco, Ed.D.

Coordinator of RTI 

and Federal Programs

Warwick Public Schools

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