Editing Within-school segregation (section)

===== Definition ===== 

Within-school segregation refers to the division or clustering of students within individual schools based on factors such as race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or academic achievement. This segregation occurs within the physical confines of a single educational institution and is often the result of tracking or ability grouping practices, as well as social dynamics within the school environment.

Key aspects of within-school segregation include:

Tracking and Ability Grouping: Schools may use tracking systems or ability grouping to organize students into different classes or academic programs based on perceived academic ability or achievement levels. This can result in the segregation of students into distinct tracks or classes, with certain groups disproportionately represented in higher or lower-level courses.

Racial and Ethnic Segregation: Within-school segregation can also occur along racial or ethnic lines, with students from different racial or ethnic backgrounds disproportionately clustered in certain classrooms or academic programs within the same school.

Socioeconomic Segregation: Socioeconomic factors can contribute to within-school segregation, with students from low-income families often concentrated in separate classrooms or programs within a school compared to their more affluent peers.

Language Segregation: In schools with large numbers of English language learners or bilingual students, language proficiency can also be a factor contributing to within-school segregation, with students grouped based on their language abilities.

Within-school segregation is distinct from school segregation, which refers to the separation of students into different schools based on demographic or socioeconomic factors. While school segregation typically involves the physical separation of students across different educational institutions, within-school segregation occurs within the boundaries of a single school.

Addressing within-school segregation requires efforts to promote equity and inclusivity within educational institutions, including strategies to reduce tracking and ability grouping practices that perpetuate disparities, as well as initiatives to promote diversity and integration within classrooms and academic programs.