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 Ability grouping also sorts students into small learning groups, but offers several classes that cover the same or similar academic content (e.g. mathematics) at a pace and depth that matches the ability of students in each class

both tracking and ability grouping have so far worked seemingly only to keep students from reaching their full potential in the U.S. Educational system. 

The educational practices of tracking and ability grouping emerged “around the turn of the 20th century as a way to prepare students for their ‘appropriate’ place in the workforce”

Students with high abilities and skills were given intense, rigorous academic training while students with lower abilities were given a vocational education. 

The cooperative learning plan, while it seems valuable in certain situations, does not seem to me to always be the most appropriate, or best, sorting choice.  For starters, it seems to do nothing more than allow students to work on low-level tasks, such as worksheets, together.  These techniques will not solve any of the problems tracking and ability grouping face with the quality of instruction given the classroom.  Also, with projects such as these, I find it rather probable that the high-track students will take up most of the work, as many would rather finish the assignment than spend the time and effort guiding the lower-tracked students through the process.  Cooperative learning could be most effective with the high-achieving students when used in conjunction with ability grouping, but does not seem to solve many of the dilemmas tracking and ability grouping cause in the education of the lower tracks.