Tracking effects on school achievement: A quantitative explanation in terms of the academic culture of school staff

Research into educational stratification has consistently demonstrated an effect of tracking on pupils' achievement. Teachers' instructional practice forms a possible mechanism through which tracking affects achievement. I aim to test quantitatively this mediating role of instructional practice. I use data of 3,760 pupils and 7 5 members of staff in 34 secondary education schools in Flanders (Belgium). Multilevel analyses show that the school type (general or technical-vocational) affects the pupil's chance of failing, controlling for individual pupil features (e.g., ability), and that the academic staff culture mediates this effect of school type.