1. Kansas English Language Proficiency Assessment (KELPA)
Fall Assessment Conference
Melanie Manares, Education Program Consultant
ESOL / Bilingual Education and Title III
Phyllis Farrar, Education Program Consultant
World Languages and ESOL

2. Who is an English Language Learner (ELL) ???
A student whose home language is other than English and who is not fully proficient in the English language.
Because the student is not proficient in the four language domains – s/he needs language support services.
Listening
Speaking
Reading
Writing

3. Who takes the KELPA?
All students classified as ELLs based on one of the following English Language Proficiency (ELP) assessments:
KELPA test in previous year
LAS/LAS LINKS
IPT
LPTS
KELPA-Placement
The student has not yet scored “fluent” (proficient) on one of the above assessments in all of the four language domains (L,S,R,W), and the composite score for two consecutive years.

4. Who takes the KELPA?
OR:
A student who has scored “fluent” (proficient) in all domains on an ELP assessment, yet the school district determines that the student could still benefit from ESOL services.
If this student scores below “fluent” upon taking the KELPA, s/he can be reclassified as an ELL and qualify for ESOL funding and services.

5. General Overview - basic facts about language acquisition
Social Proficiency
Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills
(BICS)
Averages 1-2 years
Academic proficiency
Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP)
Averages 5-7 years

6. General Overview - basic facts about language acquisition
The fact that the student speaks English in your class, on the playground, in the cafeteria or in the halls does NOT mean the student is proficient.
It is normal for some students who are new to English to remain silent in their new language for up to a year.

7. General Overview No Child Left Behind (NCLB)
Purpose is:
To ensure English proficiency for students who are limited English proficient
- To ensure English Language Learners (ELLs) achieve high levels in core academic areas

8. General Overview NCLB Requirements
All ELLs in public schools in grades K-12 assessed annually for English proficiency in: listening, speaking, reading, and writing
State responsible for developing English Language Proficiency (ELP) assessment
ELP assessments must align to state English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Standards (2006)

9. General Overview NCLB Requirements
Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives (AMAOs):
Based on data from KELPA
Used Spring 2006 as baseline, set in 2007
Number and percentage of ELLs making progress in English acquisition
Number and percentage of ELLs attaining English proficiency
ELLs making AYP under Title I

10. General Overview What is the KELPA?
Used in Kansas for measuring annual growth for NCLB purposes
Assessment for English Language Proficiency, grades K-12, in:
Speaking
Listening
Reading
Writing

11. General Overview What is the KELPA?
Developed by the Center for Educational Testing and Evaluation (CETE) at the University of KS
Aligned to Kansas ESOL Standards
Test items written and reviewed by Kansas practitioners
Field tested across the state
Reviewed by council of adult non-native English speakers from various cultural and linguistic backgrounds for cultural/linguistic biases

12. General Overview What is the KELPA?
Grade cluster specific: K-1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-8, 9-12
K-1: all components administered individually
Reading, & Writing: 2-12, group administered
Listening items: 2-12
group administered
standardized on audio CD,
Speaking: K-12, individually administered

13. Overview of Domains Listening
K-12
Following directions
Beginning, middle, ending sounds
Ability to discern correct vs. incorrect sentence
Listening comprehension based on a story
2-12
Following directions
Beginning, middle, ending sounds
Ability to discern correct vs. incorrect sentence
Listening comprehension based on an expository passage

14. Overview of Domains Speaking: K-12
Prompts read by test examiner
Two rubrics used to rate students speech
Items include:
answer short questions
answer more detailed questions
describe what’s happening in a single picture
and describe what’s happening in a picture sequence

15. Overview of Domains Reading:
K-1
rhyming
initial/ending sounds
short story reading comprehension (student reads a story and selects the picture that illustrates what the story’s about)
2-12
rhyming
cloze sentences
compound words
synonyms/antonyms
Definitions
fact/opinion
Analogies
reading comprehension of passages

16. Overview of Domains Writing:
K-1
Write letters/numbers based on oral prompt
Complete the cloze sentence
Rewrite sentence (corrects syntax of incorrect sentence)
Circle correctly spelled word
Identify vocabulary (write a word to label a picture)
2-12
Grammar/vocabulary usage (adjectives, prepositions, verbs & verb tenses, comparative/superlative, adverbs, pronouns, plurals);
Synonyms/antonyms
Punctuation
Syntax
Essay (constructed response): writes based on either picture or written prompt (scored locally)

17. How to interpret KELPA results
See handout to review cut scores per grade and domain + domain weightings
See handout to review the perfomance level descriptors (PLDs) for beginning, intermediate, advanced, and fluent.

18. Testing 2008 Materials shipped to schools February 1
February 15 – May 2, testing window
Score all constructed written responses (essays) locally
Return all materials to CETE by May 15, 2008
Preliminary results available by June 15, 2008

19. FYI
There will not be any revisions made to KELPA until the ESOL Standards are revised.
KELPA is only available in paper/pencil format.
KELPA – P (placement) is now available from CETE for use in determining the need for services.
Training for administering KELPA is available on CD and online.

20. THANK YOU! For questions about testing and ESL program requirements:
Melanie Manares
Phyllis Farrar
For questions about materials
CETE at KU