Curriculum tracking and status maintenance
Abstract
Prior studies of the role of curriculum tracking in status maintenance have offered contradictory results, suggesting either that (1) tracking sorts children from different backgrounds into different curricular programs where they receive differential educational treatments; (2) tracking sorts children on the basis of ability rather than class background, thus facilitating social mobility; or (3) while tracking may sort children, it has little effect upon educational outcomes and thus has no role in status maintenance. This paper uses 1980s data from the High School and Beyond Study to estimate the effects of curriculum tracking over a two-year period on a number of dependent variables for students who have experienced only one track placement. The results show that there are substantial differences among students from different socioeconomic origins in ultimate track destination. Track location is modestly to moderately related to number of courses taken,. academic performance, educational and occupational aspirations, satisfaction with school, perceived values of friends, self-esteem, extracurricular participation and leadership, enrollment in postsecondary education, disciplinary climate, and teacher treatment. A reopening of the status maintenance hypothesis is suggested.
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Vanfossen et al. (1987) found that students in the college preparatory and general tracks were statistically significant predictors of postsecondary education attainment.
“Findings also indicated that students that were in the college preparatory and general tracks were statistically significant predictors of postsecondary education attainment.”
From The Relationship of High School Curriculum Tracks to Degree Attainment and Occupational Earnings (2009) · cites this paper as Vanfossen et al. (1987)
Vanfossen et al. (1987) found that one-fifth of the students were in a CTE track.
“one-fifth was in a CTE track”
From The Relationship of High School Curriculum Tracks to Degree Attainment and Occupational Earnings (2009) · cites this paper as Vanfossen et al. (1987)
Vanfossen et al. (1987) found that approximately one-half of the students were in the general track.
“approximately one-half were in the general track”
From The Relationship of High School Curriculum Tracks to Degree Attainment and Occupational Earnings (2009) · cites this paper as Vanfossen et al. (1987)
Vanfossen et al. (1987) found that students scoring in the upper quartile were in the college preparatory track.
“Students scoring in the upper quartile were in the college preparatory track.”
From The Relationship of High School Curriculum Tracks to Degree Attainment and Occupational Earnings (2009) · cites this paper as Vanfossen et al. (1987)
Vanfossen et al. (1987) concluded that students in general and CTE tracks are not given adequate opportunities to increase their academic performance as well as educational and occupational aspirations.
“The researchers concluded that students in general and CTE tracks are not given adequate opportunities to increase their academic performance as well as educational and occupational aspirations.”
From The Relationship of High School Curriculum Tracks to Degree Attainment and Occupational Earnings (2009) · cites this paper as Vanfossen et al. (1987)
Vanfossen et al. (1987) found that one-third of the students participated in a college preparatory curriculum.
“one-third of the students participated in a college preparatory curriculum”
From The Relationship of High School Curriculum Tracks to Degree Attainment and Occupational Earnings (2009) · cites this paper as Vanfossen et al. (1987)
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Fletcher ., E. C., & Zirkle, C. (2009) · Career and Technical Education Research · doi:10.5328/cter34.2.81 · Cited by 44 · see citing works
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- Authors
- Vanfossen, B. E., Jones, J. D., & Spade, J. Z.
- Venue
- Sociology of Education
- Publisher
- JSTOR
- Published
- 1987-04
- Volume
- 60
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 104
- ISSN
- 0038-0407 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2154653298
- Cited by
- 221
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 14
- FWCI
- 20.65
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Sociology of Education (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › School Choice and Performance
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Intergenerational and Educational Inequality Studies
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Cultural Dynamics
- Keywords
- status maintenance, social class background, socioeconomic status, academic ability, social mobility, educational outcomes, career aspirations, extracurricular participation, teacher treatment, postsecondary enrollment
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