Názory českých rodičů a veřejnosti na časné rozdělování žáků

Czech educational system is characterized by early tracking of students into different types of schools based on their ability. Research evidence on the effects of tracking comes mainly from the US and UK. It stresses the impact of tracking on inequalities and also shows that tracking does not increase overall educational achievement. The criticism of tracking practices in the Czech Republic based on these findings however was in contrast with the public opinion, mainly with the attitudes of parents and general public. This paper thus study the attitudes of Czech parents and general public towards various types of differentiation in Czech educational system and we look for their attitudes to inclusion generally (we have built a scale on inclusion). The findings are based on the representative public opinion poll realized by the authors of this paper and uses also findings from other recent studies on attitudes toward schooling. Parents and public attitudes to inclusion are analyzed and authors also tries to answer whether these attitudes are stable or open to change.