Unpacking the Relationship Between Classroom Teacher Characteristics and Time to English Learner Reclassification

Abstract

Reclassification is a crucial outcome for English learner (EL) students’ academic progress. Though ELs spend a large portion of their academic time with general education teachers, we know little about the role general education teachers play in developing ELs’ English language proficiency. Drawing from a longitudinal administrative dataset from Tennessee, this study uses discrete-time survival analysis to estimate the relationship between ELs’ likelihood of reclassification and characteristics of their general education English language arts (ELA) teachers in Grades 3–8. The study finds that several measures of teacher effectiveness consistently predict EL reclassification. Sensitivity and robustness checks substantiate these relationships. Findings have important policy implications for the identification and assignment of ELs to effective general education ELA teachers.