Policy Brief: Making Sense of Varying Policies for Reclassifying English Learners

When students first enroll in K-12 schools, federal law requires districts to identify those who may need English language supports. English Learners (EL) are then evaluated each year on their readiness to exit EL services and enter the mainstream curriculum. This process is called reclassification, and in California, students must satisfy four criteria: an English proficiency test, a basic skills test, teacher evaluation, and parent consultation. School districts in California vary drastically in their approach to this process.

PPIC surveyed local educational agencies (LEAs) that serve EL students to gain insight into how reclassification works across California. We received responses representing almost 350 LEAs, who together serve 42 percent of the state's English Learners.

How do California districts test students' readiness to be reclassified?

Nearly all LEAs (99%) use the English Language Proficiency Assessment for California (ELPAC) to measure progress with English proficiency. Roughly 95 percent of those LEAs use the state-required score for reclassification, an Overall Level 4.

LEAs also must compare EL students to English-proficient students of the same age on basic skills. LEAs can choose how to evaluate this, including which tests to use, how many tests to use, and what the minimum score is for reclassification. In California, LEAs use any of 24 different tests to assess basic skills. Most use the state's standardized test, the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC), along with other exams. Even when using the SBAC, LEAs vary greatly-about half use "Standard Met" as the cutoff score for eligibility (a threshold many English-only students fail to meet) and half use lower scores.

What role do teachers and parents play in reclassifying students?

As part of the reclassification process, LEAs gather teacher input about a student's progress with English fluency. Just over half of LEAs ask their teachers to use a form called the Observation Protocol for Teachers of English Learners (OPTEL) to standardize feedback, but some respondents criticize the OPTEL as time-intensive and subjective. Other methods of feedback, such as grades and attendance, are also criticized as subjective. About a third of LEAs grant teachers the authority to overrule eligible test scores given sufficient evidence.

LEAs are required by law to include parents in reclassification decisions, but how much sway parents may have with the reclassification decision varies by LEA.

How do staff perceive the reclassification process?

Among 265 school and district staff that responded to a survey question about the difficulty of reclassification, half say it is "too hard," while half say it is "just right." Close to half of those with negative views (47%) cited challenges with the ELPAC, often noting that students struggle to achieve an Overall Level 4 and that once-yearly testing can delay reclassification. One respondent explained:

"Many times, [EL students] are unable to access the content… Topics are often very outdated or foreign to our learners, so they cannot make connections and they cannot make inferences."

Some respondents question the redundancy of having students demonstrate proficiency on both the ELPAC and basic skills, arguing that scoring a 4 on the ELPAC should be sufficient for reclassification. A large share (29%) point out specific barriers for EL students who are enrolled in special needs education.