Test Administration
Administration Overview
Local educational agencies (LEAs) are required to administer the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) to eligible students in kindergarten—or year one of a two-year kindergarten program, also referred to as transitional kindergarten—through grade twelve. The ELPAC is comprised of the following assessments:
- Initial ELPAC—an initial identification of students as English learners (ELs)
- Summative ELPAC—an annual summative assessment to measure an ELs progress in learning English and to identify the student's English language proficiency level
- Alternate ELPAC—consist of an Initial Alternate ELPAC and a Summative Alternate ELPAC for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities.
The Initial and Summative ELPAC is delivered on a computer-based test delivery platform.
The statewide Alternate ELPAC Operational Field Test has been postponed to the 2021–22 school year.
Information about the transition from the paper-based ELPAC to computer-based ELPAC and an implementation timeline is available on the About web page.
Below are some of the basic administration facts about the computer-based ELPAC:
- Two separate assessments each year: Initial ELPAC and Summative ELPAC
- Initial ELPAC is shorter than the Summative ELPAC
- Six grades and grade spans for the Initial ELPAC: kindergarten, grade one, grade two, and grade spans three through five, six through eight, and nine through twelve
- Seven grades and grade spans for Summative ELPAC: kindergarten, grade one, grade two, and grade spans three through five, six through eight, nine and ten, and eleven and twelve
- Four domains: Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing
- Kindergarten through grade two Writing domain will continue to be administered as a paper–pencil test
- One-on-one administration for students in kindergarten through grade two, except grade two Writing, which can be administered in small groups
- Group administration for Listening, Reading, and Writing at grades three through twelve
- One-on-one administration of Speaking items to all students
- Real-time scoring of Speaking items by a trained Test Examiner
- All constructed-response items in the Writing domain (no multiple-choice items)
Test Operations Management System
The Test Operations Management System (TOMS) will serve as the primary conduit for LEA ELPAC coordinators of the Initial and Summative ELPAC. It is a secure system that manages a wide variety of program needs that permits authorized users to perform several tasks. For example, LEA ELPAC coordinators can use TOMS to:
- verify contact and address information, including delivery and email addresses;
- enter and manage Site ELPAC coordinator and Test Examiner access on TOMS;
- place orders for paper–pencil test materials;
- submit test incidents and appeals using the STAIRS/Appeals process;
- access directions for administration and other secure materials; and
- run various reports to reconcile and summarize data, such as pending material orders and shipment tracking.