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Originally Posted by SecretMethod70
Thing is, elementary school is exactly where it's most imperative that students are not put into pre-determined tracks where it is already decided for them that they are and are not capable of some things, or at least that they are less capable than others. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. I'm not saying I think it's the best thing to put all students together, at least in districts similar to where JumpinJesus teaches where there is a much wider range among students at any given age, but the unfortunate reality is when students are segregated into tracks, the focus is rarely on pushing the students in the lower tracks to eventually be on par with the students in the upper tracks.
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By default there will be students who will not be on par with the upper tracks.
Personally I think a problem with schools is they often teach to the lowest common denominator, this in turn will retard the growth of those students who are quite frankly, smarter.
I see no fault in separating the students as long as the lower tracks have a way to join the upper tracks if they are willing. If the school says 'no you can't go into advanced math' when a student wishes too that will result in some students not being able to improve and is wrong, but when they do move there should be no guarantee they can stay there if allowed to move. If they fail, back down they go.
Another issue is that its not just educational abilities here but behavior as well. Often the underachievers are the bullies and other sorts of disruptive elements. Its not fair to lump these people in with those students who are trying to learn. Schools should be allowed to separate these types.
Regardless, it should be quite obvious that lack of money is not the answer. If this were true then most private schools should be worse than public schools. Private school teachers are often working for less pay and almost always less benefits then a public teacher, the students often have less in the way of equipment and facilities, but somehow they score higher on exams. Now obviously there can be many factors at work in this, but the fact that the lower budget private schools will normally outperform their public counterparts shows that money, or a lack there of may not be the issue.