ELPAC email update, November 2, 2020.

ELPAC Monthly Communication

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

Upcoming Dates and Deadlines

Please mark your calendars!

November 2, 2020

Alternate ELPAC Moodle Training Site Opens

The Alternate ELPAC Moodle Training Site (Moodle) launches today, November 2, 2020. Local educational agency (LEA) ELPAC coordinators or the coordinators' designees must fulfill the mandatory LEA training requirements by accessing the Moodle Training Site At least one designee must complete the LEA certification course for the Alternate ELPAC by December 4, 2020. The certification earned upon successful completion of the activities in Moodle fulfills the training requirement for an LEA. A certificate of completion will be produced upon completion of the LEA certification course.

Test examiners (TEs) should complete certification in Moodle prior to administering the Alternate ELPAC Operational Field Test, which begins January 12, 2021. For additional information, refer to the Alternate ELPAC Administration and Scoring Trainings web page.

Alternate ELPAC Administration and Scoring Training (AST) Moodle Training Materials

To receive AST materials, LEA ELPAC coordinators must complete the online AST training materials request form, which became available on September 15, 2020, and include the address where the training binder(s) will be received. Prior to the opening of registration, coordinators were sent an email containing registration information, a registration code, and access keys.

Beginning this month, LEAs with students participating in the Alternate ELPAC Operational Field Test will receive training materials containing printed presentation slides for each training module and a draft of the Alternate ELPAC Operational Field Test Directions for Administration (DFAs) for training purposes.

Second Scoring for the Alternate ELPAC

Beginning this year, a subset of LEAs and schools will be required to participate in second scoring for the Alternate ELPAC. Second scoring is the process of having a secondary, trained TE score a student's rubric-scored items simultaneously, yet independently, from the student's primary TE. As part of the peer review process, any scoring involving human judgment, including scoring conducted by TEs, must contain evidence that the scoring of these items includes adequate procedures and criteria for ensuring and documenting interrater reliability. Second scoring is one method of providing scorer reliability evidence.

If an LEA has been selected to participate in second scoring, the secondary TE must be present during the entirety of the administration, along with the student and primary TE. The secondary TE is not involved in the administration of the assessment and should be present only to observe student responses.

More information about the second scoring process and assignments will be posted on the Alternate ELPAC web page and inside the Moodle Training Site by November 6, 2020.

Summative ELPAC Test Materials Ordering Window Opens

LEAs can use the Test Operations Management System (TOMS) to order Writing domain testing materials for kindergarten through grade two beginning November 2, 2020. To do this, navigate to the [Orders] tab > [Primary Order] tab in TOMS. Orders can be placed during the following ordering windows:

• Primary materials ordering window: November 2–December 21, 2020
• Supplemental materials ordering window: January 15–May 14, 2021

Orders placed in November will be delivered the week of December 14, 2020. Orders placed in December will be delivered the week of January 11, 2021. Please check that the shipping address in TOMS is correct prior to ordering to ensure that materials are delivered to the appropriate location. The shipping address must be a physical location; materials cannot be shipped to a post office box.

December 4, 2020

Summative ELPAC AST

The Summative ELPAC AST opened on October 19, 2020, in the Moodle Training Site . The LEA ELPAC coordinator or a designee must complete either the kindergarten through grade twelve course or the grades six through twelve course. At the end of the LEA Certification Course, a certificate of completion is issued, which marks the LEA training requirement as complete.

LEA ELPAC coordinators responsible for multiple LEAs should alert the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) at elpac@scoe.net when the LEA Certification Course is completed so the certification requirement can count for the other LEAs.

Summative ELPAC AST binders were shipped in October. LEAs will not receive training materials without completing the registration process described on the Computer-based Summative Administration and Scoring Trainings web page.

Ongoing Reminders!

Alternate ELPAC Standard Setting—February 2021

SCOE seeks special education teachers who will administer the Alternate ELPAC Operational Field Test to take part in the Alternate ELPAC standard setting. The Alternate ELPAC Standard Setting Meeting will be held in two sessions: February 17–19, 2021, for kindergarten through grade two; and February 22–24, 2021, for grades three through twelve. This is a very important meeting, where participants will make threshold-score recommendations for each performance level on the Alternate ELPAC. If you or a special education teacher on staff at the LEA is interested in participating in this meeting, please contact Sue Vue, by phone at 916-228-2682 or by email at lvue@scoe.net.

Test Security Affidavit for Non-TOMS Users

Staff within the LEA who have access to secure ELPAC materials but do not require access to TOMS must complete the 2020–2021 Test Security Affidavit for Non-TOMS Users form. Site ELPAC coordinators are required to have all non-TOMS users, including proctors and LEA staff with access to secure materials, sign and submit the security affidavit. Upon staff members' completion of this form, the listed site ELPAC coordinator will receive a confirmation email. LEA ELPAC coordinators can reach out to the California Technical Assistance Center (CalTAC) to request a list of users who signed this form.

Alternate ELPAC Operational Field Test: Picture Card Orders

To support the administration of the Alternate ELPAC Operational Field Test that will take place from January 12 through February 16, 2021, printed sets of the picture cards will be made available to LEAs. LEAs may order picture cards by grade or grade span, and these will be printed and shipped at no cost to the LEA. The LEA coordinator should discuss with each site coordinator each student's need for picture cards, as not all students may require them. LEA ELPAC coordinators should refer to the email and order form that will be sent on November 4, 2020.

Upcoming Virtual Office Hours for the Summative and Alternate ELPAC ASTs

Beginning in November, SCOE will hold office hours—via Zoom—to answer test administration questions for both the Summative ELPAC and the Alternate ELPAC. Questions can be submitted through Moodle, and the Zoom link can be accessed within Moodle. LEA ELPAC coordinators received an email with details. The scheduled dates and times are on the following Thursdays:

• November 5: 1–2 p.m.—General ELPAC
• November 19: 1–2 p.m.—Alternate ELPAC
• December 3: 1–2 p.m.—General ELPAC
• December 10: 1–2 p.m.—Alternate ELPAC
• January 7: 1–2 p.m.—Alternate ELPAC
• January 14: 1–2 p.m.—General ELPAC

Alternate ELPAC Practice and Training Test

The Alternate ELPAC practice test will be available tomorrow—November 3—to help prepare students and LEA staff for the operational administration of this new assessment! The practice test and the training test are available via the Online Practice and Training Tests web page. The practice test contains items similar to those on the Alternate ELPAC operational assessments and follows the same test blueprint. Remember, the practice test does mirror the full length of the Alternate ELPAC operational tests and includes the various item and task types that are expected to be available on the operational tests. As with the operational assessments, DFAs must be used to administer the practice and training test. The practice and training test DFAs are located on the Practice and Training Test Resources web page on the ELPAC website.

Educator Opportunities for the ELPAC and Alternate ELPAC

New opportunities for the ELPAC and Alternate ELPAC are available on the ELPAC and Alternate ELPAC Opportunities to Get Involved web page. Simply create an account in the Educator Opportunities Portal. Those who already have an account 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.

Support for New LEA ELPAC Coordinators

Are you new to the role of LEA ELPAC coordinator? The California Department of Education offers a variety of trainings throughout the year to support you in this new role. Visit the 2020–21 Training Opportunities web page and use the filtering options to display the events most relevant to you.

Available Now!

Manuals, Instructions, and Quick Reference Guides

• How to Start a Test Session for the Initial ELPAC web document
• Delayed Assessment Letter Template for Student Cumulative Files web document
• Alternate ELPAC web document
• Alternate ELPAC Fact Sheet web document
• A Parent Guide to Understanding the Alternate ELPAC web document

Videos

• Virtual North–South Assessment and Accountability Information Meeting playlist

Website Updates

• Alternate ELPAC FAQs web page
• ELPAC FAQs web page
• Alternate ELPAC Forms Assignment web page
• Summative ELPAC Forms Assignment web page

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
Educational Testing Service
Phone: 800-955-2954
Email: caltac@ets.org
Website: https://www.elpac.org/