If a Genie Gave Me One Education Wish

If a genie said, "Marty, I'll give you one wish for improving the schools," I'd wish for an experiment:

Take two large public elementary schools that are as similar as possible.

In School 1, assign students to classes as is currently done: by age-level.

In School 2, place students into classes without regard to age, but instead by both sex and performance on the state's achievement test.

So, in a school large enough to fill six classes, School 2 would have a class for:

• the highest-achieving girls
• the highest-achieving boys
• average-achieving girls
• average-achieving boys
• the lowest-achieving girls
• the lowest-achieving boys
  

Then, over a few year period, see which district's students grow more in achievement, emotional development, social development, etc. Break out results by age, race, gender, and initial achievement level.

What do you think of this idea?