A Mixed-Method Study - Districts’ Implementation of Language Classification Policies and the Implications for Male, Hispanic, and Low-Income Middle School Students

Oct 15, 2026

California policy requires English language learners to pass the California English Language Development Test and the California Standards Test in English Language Arts to be reclassified Fluent English Proficient (RFEP). Yet many districts set reclassification requirements stricter than the state mandate, making reclassification harder. Analyzing two California districts, the study finds that male, Hispanic, and low-income ELL students are less likely to take or pass required assessments and remain less likely to be reclassified, even among passers. Using tight-and-loose coupling, the study interprets the policy-outcome disconnect and recommends coordinated implementation of district language classification policies by administrators and teachers.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages31

Reading Time1 h 18 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Reclassification requirements and statewide policy

District case analyses: Manzanita and Granada

Student disparities in assessment and reclassification

Interpretive framework and recommendations

education policy analysis archives A peer-reviewed, independent, open access, multilingual journal Arizona State University Volume 27 Number 30 March 25, 2019 ISSN 1068-2341 A Mixed-Method Study: Districts’ Implementation of Language Classification Policies and the Implications for Male, Hispanic, and Low-Income Middle School Students Marcela Reyes University of California, Irvine United States & Thurston Domina University of North Caolina United States Citation: Reyes, M., & Thurston, D. (2019) . A mixed-methods study: Districts’ implementation of language classification policies and the implications for male, Hispanic, and low-income middle school students. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 27(30). [http://dx.doi.org/10.14507/epaa.27.4210](http://dx.doi.org/10.14507/epaa.27.4210) [Abstract:](Abstract: California state policy requires English language learners)[ California state policy requires English language learners](Abstract: California state policy requires English language learners) (ELL) to pass the California English Language Development Test and the California Standards Test in English Language Arts tobe Reclassified Fluent English Proficient (RFEP) . However, most districts make it more difficult for ELL students to reclassify by setting reclassification requirements that are more stringent than the state-mandated requirement. In this paper, we examine the reclassification process for two California school districts. In Manzanita Unified School District, administrators describe a system that explicitly provides a role for parents and teachers to influence reassignment decisions. In Granada Unified School District, administrators describe a system that is exclusively test-driven. Nevertheless, these two approaches yield similar reclassification outcomes. In both districts, male, Hispanic, and low-income ELL students are less likely to take or pass the required assessments. Even among students who do pass the assessments male, Hispanic, and low-income students are Journal website: [http://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/](http://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/ Manuscript)[ Manuscript](http://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/ Manuscript) received: 09/4/2018 Facebook: /EPAAA Revisions received: 8/1/2019 Twitter: @epaa_aape Accepted: 9/1/2019 Education Policy Analysis Archives Vol. 27 No. 30 2 still less likely to be reclassified. We draw upon the notion of tight-and loose-coupling in educational organizations to make sense of this disconnect between ELL reclassification policies andreclassification outcomes in these two districts. We recommend administrators and teachers work together to establish but also implement their district’sobjec language classification policies. Keywords: English language learners; language classification policies; mixed-methods Estudio de métodos mixtos: Implementación de políticas lingüísticas por distritos escolares y las implicaciones para los estudiantes masculino, hispanos y pobres Resumen: La política de California exige que los estudiantes de lenguaje inglés (ELL) sean aprobados en el California English Language Development Test y en el para serreclasificados como fluentes en inglés (RFEP) . Sin embargo, la mayoría de los distritos dificultan la reclasificación de los estudiantes de ELL, estableciendo requisitos dereclasificación que son más estrictos que los requisitos obligatorios del Estado. En este artículo, examinamos el proceso de reclasificación de dos distritos escolares de California con resultados diferentes. Sin embargo, estos dos enfoques producen resultados similares de reclasificación. En ambos distritos, los estudiantes de ELL del masculino, hispanos ypobres son menos propensos a hacer las evaluaciones necesarias. Incluso entre los estudiantes que pasan en las evaluaciones , estudiantes masculino, hispanos y pobres tienen menos probabilidades de ser reclasificados. Se basan en la noción de tight-and loose-coupling en las organizaciones educativas para dar sentido a esa descon

FAQs

What does California require for English language learners to be reclassified as Fluent English Proficient (RFEP)?

Students must pass the California English Language Development Test and the California Standards Test in English Language Arts.

How do the two districts’ reclassification approaches differ, and what is the shared outcome?

One district includes explicit parent-and-teacher influence, while the other is test-driven. Despite this difference, both yield similar reclassification outcomes.

Which student groups experience lower rates of assessment participation and reclassification?

Male, Hispanic, and low-income ELL students are less likely to take or pass required assessments and remain less likely to be reclassified even among those who pass.

Oct 15, 2026

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