ELPAC Update - April 23, 2018

The English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) Update, from the California Department of Education (CDE), is a monthly e-mail for K–12 educators, including testing coordinators. The ELPAC, when it becomes operational, will replace the California English Language Development Test (CELDT).

Updated ELPAC Practice Tests and Rubrics

At the end of April 2018, updated ELPAC practice tests and rubrics will be posted on ELPAC.org under the Resources tab. For specific details, go to the Known Issues Log at ELPAC.org.

Initial ELPAC Local Scoring Tool

After administering the Initial ELPAC, trained local educational agency (LEA) staff will score the Initial ELPAC Answer Books locally, using the Local Scoring Tool (LST). The LST, located within the Test Operations Management System, allows the user to enter a student's raw score information from the Score Sheet, inside the back cover of the Answer Book, to determine the Initial ELPAC overall proficiency level and scale score.

Next month, on May 16, from 1 to 2 p.m., Educational Testing Service (ETS) will present a live Webcast that will provide a guided walkthrough of the Initial ELPAC LST. No preregistration or logon account is required. To access the Webcast, go to the Training tab at ELPAC.org and select "Live Webcast."

Initial ELPAC Rotating Score Validation Process

The CDE has completed the identification of the 25 percent of LEAs in California that will be expected to return Initial ELPAC materials to ETS for the scoring of the 2018–19 materials. All LEAs across California have been assigned to one of four groups, each of which will be expected to return the Initial ELPAC materials once every four years on a rotating basis. Newly formed LEAs will be assigned group membership. The purpose of this process, called the Initial ELPAC Rotating Score Validation Process (RSVP), is to produce item statistics for the Initial ELPAC, validate scores, and provide technical assistance to LEAs for scoring.

As noted in the March issue of the ELPAC Update, the RSVP LEA lists for 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21,and 2021–22 will soon be posted on ELPAC.org for LEAs to view and determine which year they will be expected to return Initial ELPAC materials to ETS.

For questions regarding the RSVP, please contact the CDE by phone at 916-319-0340 or by e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

ELPAC Academy, Year Two: Focusing on the Classroom

Are teachers in your LEA looking for a quality professional development opportunity? Stand by––registration is coming soon for the second year of the ELPAC Academy. With the theme "Focusing on the Classroom," this training is designed for teams of educators, including classroom teachers, instructional coaches, teachers on special assignment, and site administrators, who play a role in supporting high-quality education for English learners in the classroom. Online registration, which will be available beginning May 1, 2018, is $100 per attendee and includes materials, breakfast, lunch, and a copy of the 2012 California English Language Development Standards.

More information will be posted on ELPAC.org under the Opportunities tab by the end of this month. Note that this professional development opportunity is separate from the ELPAC Administration and Scoring trainings, which are designed to train LEA ELPAC coordinators and other key staff on the training of test examiners to administer and score the ELPAC.

Additional Resources Available!

The following ELPAC resources are now available:

"Available Resources for the ELPAC" flyer, providing links to all ELPAC resources, available on the CDE ELPAC Web site

LEA ELPAC coordinator list, providing contact information for all LEA ELPAC coordinators; available on April 24 through the secure TOMS portal located on the home page of ELPAC.org

"Initial ELPAC LST Webcast" flyer, providing information on the upcoming LST Webcast; located on ELPAC.org

Superintendent Designation Forms Due April 30

Reminder: Each LEA is required to designate an LEA ELPAC coordinator by April 30, 2018. This is done by submitting the 2018–19 Superintendent Designation form, which is the responsibility of the LEA superintendent or direct-funded charter school administrator. Once an LEA ELPAC coordinator is designated, the coordinator is required to complete the 2018–19 Test Security Agreement for LEA ELPAC Coordinator and Site ELPAC Coordinator form and 2018–19 Test Security Affidavit for LEA ELPAC Coordinator and Site ELPAC Coordinator form. Site ELPAC coordinators also are required to complete and submit both online forms, located at ELPAC.org. Once site ELPAC coordinators complete and submit the forms, the forms will be sent electronically to the LEA ELPAC coordinator, who can then print and file them.

Reminders

There is still time to register for one of 24 Initial ELPAC Administration and Scoring Trainings, scheduled for April 10 through May 24 throughout California! Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis until each training site is full.

To accommodate LEAs' training needs, many county offices of education are hosting regional workshops throughout the state. These regional workshops are posted on the Initial Assessment Regional Training List Web page of the ELPAC Web site. Check the Web page regularly for new postings.

Scores from the CELDT retest or CELDT 2016–17 may be used for reclassification until May 30, 2018. Once students are reclassified, please update the English Language Acquisition Status in the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) no later than May 31, 2018. The status of students whose information has not been updated in CALPADS will be shown as "EL," and the LEA will not be in compliance with state and federal requirements to annually assess all English learners.

Questions of the Month

Because students in grade two have a combined Test Book and Answer Book, is it acceptable for them to use highlighters and pencils to highlight and/or underline text in the passages?

Students in grade two may use highlighters to highlight text, as this will not impact scanning and scoring. However, it is advised that students not make pencil marks (other than the bubbling in of answers) in the grade two Test Book/Answer Book, as it is difficult to predict if and how stray pencil marks will impact scanning and scoring.

What constitutes a testing irregularity?

A testing irregularity is any deviation from standardized test administration (e.g., a test examiner straying from the Examiner's Manual script), test administration errors (e.g., testing a student in error), or an occurrence that may impact the validity of a score (e.g., cheating). For more information, refer to pages 3 through 6 in the ELPAC Test Administration Manual for the Summative ELPAC.

How can our LEA's data system link to the LST?

ETS will provide LEAs with a student data file layout so they can work with their technology teams.

Please forward this e-mail to any educators in your LEA who would be interested in or benefit from this information. To join the e-mail list, send a blank e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..