Germany’s early tracking system is deciding kids' futures too early

From high-stakes teacher recommendations to near-impossible entrance tests, Germany’s education system asks children to prove their potential too early—and rewards privilege in the process.

Dear Reader,

I don’t remember much about being 10 years old in California. But three things stand out: drawing a giant hopscotch court in chalk at school recess, building a wobbly cardboard replica of Mission San Francisco, and bringing home report cards full of mediocre marks.

My parents shrugged off the latter. It didn’t matter yet, they said — there would be plenty of chances to get good grades later.

Thirty years on, I’m sometimes grateful I didn’t grow up in Germany, where children were — and still are — sorted into different school tracks when their age is barely a double digit. The decision largely hinges on one teacher’s recommendation, based on grades and classroom performance in subjects like maths and German.

That one teacher decides whether a child is suited for the more academic Gymnasium, which ultimately prepares them for the Abitur, Germany’s university entrance exam. Or they can decide that a 10- or 11-year-old pupil would be a better fit for a vocational Realschule or Ha…