Academic segregation

Date and country of first publication

1983
United States

Definition

Academic segregation refers to the practice of separating students into different academic programs or educational tracks based on their perceived abilities or achievements. This segregation can occur within a single school or across different schools or districts.

There are different forms of academic segregation, including tracking and ability grouping. Tracking refers to the practice of placing students into different classes or programs based on their academic performance or potential. This can result in students being placed into lower or higher-level classes, often leading to disparities in resources and opportunities.

Ability grouping involves separating students within a single classroom or grade level based on their abilities or skills in specific areas. This can lead to homogeneous groups where high-achieving students are grouped together while lower-achieving students are grouped separately. Such practices can perpetuate inequality and limit opportunities for disadvantaged students.

The consequences of academic segregation can be far-reaching. It often exacerbates educational inequalities by disproportionately disadvantaging students from marginalized backgrounds. Those placed in lower-level tracks or groups may receive an inferior education, with reduced access to challenging coursework, advanced resources, and experienced teachers. Academic segregation can also influence students' self-esteem and sense of achievement, leading to long-term consequences for their educational and professional prospects.

Efforts to reduce academic segregation often focus on promoting inclusive and equitable education by providing all students with equal access to high-quality education. This includes implementing policies and practices that support mixed-ability classrooms, differentiated instruction, and the provision of additional support and resources to students who need it. Additionally, addressing systemic factors such as poverty, racial discrimination, and unequal funding can help reduce academic segregation and create a more equitable educational system.

Related segregation forms

Academic segregation is frequently discussed in the literature with the following segregation forms:

socioeconomic segregation, racial segregation, residential segregation, school segregation, social segregation

This visualization is based on the study The Multidisciplinary Landscape of Segregation Research.

For the complete network of interrelated segregation forms, please refer to:

• First year of publication

• Louvain clusters

• Betweenness centrality

• Disciplines in which segregation forms first emerged (Scopus database).

Notes

At its current state, this definition has been generated by a Large Language Model (LLM) so far without review by an independent researcher or a member of the curating team of segregation experts that keep the Segregation Wiki online. While we strive for accuracy, we cannot guarantee its reliability, completeness and timeliness. Please use this content with caution and verify information as needed. Also, feel free to improve on the definition as you see fit, including the use of references and other informational resources. We value your input in enhancing the quality and accuracy of the definitions of segregation forms collectively offered in the Segregation Wiki ©.

Academic segregation appears in the following literature

Lynn Jr L.E. (1983). The emerging system for educating handicapped children ( USA).. Policy Studies Review, 2(Special 1), 21-58. https://doi.org/

Garcia D.R. (2008). Academic and racial segregation in charter schools: Do parents sort students into specialized charter schools?. Education and Urban Society, 40(5), 590-612. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013124508316044

Ho E.S.-C. (201). Assessing the quality and equality of Hong Kong basic education results from PISA 2000+ to PISA 2006. Frontiers of Education in China, 5(2), 238-257. Higher Education Press.https://doi.org/10.1007/s11516-010-0016-z

Jacobs D., Devleeshouwer P. (2015). Migrant children and educational challenges. Routledge Handbook of Immigration and Refugee Studies, 198-205. Taylor and Francis.https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315759302-35

Back L., Tate M. (2015). For a sociological reconstruction: W.E.B. Du Bois, stuart hall and segregated sociology. Sociological Research Online, 20(3), -. University of Surrey.https://doi.org/10.5153/sro.3773

Drake S. (2017). Academic segregation and the institutional success frame: unequal schooling and racial disparity in an integrated, affluent community. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 43(14), 2423-2439. Routledge.https://doi.org/10.1080/1369183X.2017.1315868

Eastman M.G., Christman J., Zion G.H., Yerrick R. (2017). To educate engineers or to engineer educators?: Exploring access to engineering careers. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 54(7), 884-913. John Wiley and Sons Inc..https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21389

Kavadias D., Hemmerechts K., Spruyt B. (2017). Segregation and socialization: Academic segregation and citizenship attitudes of adolescents in comparative perspective?. Journal of Social Science Education, 16(2), 29-40. Bielefeld University.https://doi.org/10.2390/jsse-v16-i2-1611

Hu W., Wang R. (2019). Segregation in urban education: Evidence from public schools in Shanghai, China. Cities, 87(), 106-113. Elsevier Ltd.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2018.12.031

Leist S.A., Perry L.B. (202). Quantifying segregation on a small scale: how and where locality determines student compositions and outcomes taking Hamburg, Germany, as an example. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 31(3), 356-380. Routledge.https://doi.org/10.1080/09243453.2019.1688845

Knudson P. (2021). How institutional context shapes the accounts of school choice and boundary making among middle class parents in an urban school district. Qualitative Report, 26(3), 808-831. Peace and Conflict Studies.https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2021.4641

Oh S.J., Sohn H. (2021). The impact of the school choice policy on student sorting: evidence from Seoul, South Korea. Policy Studies, 42(4), 415-436. Routledge.https://doi.org/10.1080/01442872.2019.1618807

Castro-Aristizabal G., Giménez-Esteban G., Arango-Londoño D., Moreno-Cediel E., Castillo-Caicedo M. (2022). Spatial Variation in Educational Quality in Colombia Based on the Phenomena of Agglomeration and Academic Segregation. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education, 12(8), 1006-1020. MDPI.https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe12080072

Kuzmanic D., Valenzuela J.P., Villalobos C., Quaresma M.L. (2022). Reproduction of academic and socioeconomic segregation in the transition to postsecondary education: A new approach. Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, 80(), -. Emerald Group Holdings Ltd..https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rssm.2022.100711