By Chris Moggia on Thursday, 01 August 2019
Category: What's New

English Language Proficiency Assessments for California Monthly Communication

General ELPAC Information


Upcoming TOMS Systems Downtime

As part of the transition to the 2019–20 school year, the Test Operations Management System (TOMS) will experience downtime from Tuesday, August 27 at 5 p.m. through Tuesday, September 3, 2019 at 8 a.m. The new Test Operations Management System (TOMS) interface will be available on September 3, 2019.

During the downtime, LEAs may administer all domains of the Initial ELPAC except Listening in grades three through twelve. LEAs can administer Speaking—Summarize an Academic Presentation by reading aloud the recorded audio script provided in the Examiner's Manual. The Local Scoring Tool and all audio recorded files will be available in MyTOMS on Tuesday, September 3, 2019. Additional details about impacted systems are available on the ELPAC Planned System Downtimeweb page.

Single Instance of MyTOMS is Coming!

On September 3, 2019, ELPAC TOMS and California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) TOMS will be integrated into a new and improved single instance system of TOMS.

Refer to the MyTOMS Screen Mockups web document located on the new Systems Enhancements webpage for a preview of highlights of the new interface. Share this information with site administrators, test examiners, test administrators, and other users to introduce them to the new interface.

We recommend that you add "This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it." to your safe senders list if you have not done so already. This is the email address from which users will receive MyTOMS notification messages.

We Need You!

Computer-based ELPAC Field Test

We need your LEA to participate in the statewide field test for the new computer-based ELPAC from October 1–25, 2019. One of the benefits for participating includes experiencing the computer-based ELPAC prior to its operational administration beginning in February 2020. We need as many LEAs as possible with 15 to 20 English learners enrolled in a grade.

We are especially in need of participants who can test students at grades 2 and 9–12. If you are not already participating in the field test, please consider joining us in this effort. If you are already participating and have additional students at these grades that you would be willing to test, please contact the ELPAC Field Test Coordinator at the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE), Salina Donek, by phone at 916-228-3301 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Accessibility Pilot and the Accessibility Cognitive Lab Study

While the field test for the computer-based ELPAC is taking place in October, there are other opportunities for LEAs to sample the new accessibility and accommodations available on the computer-based ELPAC by participating in the Accessibility Pilot and the Accessibility Cognitive Lab Study. Additional information on how to get involved is forthcoming.

The ELPAC Stakeholder Communications Toolkit—Coming Soon!

The ELPAC Stakeholders Communications Toolkit will be available for LEAs to help in their outreach efforts to parents and guardians about the transition to the computer-based ELPAC and the Alternate ELPAC.

Initial ELPAC Information2019–20 Initial ELPAC Administration

The 2019–20 Initial ELPAC administration window opened on July 1! Pursuant toCalifornia Code of Regulations, Title 5, Section 11518.5(d), the LEA is required to administer the Initial ELPAC to newly enrolled students whose primary language is not English, within 30 calendar days of enrollment. Please reference the Planned TOMS Systems Downtime information on administering the Initial ELPAC until 6 am, September 3, 2019.

The 2019–20 Initial ELPAC Administration and Scoring Make-up Trainings (AST)

The 2019–20 Initial ELPAC AST will take place from August 6 through August 15, 2019. This training series will focus primarily on the local scoring of the Speaking and Writing domains. The Initial ELPAC Administration and Scoring Training web page provides information on the dates, locations, and registration.

Initial ELPAC Preliminary Score Sheet

The Initial ELPAC preliminary score sheet, instructions, and conversion tables can be downloaded in MyTOMS LST by selecting the [Resources] button which will bring you to the secure materials. The score sheet and conversion tables are resources for optional summer use by LEAs that choose to wait until fall to enter raw student scores in the LST. Add domain exemptions – can't use preliminary score sheets.

Summative ELPAC Administration

Computer-based ELPAC Training Tests Coming in September!
Computer-based training tests to help LEAs and students become familiar with the test delivery platform will be available in September. For LEAs participating in the fall field test, this will be a timely opportunity to become familiarized with the testing platform prior to the start of the field test training (September 30 to October 11, 2019) and during the administration of the field test (October 1 to October 25, 2019). More details will be provided to participating LEAs in the coming weeks.

Technology Readiness Checker for Students—Coming Soon!
To support the transition to the computer-based ELPAC, the Technology Readiness Checker for Students (TRCS) is being developed to help educators understand their students' technological familiarity with online interactions. TRCS is an interactive online tool that can be used to evaluate whether a student may need technological support in taking the online assessment, such as through a technology navigation assistant (a universal tool) or a designated interface assistance (a designated support). TRCS will be available in September 2019 in time for field test participants to use prior to the administration.

The 2019–20 Summative ELPAC AST

The 2019–20 computer-based Summative ELPAC testing window is February 1 through May 31, 2020. To prepare for this test administration, 22 Administration and Scoring Trainings will be held statewide. Registration will open on Monday, August 12, 2019 and date, locations and registration information can be accessed on the 2019–20 Computer-based Summative English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) Administration and Scoring Trainings web page. LEAs can enroll in any training that has open seats as registration will occur on a first-come, first-served basis, until each training site is full.

General questions about the ELPAC should be directed to CalTAC by phone at 800-955-2954 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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