Academic tracking refers to: a. recording where students end up five years after graduation b. school monitoring student performance to identify students that need c. dividing students into groups according to ability and achievement level d. identifying patterns of delinquency and victimization inside schools

I believe the answer is: C. dividing students into groups according to ability and achievement level

One positive benefit for an academic tracking is that it would increase the efficiency of teachings in each class.

Despite that benefit, academic tracking also have a massive consequence in which it encourages self-defeating behavior among students in 'lower status' classes because they conditioned to believe that they do not have as much potential since early age.

Absolute !