Chapter One: Initial Identification, Assessment and Program Placement

ELPAC Overview

What is the ELPAC?
ELPAC is a state mandated test that school districts are required to administer to students whose home language is not English. The parent/guardian or adult student identifies their home language in the Language Survey section of the Student Enrollment Process. If any of the first three questions are answered with a language other than English, the ELPAC test must be administered. The purpose of ELPAC is to identify students who are English learners in Kindergarten through grade 12, to monitor their progress in learning English, and to document their English proficiency.

Who must take the ELPAC?
All students whose home language is not English must take the test within 30 calendar days after they are first enrolled in a California public school.  The ELPAC must be given annually until English learners receive a proficient score on the ELPAC.

Where is the home language identified?
The parent/guardian or adult student identifies their primary language in the Language Survey section of the Student Enrollment Application.  If any of the following three questions are answered with a language other than English, the ELPAC test must be administered.

1. What language did your child first learn to speak?
2. Which language does your child most frequently use at home?
3. Which language do you most frequently speak to your child?

What does the ELPAC cover?
The ELPAC assesses students’ English proficiency in Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking.

Who administers the ELPAC?
The Initial and Summative ELPAC are administered by trained ELD Instructional Assistants who receive rigorous scoring and calibration training. The LEA ELPAC coordinator or designee is responsible for training staff to administer the assessment. The Initial and Summative Alternate ELPAC are administered by classroom teachers and/or case managers most familiar with the student’s learning needs. The Director of Special Education or designee is responsible for training staff to administer the alternate assessments.

How are the ELPAC results scored?
ELPAC General Performance Level Descriptors

Level 4 English learners at this level have well-developed oral (listening and speaking) and written (reading and writing) skills. They can sometimes use English to learn and communicate in meaningful ways that are appropriate to different tasks, purposes, and audiences in a variety of social and academic contexts. They may need occasional linguistic support to engage in familiar social and academic contexts; they may need light support to communicate on less familiar tasks and topics. This test performance level corresponds to the upper range of the “Bridging” proficiency level as described in the 2012 California English Language Development Standards, Kindergarten Through Grade 12 (CA ELD Standards).

Level 3 English learners at this level have moderately developed oral (listening and speaking) and written (reading and writing) skills. They can sometimes use English to learn and communicate in meaningful ways in a range of topics and content areas. They need light-to-minimal linguistic support to engage in familiar social and academic contexts; they need moderate support to communicate on less familiar tasks and topics. This test performance level corresponds to the upper range of the “Expanding” proficiency level through the lower range of the “Bridging” proficiency level as described in the CA ELD Standards.

Level 2 English learners at this level have somewhat developed oral (listening and speaking)  and written (reading and writing) skills. They can use English to meet immediate communication needs but are not able to use English to learn and communicate on topics and content areas. They need moderate-to-light linguistic support to engage in familiar social and academic contexts; they need substantial-to-moderate support to communicate on less familiar tasks and topics. This test performance level corresponds to the low- to mid-range of the “Expanding” proficiency level as described in the CA ELD Standards.

Level 1 English learners at this level have minimally developed oral (listening and speaking) and written (reading and writing) English skills. They tend to rely on learned words and phrases to communicate meaning at a basic level. They need substantial-to-moderate linguistic support to communicate in familiar social and academic contexts; they need substantial linguistic support to communicate on less familiar tasks and topics. This test performance level corresponds to the “Emerging” proficiency level as described in the CA ELD Standards.

The report for each student provides:

    *A proficiency level for each section of the test
    *An overall English proficiency level

How will the results of the ELPAC be used?
Initial test results for newly enrolled students are used to help identify English learners who need to develop their speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills in English.  Annual ELPAC results are used to assess the student’s progress towards English proficiency.

Primary language assessments will be administered by personnel fluent in the primary language of the student when possible. Educational Services strives to test students within 90 days of enrollment. Initial ELPAC testing is prioritized above PLAs and will be conducted first in order to meet mandated state assessment requirements.

Please note: PLAs are administered once. If a student is coming from another district, primary language information is filed in the cumulative folder.

Kindergarten - Grade 1 students are tested in primary oral language only.
Grades 2 - 8 students are tested in primary oral language, reading and writing.

Assessment:
LAS Links English and Español 

Upon completion of initial testing, parents are notified of “preliminary scores” and placement for initial assessments. Parents are notified of annual assessments once official scores are returned. The results of the Home Language Survey and the language assessments when available (and in the case of transfer students the results of a review of transcripts and previous program placement noted in the registration form) are used to define the options open to students for program placement.

Options for delivery of Instruction for ELs:
SEI:  Structured English Immersion
Mainstream English
Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE)
Integrated and Designated ELD Instruction
Spanish Dual Immersion

Emerging (1 and 2)
Non English Proficient Student 
Program includes integrated- including SDAIE and designated ELD, as well as limited L1 support when available if the student is fluent in his/her primary language.

Expanding (3)
Limited English Proficient Student
Program includes integrated- including SDAIE and designated ELD, as well as limited L1 support if needed and when available.

Bridging (4)
Advanced Limited English Proficient Student
Program includes integrated- including SDAIE and designated ELD.

Reclassification
When district criteria are met, English learners are considered RFEP, Reclassified Fluent English Proficient. Students exiting the ELD program are monitored for four years after reclassification.  

Transfer Students
When a student has a primary language other than English, the ELPAC and EL history are requested from the previous district by the Educational Services/ELD Staff Secretary.

Training for Staff and Administration on Initial Identification, Placement & Parental Rights
The Educational Services Department provides ongoing training for administrators and staff on procedures relating to initial identification, placement, and parental rights. These terms are addressed at English Learners Advisory Committee (ELAC), and District English Learners Advisory Committee (DELAC) and training for teachers, paraeducators and administrators. In order to ensure consistency, the training emphasizes sensitivity to parents, including how to make parents feel welcome and making sure that they are informed. Parents must have the opportunity to take an active role in the process of deciding on an appropriate program for their child.