English Language Advisory Council (ELAC)
English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC)
English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC)
The English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) is the successor to the California English Language Development Test (CELDT). Beginning in 2017–18, the ELPAC is the required state test for English language proficiency (ELP) that must be given to students whose primary language is a language other than English. The California Department of Education (CDE) expects to be fully transitioned from the CELDT to the ELPAC as the state's assessment of ELP by 2018–19.
State and federal law require that local educational agencies administer a state test of ELP to eligible students in kindergarten (or year one of a two-year kindergarten program, sometimes referred to as “transitional kindergarten”) through grade twelve (ages 3-21). The ELPAC is aligned with California’s 2012 English Language Development Standards, and is comprised of two separate ELP assessments:
- Initial Assessment (IA)—an initial identification of students as English learners
- Summative Assessment (SA)—an annual summative assessment to measure an English learner's progress in learning English and to identify the student's ELP level
ELPAC Timeline
The current ELPAC timeline will continue through spring 2018 and is as follows:
2017-18 School Year
- First Operational SA Administration: February 1-May 31, 2018
2018-19 School Year
- First Operational IA Administration: beginning July 1, 2018
Part A of Title III is officially known as the English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement Act. Section 3102 lists nine purposes of the law. The overarching purpose is to ensure that limited-English-proficient (LEP) students (called English learners under California laws), including immigrant children and youths, attain English proficiency and meet the same challenging academic content and achievement standards that other students are expected to meet.
LEAs must use Title III funds to implement language instruction educational programs designed to help LEP students achieve standards. The state educational agency (SEA), LEAs, and schools are accountable for increasing the English proficiency and core academic content knowledge of LEP students.
Each LEA using funds provided under Title III to provide a language instruction educational program must implement an effective means of outreach to parents of LEP children. LEAs must inform such parents about how they can be active participants in assisting their children to learn English, achieve at high levels in core academic subjects, and meet the same challenging state academic content and student achievement standards that all children are expected to meet (Title III, Section 3302 (1)).
Title III, Section 3302(a), requires that LEAs receiving Title III funds inform parents of the following items:
- The reasons for identifying their child as being limited-English proficient (LEP) and for placing their child in a language instruction educational program for LEP students
- The child's level of English proficiency as measured by the California English Language Development Test (CELDT)
- The method of instruction that will be used in the program, including a description of alternative programs
- How the program will meet the educational strengths and needs of the child
- How the program will help the child learn English and meet academic achievement standards for grade promotion and graduation
- The program exit requirement, including the expected rate of transition from the program to an English-language mainstream classroom and the expected rate of graduation from secondary school
- How the program will meet the objectives of an individualized education program for a child with a disability
- The parents' rights in writing, including (A) the right to have their child immediately removed from a language instruction educational program on their request; and (B) the options that parents have in declining enrollment of their child in such a program or in choosing another program or method of instruction, if available; and (C) written guidance assisting parents in selecting among various programs and methods of instruction, if more than one program or method is offered.
No parent committees are specifically required by Title III, but they are required under other state and federal statutes. For example, both the English Learner Advisory Committee and the District English Learner Advisory Committee are required by state law ( Education Code Section 62002.5; formerly Education Code sections 52168, 52176; California Code of Regulations , Title 5, Section 4312).
Taken from: http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/el/t3/title3faq.asp
