Existing research on theories of intelligence shows that students with growth mindsets tend to outperform those with fixed mindsets in mathematics. We used nationally representative data to address two related questions in the general population: (a) Are there subgroup differences in the endorsement of a fixed mindset? (b) Does the negative association of a fixed mindset and math achievement vary across subgroups? We found that White students and students from higher socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely to view intelligence as a fixed trait than non-Whites and students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Furthermore, for low-achieving students, we found that a fixed mindset at 10th grade predicted lower gains in academic achievement by 12th grade than it did for their high-achieving counterparts. Our results reflect that contextual differences play a critical role in shaping fixed mindsets and its consequences.

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Researchers are concerned that English language learners (ELL) may remain classified too long and, therefore, may not receive appropriate mainstream educational services. In this study, we investigate the effects of language classification on student outcomes in one California school district. Our ordinary least squares regression estimates demonstrate that students who become reclassified fluent English proficient (RFEP) in middle school have higher achievement scores and better behavioral outcomes. However, regression discontinuity models show that reclassification has no effects on students’ outcomes. The findings of this study suggest that selection bias accounts for the positive associations between RFEP and desirable student outcomes. ELL and RFEP students have unmeasured characteristics that highly correlate with their language classification, therefore, their educational outcomes differ.

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 to be 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 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 and reclassification outcomes in these two districts. We recommend administrators and teachers work together to establish but also implement their district’sobjec language classification policies.