LILY ROSE-WILEN PHOTO
Wilbur Cross AP students Jordan Lampo, Lewis Nelken, Sam Smith.
Mayor Toni Harp returned from a trip to D.C. with an idea for closing the achievement gap in New Haven’s schools: trade in tracking — the process of setting students on an often misguided ability-based path — and steer all of them into Advanced Placement courses instead.
Harp spoke about the idea on the latest “Mayor Monday” episode of WNHH radio’s “Dateline New Haven.”
Last week Harp spent a week lobbying federal officials on behalf of New Haven. One meeting found her sitting with officials from the federal Department of Education.
She asked them a question: “You folks have looked at programs all across the country. What programs actually reduce the achievement gap?”
“They had some really interesting ideas,” Harp said. “… They basically said that we should stop tracking kids. That we actually start to track kids in kindergarten. And sometimes the tracker, the teacher who puts the kid in a certain track … or determines that that kid is not going to thrive educationally, makes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
“What they say works the best is you give all of the kids access to AP courses. So your entire high school is an AP operation. For the kids who don’t have the skills … you have programs to support them.
“That’s what they say is evidence based. We’re not doing that in New Haven. I think we’ve really got to take a look at” it.
Advanced Placement courses in New Haven high schools — which end with tests that offer high-scoring students potential college credit — have historically drawn a disproportionate number of white and/or economically advantaged students. In New Haven, teachers and administrators are now making effort to attract more students of color.
Harp’s idea fits with an approach revealed by Superintendent of Schools Garth Harries in response to findings in a new state report of school achievement. He said the school district aims to draw more kids into AP classes even if they’re not top scorers, and that the district is more interested in great involvement in those classes than in necessarily posting the highest possible scores by limiting the pool.
Click on or download the above audio file to listen to the full “Mayor Monday” episode, which touched on the U.S. Supreme Court vacancy, summer movies in New Haven parks, Hillhouse High School, negative campaigning, and vigilante hit-and-run-driver pursuits. THe discussion about AP courses and tracking begins at 45:10. To get “Dateline New Haven” delivered directly to your phone or smart device, subscribe to the New Haven Independent’s new “Dateline New Haven” podcast feed.
Monday’s episode of “Dateline New Haven” was made possible in partnership with Gateway Community College.
Tracking lumps high-needs students (English Learners, special education, behavioral issues) into the same class, often in numbers greater than honors and AP classes. You end up with students in "lower level" classes for their entire educational career - and it distorts their perception of what school is like (chaotic).
I consistently advocate for the abolishment of tracking, but there aren't many routes to enact positive, impactful changes when you're a teacher.
There is work to be done if AP enrollment expands while maintaining its rigor. AP classes result in de facto tracking, so expansion must be done judiciously.