English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC)

Program Overview

The English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) is the required state test for English language proficiency (ELP) that must be given to students whose primary language is a language other than English. State and federal law require that local educational agencies administer a state test of ELP to eligible students in kindergarten through grade twelve. The California Department of Education (CDE) transitioned from the California English Language Development Test (CELDT) to the ELPAC as the state ELP assessment in 2018. The ELPAC is aligned with the 2012 California English Language Development Standards. It consists of two separate ELP assessments: one for the initial identification of students as English learners (ELs), and a second for the annual summative assessment to measure a student’s progress in learning English and to identify the student's level of ELP.

The following links provide additional information about the program:

ELPAC – CalEdFacts web page provides a more detailed overview of the test.

California Assessment Timeline (PDF) presents the assessment administration timeline for the 2018–19, 2019–20, and 2020–21 school years.

Assessment System Chart (PDF) lists the tests of the 2018–19 California assessment system by subject content, test name, test type, student participant groups, grade levels, and testing window time frame.

Assessment Spotlight web page contains archives of all previous Assessment Spotlight emails. Send a blank email to subscribe-caaspp@mlist.cde.ca.gov to receive regular updates on the latest information about the statewide assessment system.

Assessment

Alternate ELPAC

Resources and Communication Materials

2019–20 ELPAC Information Guide (PDF)

Talking to Parents About the ELPAC (PPTX; 3MB)

ELPAC Resources for Parents

Matrix Four (DOCX)
Matrix Four displays the embedded and non-embedded universal tools, designated supports, and accommodations allowed on the ELPAC. Matrix Four should be used in conjunction with the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California Accessibility for Operational Testing (DOCX).

ELPAC Administration Student Accessibility Checklist (PDF)

ELPAC Administration Guidance and Governing Definitions for Student Accessibility Discussions (PDF)

ELPAC Accessibility Resources Video (Video; 17:58)

2018–19 Student Assessment Accessibility for the ELPAC graphic (PDF)

Initial ELPAC Assessment Fact Sheet (PDF)

Summative ELPAC Assessment Fact Sheet (PDF)

Quick Reference Guides

ELPAC Overview Video: English (Video; 16:06)

Video en español de reseña de las ELPAC (Video; 18:28)

Available ELPAC Resources flyer (PDF)

Practice test flyer (PDF)

Domain Information Sheets

Talking to Educators About the ELPAC (PPTX; 13MB)

Test Administration

ELPAC Administration Research Files

Test Administration Coordination website

ELPAC Coordinator Checklist (DOCX)

2019–20 Notice of Summative ELPAC Administration Letter (DOCX)
2019–20 Notificación de la carta administración sumativa de ELPAC (DOCX)
Other translations of the 2019–20 Notice of Summative ELPAC Administration Letter

2019–20 Initial ELPAC Testing Parent/Guardian Notification Letter (DOCX) –This letter serves as notice to parents/guardians that their child will be administered the Initial ELPAC.
2019–20 Notificación de la carta inicial de ELPAC para padres/guardián (DOCX)
Other translations of the 2019–20 Initial ELPAC Testing Parent/Guardian Notification Letter

ELPAC Summative Assessment Parent and Guardian Score Report Letter Template (DOCX)
Other translations of the ELPAC Summative Assessment Parent and Guardian Score Report Letter Template

Scores and Results Reporting

The “Guide to Understanding Your Student Score Report, 2017–18 Summative ELPAC” explains your child's score report. It is available in Spanish, Vietnamese, and Mandarin on the ELPAC website .

The Initial ELPAC 2018–19 Scale Score Ranges document provides the Overall scale score ranges and the weighting of the Overall score by grade/grade span.

• Initial ELPAC 2018–19 Scale Score Ranges (PDF)

The Summative ELPAC 2018–19 Scale Score Ranges document provides the Overall, Oral Language, and Written Language scale score ranges and the weighting of the Overall score by grade/grade span.

• Summative ELPAC 2018–19 Scale Score Ranges (PDF)

Data for the ELPAC in the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) webinar explains how CALPADS data are used in the Test Operations Management System (TOMS) Local Scoring Tool for the ELPAC, and the English language acquisition status correction process.

• Data for the ELPAC in CALPADS (Video; 1:28:13)
• Data for the ELPAC in CALPADS transcript (DOCX)

Starting Smarter families have a new website for resources to support their child’s learning. The Starting Smarter website includes information on student score reports, sample test questions, parent-teacher conferences, and other no-cost resources in English and Spanish.

• Starting Smarter (Video; 0:37)
• Starting Smarter – Spanish (Video; 0:37)

Laws, Regulations, and Requirements

The administration of an ELP assessment is required by law.

California Education Code Section 313
California Education Code Section 60810

Final regulations were adopted by the Office of Administrative Law for the ELPAC administration; see California Code of Regulations, Title 5, sections 11517.6 through 11519.5

Technical Documents

• ELPAC blueprints (PDF)
• The Initial task types (PDF) in the ELPAC blueprints are designed to be aligned with California’s 2012 English Language Development Standards, which were developed to correspond to the 2010 California Common Core State Standards. The Initial task types and blueprints were approved and adopted by the State Board of Education on November 4, 2015.
• The revised Summative ELPAC task types and blueprints (PDF) were approved and adopted by the State Board of Education on September 14, 2017.
• 2012 California English Language Development Standards
• Correspondence Study Report (PDF)
• Integrating the CA ELD Standards into K–12 Mathematics and Science Teaching and Learning: A Supplementary Resource for Educators Implementing the California English Language Development Standards, the California Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, and the Next Generation Science Standards for California Public Schools (DOC; 16-Dec-2015)
• Initial ELPAC Threshold Score Review Study Final Report (DOCX)
• Educational Testing Service conducted a study to determine the viability of transitioning the ELPAC, a paper-pencil test, to a Computer-Based Assessment (PDF; 2MB).
• Potential Transition of the ELPAC to Computer-based Assessment Addendum Memo (PDF)
• Test Blueprints for the ELPAC Summative Test, Computer-based Assessment (PDF)

Initial ELPAC technical documents

• Initial task types (PDF)
• Initial ELPAC General Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs)
• ELPAC Iniciales PLDs Generales

Summative ELPAC technical documents

• Summative ELPAC task types and blueprints (PDF)
• Summative ELPAC General PLDs
• ELPAC Sumativas PLDs Generales
• ELPAC Computer-based Assessment Summative Blueprints (PDF)