The idea of "tracking" came about in the beginning of the 20th century, and has been surrounded by much controversy. According to James Rosenbaum, "tracking refers to any practice which creates homogeneous classed stratified on the basis of achievement or career goals. The aim of homogeneity is to allow instruction to address the achievement level (or interests) of students more closely than would be possible if students were highly diverse". There are many different types of tracking in different grades ranging from kindergarten to secondary education. Examples of tracking according to author Steven Brint, there are groupings according to ability in primary schools (reading groups), there are vocational, general education, and college prep courses in middle school and high school and there are basic and honors courses available at most high schools. There are many different views on whether tracking is a positive advantage in the schooling structures or that it is a negative disadvantage that needs to be reversed.
Society is hierarchical, as explained by Oakes, and tracking gives every student a different knowledge, so this leads the students to continue supporting the hierarchical society today (Oakes, p.75).