Does ability grouping increase the academic success of gifted students? Does this harm the self-esteem or achievement of average or below-average students? Should the curriculum vary by ability group? The controversy over whether ability grouping is the best or right way to divide classes has been debated for years. There are as many supporters of ability grouping as there are opponents, and a wide variety of research is also being done. In the field of education, this controversy is not yet resolved and further research is needed. To understand ability grouping, you need to know what it is, its pros and cons, and why it is more about the quality of education than the groups students are placed into. Ability grouping is the division of students based on their level of achievement. either part of the day or the whole day. Larry Daniel suggests that their placement be based on the students' IQ, the judgment of the teacher or former educators, and/or their measures of achievement (np). There are many different ways to group abilities. A common type is grouping within a class. Grouping within a class occurs when the class is heterogeneous and small groups are formed based on ability. Within-class grouping is most widely used at elementary levels, typically in reading or math groups. Cross-class grouping occurs when different classes or subjects are grouped by ability. Robert Slavin reports that there are many different types of class consolidation, including the Joplin plan, consolidation, unranked teaching, departmentalization, gifted programs, and special education (72). The Joplin Plan and ungraded teaching are very similar practices. According to Slavin in his “Summary of Research on Clustering,” the Joplin plan groups s...... middle of article......//www.nmsa.org/Research/ResearchSummaries/HeterogeneousGrouping/tabid /1264/Default.aspx>.Muir, Mike. “Research Abstract Tracking and Capability Clustering.” The partnership of directors. Union Pacific Foundation, January 8, 2007. Web. March 31, 2011. .Scholz, Simon. “Capacity Groups: Ineffective or Inefficiently Used? » Australian Primary Mathematics Classroom9.2 (2004): 29-31. ERIC. Internet. March 29, 2011. .Slavin, Robert. “Synthesis of research on consolidation in primary and secondary schools”. Educational Leadership 46.1 (1988): 67-77. Print. Strahan, David, Kim Hartman and Sandy Sikes. “Heterogeneous grouping”. Research bulletin. North Carolina Association of Colleges. North Carolina Association of Middle Schools, nd Web. March 30. 2011. .