E L P A Last updated: 08/31/09

ELPA Objectives Understand the definition and purpose of the English Language Proficiency Assessment Administer ELPA appropriately

ELPA Purpose and Use The ELPA (English Language Proficiency Assessment) measures the proficiency of English Language Learners (ELL) in reading, writing, speaking and listening English based on Oregon’s English Language Proficiency Content Standards. Used as part of Title I accountability to document which students are Limited English Proficient and as part of Title III Accountability incorporated into the Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives (AMAO). Must be used as one part of district’s process to exit ELL students receiving English Language Development (ELD) services.

Schedule and Scoring ELPA The ELPA will be available January 21 – May 7, 2010. ELPA scores will be loaded into ODE’s system within 6 weeks of the end of the month in which a test is completed. For example: If a student completes the ELPA anytime in January, the student scores will be available after March 15th. ELPA will be an adaptive test and will require fewer items this year as compared to prior years. Schools should still estimate that it will take 75 minutes to complete. Note: There is not a time constraint within the testing window for the ELPA test.

ELPA Test Administration Creating Test Sessions The ELPA will be an additional Test Subject that can be selected.

Test Administration ELPA Student Login Log in using First Name, SSID, Session ID Confirm identity – “Is This You?” screen First Name (same as in SSID upload), Enrolled Grade, DOB, School, SSID Select Test If logging into an ELPA session, will only see ELPA test opportunity If logging into multiple subject session, will see multiple subject tests TA Approval required to start test Confirm test -- “Is this your test?” screen Test Administration ELPA 1 2 1/3 3 4 5

ELPA Dos and Don’ts Dos For 2009–2010, schools must use Oregon’s ELPA for ALL students eligible for services under the NCLB criteria for an English Language Learner, regardless of whether student actually receives services. If a student arrived at a U.S. school on or before May 1, 2009, the student must take the ELPA and all state assessments: Reading, Math, Writing, and Science (as appropriate for his/her grade)

Dos and Don’ts (cont) ELPA Dos (cont) If a student arrived at a U.S. school after May 1, 2009, the student must take the ELPA and state assessments in Math and Science (as appropriate for his/her grade) LEP students with disabilities must participate in the ELPA according to their IEP. Special codes are added in Student Centered Staging for the ELPA by the District Test Coordinator. The testing manual has specific directions for how to administer the ELPA to a student with a disability.

ELPA Dos and Don’ts (cont) Don’ts Districts may not exempt an ELL student from taking ELPA based on their Language Proficiency Level. (See previous slide) Districts may not assess a student on monitor status (Exited within the last two years) in ELPA. Test administrators may not translate any of the items on ELPA except audio instructions if needed.

ELPA Dos and Don’ts (cont) Don’ts (cont) Students may not use resources such as a dictionary, a thesaurus, literature texts, or literary glossaries. Remember that wall charts that contain literary definitions or vocabulary must be removed or covered during the testing session.

ELPA Promising Practices May need to provide additional support for students as compared to the other OAKS tests. Especially when taking the speaking domain of ELPA. Provide students with practice on how the headset and microphone work in ELPA prior to administering the test. The ELPA practice test will be available for this purpose at www.oaks.k12.or.us . Some students may benefit in having their testing broken up over a couple of days.

Promising Practices (cont) ELPA Promising Practices (cont) Newcomer ELL students and those unfamiliar with Oregon’s ELPA may benefit from multiple opportunities to take the practice test. A Test Administrator may pause the ELPA at the beginning of the speaking domain and have the student resume later in the testing window. At the elementary level, teachers might choose to provide students with a name tag with picture to avoid confusion.

Promising Practices (cont) ELPA Promising Practices (cont) Test administrators may choose to assess all Beginning level and Newcomer ELL students later in the testing window as students need more language acquisition time to demonstrate their ability on ELPA. Early Advanced ELL students should take the ELPA earlier in the assessment window in order to receive scores back during the school year. Any student who may have moved up a proficiency level should take the assessment early in the assessment window in order to receive scores back during the school year.

ELPA In a Nutshell ELPA will be similar, but will look different for students and test administrators. Schools should plan extra practice time. All LEP students in grades K-12 must take the test Only those students with a valid ELPA score and a valid submission in the LEP collection will be counted as LEP for accountability reports.

DTC Training Acorns for Storage What is the process for deciding which students should take the ELPA? What are some of the similarities and differences between the ELPA and the other OAKS Online assessments? How should a TA determine which accommodations should be provided for a student taking the ELPA? How should results from the ELPA be used?