An exploratory study into teachers' beliefs and experiences about allocating students

This study explores teachers' beliefs and experiences regarding the decisions they make about students during so-called allocation meetings, including the role of a number of influencing factors. Semi-structured interviews were held with 22 teachers from four schools. Teachers' perceptions indicate that allocation decisions are often unstructured and variable due to differences within and between schools in group processes, in decision-making and in argumentation used to substantiate teacher expectations. This variety raises doubts about the fairness and quality of allocation decisions. Professional development is suggested to improve these decisions, with a focus on group processes and individual teacher expectations. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.