ELPAC email update, February 14, 2022.

Dear LEA ELPAC Coordinator:

The CDE and ETS have received questions about allowing non-testing students to remain in the classroom while the ELPAC is being administered. We recognize that there are staffing shortages, a lack of substitutes, a need to track students' movements for tracing purposes, and other issues this year has brought about, and these security requirements make it difficult for some LEAs to schedule the assessment.

With that said, both the ELPAC Test Security Affidavit that test examiners signed (see the excerpt from Section 11518.50, Title 5, California Code of Regulations below), and directions for administration for the Summative and Initial ELPAC state that no one who is not actively part of the assessment should be in the room while testing occurs.

Section 11518.50. ELPAC Test Security Agreement and ELPAC Test Security Affidavit.

(e)(4) I will permit eligible pupils access to test materials only during testing periods. I will permit only eligible pupils who are testing, and individuals participating in the test administration who have electronically agreed to an ELPAC Test Security Affidavit, to be in the room when and where the ELPAC assessments are being administered.

The expectation is that LEAs will make every effort to maintain a secure area for testing, which means that only students participating in the current testing session, the test examiner, and any proctor(s) should be in the room. If you cannot adhere to the regulation listed above, your LEA must submit a case in the Security and Test Administration Incident Reporting System (STAIRS) for the students who were assessed with others in the testing room, to provide a record of the situation. The reporting of this testing irregularity will not affect a student's results.

An LEA or site ELPAC coordinator may upload a list of SSIDs for an entire site or LEA upon the completion of testing. A STAIRS case must be entered for each affected domain. The incident(s) must be submitted before the testing window closes.

STAIRS cases will need to be entered in a specific way in order to process these requests. Please follow the steps below in order to submit cases for your affected domains:

1. Input required details on the New STAIRS page in TOMS. Select the [NEXT] button.
2. On the Testing Issues page, select the radio button for the testing incident type for Administration Error. Select [NEXT].
3. Select the testing incident description that states "Instructions were not corrected prior to testing or directions for test administration were not followed." Select [NEXT].
4. Enter the total number of students involved.
5. If the number of students involved are 10 or fewer, the LEA may use either the SSID Input option or the Upload option. The Upload option is required to be used when the number of students involved are more than 10.
6. In the Description of the issue text field, enter "Student tested with other students in the room." DO NOT enter any student information in the box.
7. Verify the details of the STAIRS case in the Confirm Details page. Select [NEXT].
8. Ensure the Select check box is selected. This will ensure reporting of all the SSIDs involved.
9. If the LEA opts to submit the STAIRS case for selective students, select individual check-boxes under Student Case(s).
10. The LEA must provide a resolution that the LEA plans to take to avoid such administration errors in the future. Input the resolution in the box under Plan of Action Description.
11. Select the [SUBMIT] button.

Direct any questions about test security for the ELPAC to the LEA's assigned LEA Success Agent . Visit the California Outreach web page for other support options.

Sincerely,

California Outreach Team

CAASPP website and ELPAC website

Contact Us: California Outreach web page