BACKGROUND 

What is the ELPAC?

If you know what the CELDT is, then you should get to know the ELPAC… because ELPAC is the new CELDT! The California Department of Education (CDE) requires schools to administer the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) to newly enrolled students under the age of 21 whose primary language is not English. Thereafter, schools must administer the ELPAC annually to students classified as English Learners (ELs) who are under the age of 21 until these students are Reclassified Fluent English Proficient (RFEP). 

With the induction of the Common Core and English Language Development (ELD) Standards, it was only a matter of time before CELDT (California English Language Development Test) became relatively obsolete in regards to what is happening in our classrooms.  The new English Language Proficiency exam, the ELPAC, replaced the CELDT this Spring 2018.

Comparison of CELDT & ELPAC
​The ELPAC consists of 4 domain sections:
  1. Listening (may be administered in a group setting)
  2. Speaking (administered on a 1-1 basis)
  3. Reading (may be administered in a group setting)
  4. Writing (may be administered in a group setting)

How Do Scores Impact Our Students and School?

Impact on Students: The performance level score determines if a student will need to receive English learner accommodations and strategies incorporated into their high school curriculum. Students will need to test annually until they have met a well-developed performance level. 

Impact on School: Five Keys Schools and Programs is required by the CDE to test for English Language Proficiency. The amount of English Learners and their growth are reported annually to our California State Dashboard, the state’s accountability system.

What is the difference between an English Learner (EL) student and English Second Language (ESL) student?
The major difference is that ESL students may have already graduated with a high school diploma in their home country. English Learners are placed into High school classes with the support of EL strategies.

Do ESL students need to take the ELPAC?
All students at Five Keys are considered high school students and follow the same rules regardless of the classes they are enrolled in.

reclassification

Reclassification, where EL students qualify for RFEP (Reclassified Fluent English Proficient), is the ultimate goal of the ELPAC. Students are first identified at one of the levels in the graphic below, and then students retest every year until they reach the reclassification level. 

Performance Level Descriptors 
​How to students get reclassified?
​
There are a couple of ways students can be reclassified. 
​
  1. Assessment of English language proficiency (ELP), using an objective assessment instrument, including, but not limited to, the state test of ELPAC; and
  2. Teacher evaluation, including, but not limited to, a review of the student’s curriculum mastery; and
  3. Parent opinion and consultation; and
  4. Comparison of student performance in basic skills against an empirically established range of performance in basic skills of English proficient students of the same age.

TESTING PROCESS

Step 1: Students fill out the Home Language Survey included in the enrollment form. Please make sure students fill out all required answers. (Teacher responsibility)

Step 2: OASIS and CALPADS reports are run on a weekly basis. These reports contain the number of students that need the ELPAC based on their language survey and previous records. (ELPAC team responsibility)
  • Students with no prior CA school will be scheduled for an Initial ELPAC.
  • Students who were previously designated as English Learners (EL) will be scheduled for an Annual ELPAC.

Step 3: An ELPAC proctor will email the teacher to arrange a date for scheduling. (ELPAC proctor responsibility)
  • Proctor will test at the site.
  • Please help proctors by providing them with contact information for your student if scheduling is concern. (Teacher responsibility)

Deadlines for Testing
  • Initial ELPAC: We have 30 days to test the student, from the date of enrollment into our school.
  • Annual ELPAC: The testing window is from February to May! (Yes, it’s at the same time as CAASPP.)

Step 4: Prep the student (teacher responsibility)
  • The best prep for students is using EL strategies in class. Click on the link for English Learner strategies.
  • Practice some listening, reading, and writing exercises.

Step 5: Testing Day
  • Reserve room for testing. (Teacher responsibility)
    • It is about two hours for all four sections.
  • Proctor will provide all testing materials and test the student.

Step 6: Results
  • It takes about two months for official scores to be released. Once released, a copy will be given to the student, mailed home, and uploaded into OASIS.  (ELPAC team responsibility)
  • If a student is classified EL, the language status will be updated on OASIS under Student Profile.

What acronyms can be found in the Language Status?
  • TBD: To be determined. This means we are in the process of researching the language status
  • IFEP: This student was previously tested and the student was deterimed Initially Fluent English Proficient. They should be able to handle a grade level English classroom.
  • RFEP: This student was previously designated as an English Learner. During the annual test, their overall performance level indicated that they were Fluent English Proficient.