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  3. English Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC)

English Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC)

ELPAC

Initial ELPAC Assessment

Who?:
•    Students will take the Initial Assessment if:  
•    the student has a primary language other than English,
•    the student has not taken the CELDT or ELPAC before, and
•    the student has not been classified before as an English learner.
What?:
    The Initial Assessment is used to identify students as either an English learner who needs support to learn English, or as proficient in English.
When?:
    Students are given the Initial Assessment within 30 days of when they enroll at the school.

How Can I Help My Child Get Ready for the ELPAC?
    You are an important part of your child’s education. Some things you can do to help your child are:  
•    Read to your child, or have your child read to you in English, daily.
•    Use pictures and ask your child to tell you in English what they see in the picture or what is happening in the picture.
•    Talk to your child’s teacher about which areas of learning English (listening, speaking, reading, writing) he or she may need extra help.
•    Discuss the test with your child. Make sure he or she feels comfortable and understands the importance of taking the test.

Parent Guide to Understanding the ELPAC
•    Parent Guide - English (PDF)
•    Parent Guide - Spanish (PDF)

 Understanding the ELPAC Student Score Reports
ELPAC Initial (2018-19)
•    English (PDF)     Spanish (PDF)
ELPAC Summative (2017-18)
•    English (PDF)     Spanish (PDF)

Summative ELPAC Assessment

Who?:
    The Summative Assessment is given to students who are identified as an English learner on the Initial Assessment
What?:
    The Summative Assessment is used to measure the skills of English learners. The results will help tell the school or district if the student is ready to be reclassified as proficient in English.
When?:
    Students who are English learners are given the Summative Assessment every spring between February and May until they are reclassified as English proficient.  For information on specific dates and times when your child will take the test in each subject, please contact your child’s school office.

ELPAC Practice Tests
    The Practice Test gives students, parents and families, teachers, administrators, and others an opportunity to become familiar with the types of test questions on the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC). It includes examples of all of the types of test questions that may appear in the actual Summative Assessment at each grade or grade span. In an actual test setting, an Examiner’s Manual, a Test Book, and/or an Answer Book are used. The test questions in the Practice Test are reproduced from these test materials. Practice and Training Test Resources