Full-Time+Ability+Grouping

Ability Grouping, according to James Kulik, occurs when "school personnel use test scores or student performance to assign same-grade children to groups or classes with markedly different levels of academic preparation." Kulik goes on to note that ability grouping can thus occur when students are assigned to different classes or even when they are put into different reading groups. For this this discussion on full-time ability groups, I will present research findings on the effects of grouping gifted students together in separate classes or even a separate school (specialized schools, magnet schools).

Kulik states in research on grouping in typical schools that if students are divided into three groups (high ability, general, and low ability) academic growth may occur slightly for high ability group students, but is not likely to occur at all for the other two groups. Accordingly, studies also show that ability grouping as a program itself is far less effective then flexible grouping that is employed in order to reteach or accelerate.

Special schools for students that are gifted can trace their beginning to North Carolina in 1978. These schools often have competitive admissions procedures and are typically for students entering their junior and senior years of high school. Their structure is based on acceleration and enrichment according to Green (1993). These schools also tend to have classes based on college freshmen classes in order to prepare students for postsecondary school. Research in terms of academic success of specialized schools is limited with Rogers noting nearly a half years additional growth for full time like ability groups. Emotionally, students in specialized schools had both positive and negative feelings about such schools. Many students enjoyed feeling that they shared personality types with other peers for the first time, but often felt the traditional public schools did not prepare them for the amount of work required at the specialized school (Coleman 2002, 2005). Adjustment to the specialized schools was found to be based on support from family, friends, fellow peers and staff members (Dunn et al. 1987).

Full Time Ability Grouping is a difficult option to weight. Research supports that gifted students need to be around their intellectual peers in order to be challenged and also so they know that are not "alone in the world." However, the consequences for the rest of the school to take gifted students out of the equation for the entire day should not be overlooked. Research, as stated by Kulik, shows that having homogenous groupings for general and low ability students does nothing to help these students and that in fact mixed ability grouping is preferable. Also, the "brain drain" factor should not be ignored. If all high ability or gifted students are always grouped together, this takes away the teachers chances to group students with high ability and gifted students in their classes.

Full Time Ability Grouping as a program option does usually yield growth for gifted students according to the research. However, gifted programs that allow students that are gifted time with their high ability peers as well as in the general education setting, seem to be preferable.