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Citation:

Yonezawa, S. S. (2000). Unpacking the black box of tracking decisions: Critical tales of families navigating the course placement process. In M. G. Sanders (Ed.), Schooling students placed at risk: Research, policy, and practice in the education of poor and minority adolescents, (pp. 109-137). Mahwa, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Annotation:
The purpose of this case study is to examine the processes that families engage in related to student placement in remedial, regular, and honors courses in high school. It illustrates how families' social positions and relationships can influence how their children are placed in particular course "tracks." This study, conducted at a culturally diverse West Coast high school, defined four approaches that families took in relation to course placement. Some families "asserted entitlement." They came to the placement process equipped with the means to demand that the school system do more for them. Their power came from their highly educated and wealthy positions and from the networks they built with other powerful families through which they shared information. Other families "penetrated privilege"; i.e., they attempted to reach beyond their disadvantaged social positions and made weak ties with elite families because they knew such connections were important. A third group of families "passed through," meaning that they did little to actively navigate the track structure and rarely contested school decisions. These families mostly gathered information via their children, relied on their own educational experiences, and networked with families of similar backgrounds. Finally, some families "opted down;" they lacked access to knowledgeable networks and had little information about placement. The experiences of this group of families often reinforced beliefs that students belonged in low-track classes. Nineteen families participated in this case study. Information was gathered through interviews, observations, and document reviews. This study describes the complex interactions that result in academic tracking for students. It gives rich information about the social, cultural, and economic factors that can impact parent involvement. It also describes some of the "hidden" ways that parents are involved in their child's education that might not be apparent to school personnel.