Does Socioeconomic Status Bias the Assignment of Elementary School Students to Reading Groups?

Abstract

This study examined the standardized reading test scores, family socioeconomic status (SES), and teacher-assigned reading groups of pupils in 37 midelementary classrooms from four school districts. The analysis assessed: (1) the relative relationship of SES and reading test measurements with assignments to reading groups; (2) the relative degree of socioeconomic segregation resulting from grouping based on teacher judgments and reading tests; (3) the relationship of teachers’ own SES background to the extent of socioeconomic segregation in their classrooms. Little support was found for the conjecture that either pupil or teacher social class plays a major role in reading grouping in elementary schools.