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:

1. Initial ELPAC—an initial identification of students as English learners (ELs)
2. Summative ELPAC—an annual summative assessment to measure an ELs progress in learning English and to identify the student's English language proficiency level
3. 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.