ELPAC email update, January 21, 2021.

As previously reported at the pretest workshops and the California State Board of Education meeting in January, the California Department of Education is postponing the administration of the Alternate ELPAC operational field test to the 2021–22 school year. The new Alternate ELPAC testing window will be open from November 1, 2021, through February 15, 2022. This window was determined after consulting with our Technical Design Advisory Team, members of our Technical Advisory Group, and local educational agencies (LEAs) with the largest numbers of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. Additional considerations provided by the LEAs included but were not limited to

• allowing more time for teachers to become familiar with their students, as well as their individual needs; and
• allowing LEAs to have more time to train and administer assessments during the testing window, which will benefit students and test examiners.

For the 2020–21 school year, LEAs will continue to administer their locally determined alternate assessments, while following state, county, and local health requirements. The testing window for these locally determined alternate assessments will be from February 1, 2021, through May 31, 2021. If students were already assigned to the Alternate ELPAC operational field test, LEAs will not need to reassign them to the locally determined alternate assessment, as the system will automatically reassign those students. LEAs will still need to register any eligible students for the locally determined alternate assessments who had not yet been registered for the operational field test. The process for registering students for the locally determined alternate assessment is the same as it was for the Alternate ELPAC operational field test, but instead of selecting the operational field test assignment, LEAs will need to select the option for the locally determined alternate assessment.

Preparing for Next Year

LEAs should use this time to identify students who may be eligible to take the operational field test next year and prepare any necessary individualized education programs. Registration of students for the Alternate ELPAC operational field test will open in August 2021.

Administration and Scoring Training

If the LEA or staff have already completed the LEA certification course for the Alternate ELPAC training on the Moodle Training Site, coordinators and test examiners will not have to certify again. Please note that the Moodle website will remain open for the continued training and certification of test examiners. If the LEA has not yet completed the LEA certification course, we encourage LEAs to use this spring and summer to prepare for the upcoming operational field test and train staff members on test administration. We will continue to ship binders at no cost to LEAs. The draft Directions for Administration (DFAs) posted in Moodle can still be used for training and preparations for test examiners. Please note that LEAs should be preparing and training test examiners based on the grade levels of the students they are expected to teach next year. LEAs will be notified when the final DFAs are posted. We will contact LEAs in the fall with any updates.

Picture Cards

At this time, we are no longer shipping picture cards due to the postponement of the Alternate ELPAC operational field test. Pending orders will be canceled to maintain test security of the picture cards. If the LEA has already received picture cards, we ask that the LEA securely store the picture cards that were received until it is once again time for the operational field test. We will notify LEAs when the order form has reopened in August 2021, and LEAs may submit a new order at that time. Please check the form assignments on the ELPAC website for next year prior to ordering picture cards.

Form Assignments

Form assignments will be reevaluated and may change for next year. The assignments will be posted on the ELPAC website in August 2021. Be sure that individualization for each student is determined once the form assignments have been posted for the next administration, as form assignments are subject to change.

English Only (EO) Study

The EO study is also postponed for the 2021–22 school year. If an LEA agreed to test one or more EO student(s) for the Alternate ELPAC operational field test, we hope the LEA is still willing to test one or more EO student(s) next year. If the LEA had not signed up for the study and is interested in participating in the 2021–22 school year, please email Sacramento County Office of Education at elpac@scoe.net. More information regarding this important study will be provided in the upcoming months.

For More Information

For more information regarding the postponement of the Alternate ELPAC operational field test, please refer to the Alternate ELPAC Frequently Asked Questions web page which will be updated by the end of January.

Questions regarding the Alternate ELPAC operational field test postponement or the 2020–21 CAASPP or ELPAC administration should be directed to the CalTAC by phone at 800-955-2954 or by email at caltac@ets.org.

Thank you for your patience.

Sincerely,

California Technical Assistance Center
Phone: 800-955-2954
Fax: 800-541-8455
Email: caltac@ets.org
Website: https://www.elpac.org/