Detracking Math: An Exploration of Student Self-Concept in an Independent School

Abstract

Schools throughout the country are grappling with the notion of tracking versus detracking students in math based on their achievement in grade six or lower. Ambrose Academy, a pseudonym, chose to detrack seventh-grade math to be more sensitive to students’ self-concepts and broaden future opportunities for math placement. This change occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic when distance learning and asynchronous work became the norm. The school hopes to ascertain a more detailed understanding of the ramifications of detracking. Understanding student self-concept is paramount to choosing the next steps. Surveys, information gathered from the school’s website and administrative assistants, and interviews were the primary data sources for this project. Academic self-concept and cumulative advantage, the primary features revolving around the notion of detracking math, tie into sensemaking (Weick, 1993) and self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000). While sensemaking provides a window into understanding how we make decisions, self-determination theory reflects our desire to maintain autonomy over our lives. I identified several findings from the surveys and interviews, which allowed me to propose three recommendations for the school.