Reclassification of English Learner Students in California

1. Reclassification of English Learner Students in California Laura Hill Public Policy Institute of California hill@ppic.org

2. Today’s discussion • Motivation • Data and Methods • Research Questions • How do reclassified (RFEP) students fare over time? • How do California’s English Learner (EL) students get reclassified? • Is there a link between district reclassification rates and policies? • Do reclassification policies matter for student outcomes? • Conclusions/recommendations

3. Motivation • Persistent achievement gap for ELs and other students • ELs are 25% of K-12 student population • Districts get extra $$ for EL students • More per student with LCFF • Because RFEP do better than EL students, interest in reclassifying more ELs • Will lowering reclassification criteria narrow the achievement gap? • Are reclassification policies linked to • Reclassification rates? • Student outcomes?

4. Today’s discussion • Motivation • Data • Research Questions • How do reclassified (RFEP) students fare over time? (CALPADs data) • How do California’s English Learner (EL) students get reclassified? (Reclassification survey) • Is there a link between district reclassification rates and policies? • Do reclassification policies matter for student outcomes? • Conclusions/recommendations

5. Reclassification policy data: district survey • Reclassification survey developed with help of EL experts, field tested • Emailed to district Title III contacts or superintendent • June – July 2013 • Classify responses by at or exceeding SBE guidelines • Current policies • 2008-09 policies – target year

6. Student data: linked CALPADs • All districts • Follow students within district for 6 years • 2007-08 – 2012-2013 • 4 cohorts, n=500k students • Students must be ELs at kindergarten • No late arrivers • No Special Ed • Compare outcomes across language groups • Still EL • Reclassified (RFEP) • English only (EO) • IFEP

7. Four student cohorts

8. Today’s discussion • Motivation • Data • Research Questions • How do reclassified (RFEP) students fare over time? (CALPADs data) • How do California’s English Learner (EL) students get reclassified? (Reclassification survey) • Is there a link between district reclassification rates and policies? • Do reclassification policies matter for student outcomes? • Conclusions/recommendations

9. RFEP students have better scores than EO students % of students scoring Basic or higher on CST ELA, grade 2 cohort

10. RFEP students make on time progress

11. Reclassified students have strong end-of-high school outcomes

12. Results persist when add complexity • When we control for district characteristics and student characteristics, same basic findings • Those reclassified early (by 4th grade) perform • better than or as well as EO, IFEP, • vastly outperform EL • Those reclassified later (5th grade and later) • Still vastly outperform ELs • More on par with EOs • Do not do as well as IFEPs • No evidence that RFEP students’ performance falters

13. Today’s discussion • Motivation • Data • Research Questions • How do reclassified (RFEP) students fare over time? (CALPADs data) • How do California’s English Learner (EL) students get reclassified? (Reclassification survey) • Is there a link between district reclassification rates and policies? • Do reclassification policies matter for student outcomes? • Conclusions/recommendations

14. Reclassification Policies • SBE guidelines, but CDE doesn’t know what districts do • An example of local control, but with unknown efficacy • Just one important policy lever, but one on the table now: SB 1108 (Sen. Padilla) • What are districts doing? • What are recommendations for improving reclassification policies? • Survey asks about 4 criteria and a variety of other reclassification issues

15. Survey respondents are broadly representative

16. Survey respondents are broadly representative (con’t)

17. More than half of respondents had “EL” in job title

18. Most districts use more rigorous reclassification policies • Fewer than 10% use SBE guidelines only • Majority have more than one criteria that is more rigorous that SBE guidelines • More than one third use at least 3 or more rigorous criteria

19. What did we learn – English proficiency? • All districts use the CELDT • OPL requirements • 10% districts require “Advanced” • Remainder require “Early Advanced” (SBE guideline) • Subtest requirements • 40% do not allow “Intermediate” subtests • Remainder allow some “Intermediate” (SBE guideline)

20. What did we learn – basic skills? • Basic Skills CST ELA • More than 70% require “Mid Basic” or higher on CST ELA • About 30% require “Proficient” • About 30% just require Basic (SBE guideline) • Over 45% also require CST Math • More in elementary districts • Over 8% History/Social Science CST • More in HS districts

21. What did we learn – teacher evaluation? • Teacher evaluation • Hard to say what SBE guideline is • We find • 65% require specific grades/GPA • 45% require assessments • Few “consider” assessments and grades without specific cutoffs. • Subjective teacher evaluation • Attendance, behavior, discipline considered in a substantial minority of districts

22. Respondents believe basic skills are most challenging criteria

23. In your opinion, how important are each criteria in reclassification decisions?

24. Reclassification timing and policy change • Most districts do not assess students for reclassification until 2nd grade (~50%) • Few districts (2%) reclassify year-round • About 30% reclassify in just one season • Most district reclassification policies have remained the same since 2008 • 5% changed English proficiency • 15% changed basic skills • 8% changed teacher evaluation standards

25. Today’s discussion • Motivation • Data and Methods • Research Questions • How do reclassified (RFEP) students fare over time? • How do California’s English Learner (EL) students get reclassified? • Is there a link between district reclassification rates and policies? • Do reclassification policies matter for student outcomes? • Conclusions/recommendations

26. Most districts use more rigorous reclassification policies … • … are they connected to district reclassification rates? • Classify policies from surveys • Link to district reclassification rates • We find more rigorous policies are associated with lower reclassification rates

27. More rigorous reclassification policies are linked to lower reclassification rates

28. Today’s discussion • Motivation • Data and Methods • Research Questions • How do reclassified (RFEP) students fare over time? • How do California’s English Learner (EL) students get reclassified? • Is there a link between district reclassification rates and policies? • Do reclassification policies matter for student outcomes? • Conclusions/recommendations

29. Does it help RFEPs if reclassification policies are more rigorous? • Tested each of the more rigorous criteria in comparison to SBE guidelines • CELDT • OPL of Early Advanced • Subtests can be Intermediate • CST ELA of Basic • Consider grades/GPA and/or assessments

30. Main findings • More rigorous policies are often, but not always, positively associated with student outcomes • Size of improvement is small • What works for early elementary may not work for middle or high school (and vice-versa)

31. Proficient ELA requirement gets a district… • 3 percentage point decline in reclassification rate • 12% to 9% • Performance • Increase in 6th grade CST ELA Proficient scores • 82% from 78% • Increase in 8th grade CST ELA Proficient scores • 66% from 61% • Increase in 11th grade CST ELA Proficient scores • 17% from 14% • Increase in on time 10th grade progress • 95% from 90% • Decrease in share earning diploma (5%)

32. More rigorous teacher evaluation requirement gets a district… • 3 percentage point decline in reclassification rate • 12% to 9% • Performance • Increase in 6th grade CST ELA Proficient scores • 82% from 78% • Increase in 8th grade CST ELA Proficient scores • 65% from 61% • Decrease in 11th grade CST ELA Proficient scores • 9% from 14% • No change in on time 10th grade progress • Increase share earning diploma (3%), decrease in share meeting a-g (10%)

33. Today’s discussion • Motivation • Data and Methods • Research Questions • How do reclassified (RFEP) students fare over time? • How do California’s English Learner (EL) students get reclassified? • Is there a link between district reclassification rates and policies? • Do reclassification policies matter for student outcomes? • Conclusions/recommendations

34. Conclusions and recommendations • RFEP students do not falter • Those reclassified earlier do better • RFEP students do VERY well • Time to reconsider EL classification? • Setting higher standards makes EL and RFEP students look better, but reclassifies fewer • How will this play out with new LCFF and LCAP?

35. Without standard reclassification policy, can’t compare districts Example: Two districts with equal performance among ELs, different reclassification policies:

36. Conclusions and recommendations • Trading slightly improved outcomes against lower reclassification rates is not worth it • What is the right standard? • Is it the SBE guidelines? • This research could only test against those • Opinions of respondents suggest balance might not be right • Smarter Balanced and new English proficiency tests are coming • Time for more examination

37. Thanks for your interest! • Please contact Laura Hill (hill@ppic.org, 415-291-4424) for questions about the use of these slides.

38. RFEP students perform as well as EO students on CST ELA

39. On time or better

40. End of high school outcomes, grade 8 cohort