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Sorted and Tracked: English Learners, College-Level Course-Taking in High School, and Postsecondary Opportunity

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Title: Sorted and Tracked: English Learners, College-Level Course-Taking in High School, and Postsecondary Opportunity
Language: English
Authors: Brian Holzman (ORCID 0000-0002-7610-4733), Esmeralda Sánchez Salazar (ORCID 0000-0001-6056-851X), Irina Chukhray, Weiqi Guo (ORCID 0000-0002-2614-9984)
Source: Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis. 2026 48(3):977-1003.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 27
Publication Date: 2026
Sponsoring Agency: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) (DHHS/NIH)
Contract Number: P2CHD041025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: High Schools
Secondary Education
Postsecondary Education
Higher Education
Descriptors: English Learners, Course Selection (Students), High School Students, Educational Opportunities, Advanced Placement Programs, Dual Enrollment, Postsecondary Education, Labeling (of Persons), Classification, Outcomes of Education, College Enrollment, Graduation
Geographic Terms: Texas
DOI: 10.3102/01623737251392299
ISSN: 0162-3737
1935-1062
Abstract: Drawing from frameworks of categorical inequality and leveled tracking, this study examines how English learners (EL) status serves as a label that limits students' access to college-level course-taking in high school and subsequent postsecondary opportunities. We find that EL--never-EL gaps in postsecondary outcomes vary by the timing of reclassification but are largely explained by student and school factors. We also show that ELs reclassified in later grades take fewer college-level courses than both never-EL students and ELs reclassified earlier. Nonlinear variance decomposition analyses reveal that a substantial portion of these outcome gaps is attributable to differences in college-level course-taking. We conclude by sharing insights from district staff to help schools support EL students in completing college-level coursework and expanding their postsecondary opportunities.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 20260101
Accession Number: EJ1517055
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Sorted and Tracked: English Learners, College-Level Course-Taking in High School, and Postsecondary Opportunity
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  Data: English
– Name: Author
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Brian+Holzman%22">Brian Holzman</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7610-4733">0000-0002-7610-4733</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Esmeralda+Sánchez+Salazar%22">Esmeralda Sánchez Salazar</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6056-851X">0000-0001-6056-851X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Irina+Chukhray%22">Irina Chukhray</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Weiqi+Guo%22">Weiqi Guo</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2614-9984">0000-0002-2614-9984</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Educational+Evaluation+and+Policy+Analysis%22"><i>Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis</i></searchLink>. 2026 48(3):977-1003.
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  Group: Avail
  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
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  Data: 27
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  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
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  Label: Sponsoring Agency
  Group: SrcSuprt
  Data: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) (DHHS/NIH)
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  Data: P2CHD041025
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22High+Schools%22">High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink>
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  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22English+Learners%22">English Learners</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Course+Selection+%28Students%29%22">Course Selection (Students)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22High+School+Students%22">High School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Opportunities%22">Educational Opportunities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Advanced+Placement+Programs%22">Advanced Placement Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Dual+Enrollment%22">Dual Enrollment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Labeling+%28of+Persons%29%22">Labeling (of Persons)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Classification%22">Classification</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Outcomes+of+Education%22">Outcomes of Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Enrollment%22">College Enrollment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Graduation%22">Graduation</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Texas%22">Texas</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.3102/01623737251392299
– Name: ISSN
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  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0162-3737<br />1935-1062
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Drawing from frameworks of categorical inequality and leveled tracking, this study examines how English learners (EL) status serves as a label that limits students' access to college-level course-taking in high school and subsequent postsecondary opportunities. We find that EL--never-EL gaps in postsecondary outcomes vary by the timing of reclassification but are largely explained by student and school factors. We also show that ELs reclassified in later grades take fewer college-level courses than both never-EL students and ELs reclassified earlier. Nonlinear variance decomposition analyses reveal that a substantial portion of these outcome gaps is attributable to differences in college-level course-taking. We conclude by sharing insights from district staff to help schools support EL students in completing college-level coursework and expanding their postsecondary opportunities.
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  Data: As Provided
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  Label: Entry Date
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  Data: 20260101
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  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1517055
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1517055
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        Value: 10.3102/01623737251392299
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 27
        StartPage: 977
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: English Learners
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Course Selection (Students)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: High School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Opportunities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Advanced Placement Programs
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      – SubjectFull: Dual Enrollment
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      – SubjectFull: Postsecondary Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Labeling (of Persons)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Classification
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Outcomes of Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Enrollment
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      – SubjectFull: Graduation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Texas
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Sorted and Tracked: English Learners, College-Level Course-Taking in High School, and Postsecondary Opportunity
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            NameFull: Brian Holzman
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            NameFull: Esmeralda Sánchez Salazar
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            NameFull: Irina Chukhray
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              Y: 2026
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