1. Overview of the Spring 2015 New York State English as Second Language Achievement Test (NYSESLAT)

2. What is the NYSESLAT?
The NYSESLAT is designed to annually assess the English language proficiency of all English Language Learners (ELLs) enrolled in Grades K–12
It is a component of the State’s compliance with federal laws that mandate annually assessing and monitoring the English Language proficiency progress of all ELLs
It provides information about ELL students’ English language development, which drives instruction aligned to the NYS Common Core Learning Standards (CCLS), Blueprint for ELL Success (BELLS), and Bilingual Common Core Initiative (BCCI)

3. Uses of the NYSESLAT
An ELL’s performance on the NYSESLAT indicates his or her level of English language proficiency relative to the linguistic demands of the grade-level classroom.
Proficiency levels indicate the type of English language support each ELL needs to participate productively in the classroom.
A student who scores at the highest proficiency level (described momentarily) has met the linguistic demands necessary to meet the discipline-specific standards.
After exiting ELL status, a student is considered to be a Former ELL and is entitled to services for two years.

4. NYSESLAT Goal and Grade Bands
Primary Goal of the NYSESLAT:
To measure student English language proficiency relative to the linguistic demands of the grade-level classroom, which then drives the provision of ELL services.
To be administered in six grade bands: K
1-2
3-4
5-6
7-8
9-12

5. Test Lengths and Estimated Timing by Grade Band and Modality
Test Modality (Subtest)
Number of Items or Tasks
Total Items and Tasks
Estimated Testing Time (Minutes)* K
Listening Reading Writing Speaking 19 18 10 13
L,R,W,S: 60
L, R, W: 30-35
S: 15
1-2 24 27 3
L,R,W,S: 67
L, R, W: 35-55
3-4
5-6
7-8
9-12
* Provided for planning purposes only; NYSESLAT will continue to not have required testing times.

6. Structure of the Speaking Booklet
Speaking theme 1
4 prompts/tasks with context and graphics
Tasks increase in difficulty within each theme
Speaking theme 2
5 prompts/tasks with context and graphics
Speaking theme 3
SPEAKING BOOKLET
The speaking booklet includes 13 tasks
The first 4 tasks are related to the first theme, the next 5 tasks are related to the second theme, and the final 4 tasks are related to the third theme
A skipping rule is in place
The speaking booklet takes approximately 15 minutes to complete

7. Structure of the LRW Booklets 1&2
Listening
1st prompt
3 MC tasks
2nd prompt
5 MC tasks
Reading
Writing
Prompt
SCR (1 paragraph)
BOOKLET 1
Listening
1st prompt
3 MC tasks
2nd prompt
5 MC tasks
Reading
Writing
Prompt
SCR (1 paragraph)
BOOKLET 2
Booklets 1 and 2 for LRW have the same structure:
Each have two listening sections, two reading sections, and one writing section with a short constructed response task
In the writing section, students are presented with a passage from the reading section and a prompt to which they must respond with one written paragraph; a single rubric is used for scoring
Both booklets have the same number of tasks

8. Structure of the LRW Booklet 3
Listening
1st prompt
3 MC tasks
2nd prompt
5 MC tasks
Reading
6 MC tasks
Writing
Prompt
ECR (at least 2 paragraphs)
BOOKLET 3
Booklets 3 for LRW differs from booklets 1 and 2:
In the reading sections, students answer 5 and 6 multiple choice questions, and the writing section includes an extended constructed response task
In the writing section, students are presented with a passage from the reading section and a prompt to which they must respond with at least two written paragraphs; either the informational or narrative rubrics may be used for scoring

9. Administration Information
The approach to administering the NYSESLAT has not changed significantly
The Speaking section still has an expanded administration window
Will take approximately the same amount of time
However, current changes to the assessment warrant a thorough review of Spring 2015 NYSESLAT materials
There will be training sessions on how to score the Writing and Speaking sections
Administrators should become familiar with the new School Administration Manual (SAM) and Directions for Administration (DFA)

10. How the NYSESLAT is Changing
The NYSESLAT will be aligned to the linguistic demands of grade-level Common Core instruction delivered to ELLs
Linguistic Demands: Identifies the words, phrases and forms of language that students need to understand and use in order to meet the Common Core standards across all content areas. Note: The linguistic demands reflect the language required to access grade level content – not the content itself.
These changes are represented by 5 fundamental shifts:
Shift 1: CCLS via New Language Arts Progressions
Shift 2: Performance levels
Shift 3: Integrated approach to modalities/global themes
Shift 4: Complexity: grade-level text for all levels, with content area foci
Shift 5: Instructionally relevant academic language

11. Shift 1: CCLS and New Language Arts Progressions
The NYSESLAT measures the Linguistic Demands necessary to meet the discipline-specific standards at the corresponding grade-band level
Linguistic Demands are derived from the New Language Arts Progressions of the Bilingual Common Core initiative
The Linguistic Demands are articulated for the purposes of assessment development as Targets of Measurement (ToMs)
The NYSESLAT test questions measure the ToMs.
Every grade-band level ToM has been delineated across five levels which are known as the Performance Level Descriptions (see Shift 2)

12. Shift 1: CCLS and New Language Arts Progressions (cont’d)
We Measure This
Targets of Measurement (ToMs) / Performance Level Descriptions (PLDs)
(4)
(3) Synthesized Linguistic Demands (SLDs)
(2) New Language Arts Progressions (NLAP)
(1) ELA New York State P-12 Common Core Learning Standards (CCLS)
We Started Here 12

13. Shift 2: Performance Levels
English language proficiency has shifted from 4 to 5 performance levels* to allow for more differentiation among students:
Beginning
Intermediate
Advanced
Proficient
Entering
Emerging
Transitioning
Expanding
Commanding
Performance Level Descriptions
* Please note that the relationship between the Spring 2014 NYSESLAT and the Spring 2015 NYSESLAT performance levels are for informational purposes only. The statistical relationship between scores will be provided at a later date.

14. Shift 2: Performance Levels (Cont’d)
Unlike the former NYSESLAT, each test question on the Spring 2015 NYSESLAT is intentionally written to a specific performance level.
(1) Entering
(formerly Beginning*)
(2) Emerging (formerly Low Intermediate*)
(3) Transitioning (formerly Intermediate*)
(4) Expanding (formerly Advanced*)
(5) Commanding (formerly Proficient*)
A student at the Entering level has great dependence on supports and structures to advance his or her academic language skills. As measured by the NYSESLAT, a student at this level has yet to meet the linguistic demands necessary to demonstrate proficiency in a variety of academic contexts within this grade level.
A student at the Emerging level has some dependence on supports and structures to advance his or her academic language skills. As measured by the NYSESLAT, a student at this level has yet to meet the linguistic demands necessary to demonstrate proficiency in a variety of academic contexts within this grade level.
A student at the Transitioning level shows some independence in advancing his or her academic language skills. As measured by the NYSESLAT, a student at this level has yet to meet the linguistic demands necessary to demonstrate proficiency in a variety of academic contexts within this grade level.
A student at the Expanding level shows great independence in advancing his or her academic language skills. As measured by the NYSESLAT, a student at this level is approaching the linguistic demands necessary to demonstrate proficiency in a variety of academic contexts within this grade level.
A student at the Commanding level is now designated as a Former ELL, and entitled to receive two years of continued ELL services. As measured by the NYSESLAT, a student at this level has met the linguistic demands necessary to demonstrate proficiency in a variety of academic contexts within this grade level.
* Please note that the relationship between Spring 2014 NYSESLAT and the Spring 2015 NYSESLAT performance levels are for informational purposes only. The statistical relationship between scores will be provided at a later date

15. Shift 3: Integrated Approach to Modalities/Global Themes
In the classroom, teachers recognize that a student’s listening, reading, writing and speaking skills are integrated
The NYSESLAT integrates these skills through designing passages, graphics, and prompts of all modalities around Global Themes
The NYSESLAT is designed to measure the language that is embedded in content, rather than the content itself
Similar to the instructional experience provided by a well-developed unit of study, the Global Themes provide students with an assessment experience that is cohesive and interconnected across all modalities.

16. Final Text Complexity Level
Shift 4: Complexity: Grade-level Text for all Levels, with Content Area Foci
The CCLS for ELA/Literacy articulate a research-based need for increased text complexity across all grades in order to prepare students, including ELLs, for success in college and careers
NYSESLAT passages have approximate grade-level text complexity
See for more information about text complexity
Quantitative Measures
Qualitative Measures
Expert Judgment
Final Text Complexity Level 16

17. Shift 5: Instructionally Relevant Academic Language
NYSESLAT questions measure the receptive (Listening and Reading) and productive (Speaking and Writing) modalities that reflect content-area classroom activities
Questions are firmly based in academics to reflect appropriate academic language as opposed to social language, which tends to originate from to personal experience.
Due to the integrated approach to content, the NYSESLAT focuses on specific topics and/or aspects of instruction that students encounter in their content-area classes—for example, experiences with literary text in ELA, word problems in Mathematics, informational text in Science, and maps in Social Studies
Due to the constructs being measured, and in alignment with the purpose of the exam, the questions focus on the language and language structures that support the content as opposed to the content itself.

18. Thank you!
For more information and resources on the Spring 2015 NYSESLAT, please visit or

19. Glossary
Bilingual Common Core Initiative: Beginning in Spring 2012, NYSED launched the Bilingual Common Core Initiative to develop new English as a Second Language and Native Language Arts Standards aligned to the Common Core.
Blueprint for ELL Success: A plan meant to clarify expectations for administrators, policy makers, and practitioners; provide a framework to prepare ELLs for success—beginning in prekindergarten to lay the foundation for college and career readiness; provide guidance, resources, and supports to districts, schools, and teachers; and promote a better understanding and appreciation of bilingual education, English as a second language, and world languages/foreign language studies.
Commissioner’s Regulations Part and 154-3: Two sections (definitions and school district responsibility, respectively) of New York State Commissioner’s Regulations that describe services English Language Learners.
Common Core Learning Standards: P–12 standards in Mathematics and English Language Arts that have been adopted and incorporated by New York State in order to help ensure that all students are college and career ready no later than the end of high school.
Discipline-specific standards: In New York State, the discipline-specific standards include the Common Core Learning Standards for ELA/Literacy, the Common Core Learning Standards for Mathematics, the NYS Social Studies Learning Standards, and the NYS Science Learning Standards.

20. Glossary
English Language Learners: Students who are learning English in addition to their home language.
Global Themes: An aspect of the Spring 2015 NYSESLAT test design in which questions representing each of the modalities are related to a common theme.
Linguistic Demands: Identifies the words, phrases and forms of language that students need to understand and use in order to meet the Common Core standards across all content areas.
New Language Arts Progressions (NLAP): Formerly the English as a Second Language Learning Standards, are meant to guide the language development goals and literacy levels for students of all language proficiencies to access grade level Language Arts content as described by the New York State Common Core Learning Standards.
Performance Level Description: A description of the knowledge and skills students should demonstrate at each performance level on the state test.
Targets of Measurement: A synthesis of the Progressions, based on the Common Core Learning Standards, which are meant to be assessed by the questions of the Spring 2015 NYSESLAT. Note that the targets of measurement are for Spring 2015 NYSESLAT summative assessment purposes only. Classroom-based curriculum instruction and formative assessment should be based on the Progressions.