ELPAC email update, March 1, 2021.

ELPAC Monthly Communication

This communication includes information about the Initial, Summative, and Alternate ELPAC.

Upcoming Dates and Deadlines

Please mark your calendars!

March 4, 2021

Coffee Sessions Continues!

Local educational agency (LEA) staff are invited to ask questions and get answers about the spring assessments and multiple administration options at the Assessment Coffee Sessions. For dates and registration links, view the Upcoming Training Opportunities web page.

Coffee Sessions will be held every week and are entirely dedicated to answering questions about the assessments posed by testing coordinators at schools, LEAs, and county offices of education.

March 12, 2021

ELPAC The Results Are In—Now What? Modules 4–7

Modules 4 through 7 will be available on the ELPAC Moodle Training Site (Moodle) on March 12, 2021. These modules will demonstrate how to use data to advance English language proficiency through high-leverage instructional sequences. Participants will use a protocol linking two of the more difficult ELPAC task types to robust classroom instruction that can be used to create ELPAC-like assessments in context. Video clips, student work, and reflections from the implementation of these practices with English learners will be shared.

This virtual training will be offered as a series of seven modules. Training modules 1 through 3 are now available on Moodle .

March 12 and 26, 2021

Return Kindergarten Through Grade Two (K–2) Writing Answer Books

Please remember to return K–2 Writing Answer Books and follow the Summative ELPAC Packing and Return Instructions. The next two dates to return completed K–2 Writing Answer Books to ETS for scoring are March 12 and 26, 2021.

March 24, 2021

CDE Assessment Update Webinar

This webinar, hosted by the CDE, provides LEA CAASPP and ELPAC coordinators with an update on assessment information and a chance to ask CDE staff questions. This webinar will take place on Wednesday, March 24, 2021, from 2–3 p.m.

Registration is closed.

April 1, 2021

Superintendent Designation Form of LEA ELPAC Coordinators

The superintendent designation process for 2021–22 ELPAC testing must be completed in the Test Operations Management System (TOMS). The deadline to designate the LEA ELPAC coordinator is April 1, 2021 (California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Section 11518.40[a]). Please ensure your superintendent assigns a primary coordinator for the 2021–22 administration year as soon as possible. This coordinator will be responsible for the Initial, Summative, and Alternate ELPAC.

Ongoing Reminders!

Summative ELPAC Administration Continues

The Summative ELPAC administration window opened on February 1, 2021 and will remain open until May 31, 2021. To properly administer the Summative ELPAC, test examiners should do the following:

• Complete Summative ELPAC Speaking certification in Moodle for the grade levels or grade spans the test examiners are administering.
• Access the Directions for Administration (DFAs) in the Test Operations Management System (TOMS) that correspond to the LEA's form assignment.
• Enter scores into the Data Entry Interface immediately after administering the Speaking domain. (For more information, refer to How to Enter Scores for the Computer-based Summative ELPAC Speaking Domain quick reference guide.)

Remote Administration Addendums

To prepare for remote administration, test examiners should download from Moodle one or more of the following corresponding addendums, which include the logon instructions:

• K–2 Remote Administration Addendum for test examiners, including the Answer Book PDF and the Student Writing Response Sheets
• Grades 3–12 Remote Group Administration Addendum for test examiners
• Grades 3–12 Remote Administration Addendum for parents/guardians and students

Test examiners should also review the available remote testing training videos on the Spring Administration Information for Educators web page.

Stopping Marker Reminders

The stopping marker is followed by an [End Test] button. As described in the DFAs, the [End Test] button should be used only when there have been no responses or no correct responses prior to the stopping marker.

Please ensure that all test examiners have been trained and certified in Moodle , are familiar with the DFAs before administering the test, and appropriately follow the directions on how and when to use the stopping markers.

Test Security Affidavit for Non-TOMS Users

All non-TOMS users who have access to secure ELPAC materials are required to sign and submit a 2020–2021 Test Security Affidavit for Non-TOMS Users . Site coordinators will receive an email for each staff member who has completed this form. For tracking purposes, LEA ELPAC coordinators can reach out to the California Technical Assistance Center (CalTAC) to request a list of users from their LEA who have signed this form.

Educator Opportunities for the ELPAC and Alternate ELPAC

New opportunities for educators to participate in the development of the ELPAC and the Alternate ELPAC are available on the ELPAC and Alternate ELPAC Opportunities to Get Involved web page. New users can simply create an account in the Educator Opportunities Portal . Existing users can go directly to the Educator Opportunities Portal . For questions about how to get involved in these educator opportunities, please contact the CAASPP and ELPAC Project Team, by phone at 916-228-2682 or by email at edopportunities@scoe.net.

2021–22 Alternate ELPAC Administration and Scoring Training

LEA coordinators and test examiners who have already completed the LEA certification course for Alternate ELPAC training in Moodle will not have to certify again. Please note that LEAs should be preparing and training test examiners based on the grade levels of the students the test examiners are expected to teach next year. Note that Moodle will remain open for continued training and certification of test examiners. If an LEA has not yet fulfilled its certification requirements, please use this spring and summer to prepare for the upcoming operational field test and train staff members on test administration. Current binders and training materials are still valid and should be securely retained and used to train and prepare test examiners. Any new components added to the training courses will be announced and will need to be completed prior to administering the Alternate ELPAC.

Binders will continue to be shipped, at no cost, to LEAs that want them. LEAs may order as many training binders as needed. The draft DFAs posted in Moodle can still be used for training and preparation for test examiners. LEAs will be notified when the final DFAs are posted and will be contacted in the fall with any updates.

Available Now!

Manuals, Instructions, and Quick Reference Guides

• Security Incidents and Appeals Procedures Guide
• Alternate ELPAC Checklists:
  • Alternate ELPAC Operational Field Test Checklist—LEA Coordinator
  • Alternate ELPAC Operational Field Test Checklist—Site Coordinator
  • Alternate ELPAC Operational Field Test Checklist—Test Examiner
  • Alternate ELPAC Operational Field Test Checklist—Secondary Test Examiner
  • Alternate ELPAC Operational Field Test Checklist—Preadministration
• How to Second Score for the Alternate ELPAC

Videos

• Spring Administration videos for educators on the Videos and Quick Reference Guides web page for educators
• Spring Administration videos for parents/guardians on the Videos and Quick Reference Guides web page for parents/guardians
• Starting and Stopping an in-person Test Session video
• How to Second Score for the California Alternate Assessment for English Language Arts/Literacy and Alternate ELPAC video
• Introduction to Alternate ELPAC for Parents in Spanish video

Website Updates

• Spring Administration Information for Educators web page
• Spring Administration Information for Parents/Guardians web page
• Alternate ELPAC Operational Field Test Postponement FAQs web page

(Coming Soon)!

2021–22 Initial ELPAC Administration and Scoring Training

Statewide training is mandatory and will be delivered virtually through Moodle . One person from the LEA is required to complete the online certification one time for the 2020–21 and 2021–22 administrations. All LEA ELPAC coordinators will need to confirm that this requirement has been met through the Computer-based Initial ELPAC Administration and Scoring Trainings web page beginning April 12, 2021. Moodle will open April 12, 2021. More details will be provided in a separate email to be sent in March.

The training binder remains unchanged for the 2021–22 administration. Only LEAs with a new coordinator or trainer will need to order a training binder. Starting March 15, 2021, one or more printed copies of the Initial ELPAC Administration and Scoring Training binder may be requested to be shipped by completing the online request process. Training binders will also be available in PDF format for download in Moodle .

Access to Previous ELPAC Monthly Communications

Previous ELPAC monthly communications, as well as other email communications, can be found on the ELPAC Coordinator Emails web page.

General questions about the ELPAC should be directed to CalTAC, by phone at 800-955-2954 or by email at caltac@ets.org.

Sincerely,

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