ELPAC Preparation and Resources 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which ELPAC test is administered when a student first enrolls in a California public school and their home language is not English?
- Initial ELPAC (Correct answer)
- Summative ELPAC
- Alternate ELPAC
- Diagnostic ELPAC
Correct answer: Initial ELPAC
The Initial ELPAC is given to newly enrolled students whose home language survey indicates a language other than English.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes the purpose of the Summative ELPAC?
- To annually measure the English language development of identified English learners (Correct answer)
- To determine if a new student qualifies as an English learner
- To assess all students regardless of home language
- To replace the state standardized achievement test
Correct answer: To annually measure the English language development of identified English learners
The Summative ELPAC is an annual assessment measuring progress of students already identified as English learners.
Question 3: What practice tool does CDE offer on its website so students can become familiar with ELPAC question formats?
- Released test questions and practice tests (Correct answer)
- Full operational test forms
- Printed answer keys only
- Audio recordings of teacher instructions
Correct answer: Released test questions and practice tests
CDE posts released test questions and practice tests online so students can experience the format before test day.
Question 4: Which accessibility resource is available to eligible students on the computer-administered ELPAC?
- Text-to-speech for the reading passages (Correct answer)
- Bilingual dictionary for all domains
- Calculator for all tasks
- Extended time with no documentation required
Correct answer: Text-to-speech for the reading passages
Text-to-speech is an embedded accessibility resource available for eligible students on computer-based ELPAC tasks.
Question 5: What document must a parent complete for a student to be screened with the Initial ELPAC?
- Home Language Survey (HLS) (Correct answer)
- Individualized Education Program (IEP)
- English Learner Master Plan
- Language Assessment Conference form
Correct answer: Home Language Survey (HLS)
The Home Language Survey triggers the ELPAC screening process when a language other than English is indicated.
Question 6: A teacher wants to find ELPAC training modules to improve her understanding of scoring student responses. Where should she look?
- CDE's ELPAC educator resources page (Correct answer)
- College Board's AP resource library
- Khan Academy's test prep section
- ETS's GRE preparation portal
Correct answer: CDE's ELPAC educator resources page
CDE provides educator training modules and resources specifically for understanding ELPAC scoring on its official website.
Question 7: Which of the following domains is assessed only in grades 3–12 on the ELPAC (not in kindergarten)?
- Reading (Correct answer)
- Listening
- Speaking
- Writing
Correct answer: Reading
Reading is assessed starting in grade 3 because kindergartners are still developing foundational literacy skills.
ELPAC Preparation and Resources 3
Which ELPAC test is administered when a student first enrolls in a California public school and their home language is not English?