ELPAC Overview 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which California state agency is responsible for administering the ELPAC?
- California Department of Education (CDE) (Correct answer)
- California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office
- University of California Office of the President
- California State Board of Education only
Correct answer: California Department of Education (CDE)
The California Department of Education (CDE) administers the ELPAC in collaboration with the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) system.
Question 2: The ELPAC replaced which previous English language proficiency assessment in California?
- CELDT (California English Language Development Test) (Correct answer)
- ACCESS for ELLs
- LAS Links
- WIDA Screener
Correct answer: CELDT (California English Language Development Test)
The ELPAC replaced the CELDT beginning in the 2017–2018 school year as California's primary EL assessment.
Question 3: How many overall performance levels does the ELPAC use to report student English proficiency?
- 4 (Correct answer)
- 3
- 5
- 6
Correct answer: 4
The ELPAC reports results using four performance levels: 1 (Minimally Developed), 2 (Somewhat Developed), 3 (Moderately Developed), and 4 (Well Developed).
Question 4: Which law mandated that California develop the ELPAC aligned to the 2012 California English Language Development Standards?
- Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) (Correct answer)
- No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
- Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
Correct answer: Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
ESSA (2015) required states to adopt standardized EL assessments aligned to their ELD standards, driving California to develop the ELPAC.
Question 5: What is the primary purpose of the Initial ELPAC?
- To identify newly enrolled students who may be English learners (Correct answer)
- To reclassify long-term English learners as proficient
- To measure academic content knowledge in math and science
- To determine eligibility for special education services
Correct answer: To identify newly enrolled students who may be English learners
The Initial ELPAC screens newly enrolled students to determine if they should be designated as English learners requiring language support services.
Question 6: Which ELPAC domain assesses a student's ability to understand spoken English in academic contexts?
- Listening (Correct answer)
- Reading
- Writing
- Speaking
Correct answer: Listening
The Listening domain evaluates how well students comprehend spoken English, including conversations, lectures, and oral instructions.
Question 7: Students who score at Performance Level 4 on the Summative ELPAC are generally considered eligible for what process?
- Reclassification as Fluent English Proficient (RFEP) (Correct answer)
- Placement into an English learner newcomer program
- Exemption from all standardized testing
- Enrollment in dual-language immersion only
Correct answer: Reclassification as Fluent English Proficient (RFEP)
A Level 4 (Well Developed) score is one criterion used in reclassifying a student from English Learner status to Fluent English Proficient.
ELPAC Overview 2
Which California state agency is responsible for administering the ELPAC?