- Study assesses whether instructional differences explain achievement differences across ability groups.
- Study finds minority and lower SES students overrepresented in low tracks.
- Minority students made up 20% of the sample but only 10% of honors classes. In the district in the sample with the highest percentage of minority students, 52% of students were Black or Hispanic but the proportion minority was 26% in honors, 52% in regular, and 65% in remedial.
- Honors class students averaged higher SES than lower class students.
- Findings show that differences in the nature and effects of classroom instruction help explain achievement gaps among ability groups. No significant differences in most aspects of instructional discourse were found between class types.
- Differences in the quality of instructional discourse were smaller than expected on the basis of prior research.
- The type of class students were enrolled in made a small but significant difference in their achievement.
- Coherence and uptake have positive significant effects on achievement, but did not explain the achievement gap because they did not vary significantly among the class types.
- Authentic questions, discussion and offtask behavior differ in effects on achievement across ability groups. The same type of instruction can result in unequal achievement in different types of classes. The differential frequency and effects of these instruction measures contribute achievement gaps.
- Student participation and discussion are higher in honors classes, contributing to the learning gaps between groups.