Who is required to take TELPAS in Texas?

All students identified as English Language Learners (ELLs) enrolled in Texas public schools from kindergarten through grade 12 are required to take TELPAS each spring. Students are initially identified as ELLs through a Home Language Survey and language proficiency screening process administered when they first enroll in a Texas school. Once identified, students continue to participate in TELPAS annually until they meet the exit criteria to be reclassified as Fluent English Proficient (FEP). Over 900,000 ELL students across Texas are assessed through TELPAS every year, according to TEA data, reflecting the significant and growing population of English language learners in the state.

How are TELPAS Listening and Speaking scores determined?

TELPAS Listening and Speaking are assessed through holistic teacher ratings rather than computer-scored tests. Trained teachers observe their students across multiple classroom contexts and interactions over the course of the school year, then assign a single holistic proficiency rating on the four-level scale (Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced, Advanced High) for each domain. Before rating students, all teachers must complete a mandatory two-hour online rater training provided by TEA to ensure consistency and accuracy across campuses and districts. This observation-based approach reflects the understanding that authentic oral language proficiency is best measured through real academic communication rather than a one-time standardized test event.

What proficiency level is needed to exit ELL services in Texas?

To be reclassified as Fluent English Proficient (FEP) and exit ELL services in Texas, a student must generally achieve the Advanced High proficiency level (Level 4) across all four TELPAS domains — Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking. However, TEA also provides alternative exit criteria that campuses may consider, such as strong performance on the STAAR academic assessment. The final reclassification decision is made by the student's campus Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC), which also weighs teacher evaluations and parental consent before officially exiting a student from ELL services. After reclassification, students are monitored for two full years to ensure they continue to perform successfully without additional language support.

What is TELPAS Alternate and who takes it?

TELPAS Alternate is a modified version of the assessment designed for English Language Learners who have significant cognitive disabilities and cannot meaningfully participate in the standard online TELPAS. Rather than computer-based tests and holistic teacher ratings, TELPAS Alternate uses structured observation and documentation tools that trained teachers complete based on the student's communication and language behaviors in natural classroom settings. The assessment is aligned to the same four language domains — Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking — and uses the same four-level proficiency scale as standard TELPAS. Participation in TELPAS Alternate is determined through the student's ARD (Admission, Review, and Dismissal) committee in coordination with the campus LPAC, ensuring that all eligible ELL students receive an appropriate language assessment regardless of disability status.

TELPAS Proficiency Levels 2026 — Scoring Guide

TELPAS test prep 2026: complete guide to the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System covering grade levels, domains, scoring, preparation strategies, and results.

TELPAS - Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment SystemApr 25, 20268 min read

TELPAS Proficiency Levels 2026 — Scoring Guide

What Is TELPAS?

TELPAS — the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System — is a state-mandated assessment developed and overseen by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). It is administered every spring, typically from March through April, to all identified English Language Learners in Texas public schools from kindergarten through grade 12. The assessment is a federal requirement under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and provides critical data on student progress in acquiring English language proficiency.

As of the most recent TEA reporting cycle, over 900,000 ELL students are assessed through TELPAS each year, making it one of the largest language proficiency assessments in the United States. The program replaced earlier paper-based formats and is now fully administered online through the TEKS Resource System and the Texas Assessment portal. For students with significant cognitive disabilities, a separate pathway called TELPAS Alternate is available, using observation-based rating tools suited to their learning needs.

The primary purpose of TELPAS is to monitor annual progress in English language acquisition, inform instructional decisions, and fulfill state and federal reporting requirements — including Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives (AMAO) reported to TEA. Results are used by teachers, campus administrators, and district staff to plan targeted language support and determine when students are ready for reclassification as fluent English proficient.

Telpas - Texas English Language Proficiency a - TELPAS - Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System certificatio...

📚ELA Domains

Reading: Computer-scored; assesses comprehension of English text across genres and grade-level content
Writing: Computer-scored; evaluates written English production including grammar, vocabulary, and organization
Listening: Holistically rated by trained teachers; assesses understanding of spoken English
Speaking: Holistically rated by trained teachers; evaluates oral production and communication in English

📊Proficiency Levels

Level 1: Beginning — minimal English language skills; relies heavily on visual supports and native language
Level 2: Intermediate — developing language skills; communicates in simple sentences with support
Level 3: Advanced — near-proficient; communicates with grade-appropriate language in most contexts
Level 4: Advanced High — near-fluent; performs comparably to native English-speaking peers

📅Testing Window

Administration Period: Annually each spring, typically March through April
Grades Tested: Kindergarten through Grade 12
Format: Fully online (TELPAS Online); TELPAS Alternate for students with significant cognitive disabilities
Oversight: Texas Education Agency (TEA)

🎓Reclassification

Exit Criteria: Students must achieve Advanced High on all four domains or meet alternative exit criteria approved by TEA
Committee Review: Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) reviews scores and other data before reclassification
Additional Measures: Campus may consider STAAR performance, teacher input, and parental consent in exit decisions
Monitoring Period: Reclassified students are monitored for two years to ensure continued academic success

TELPAS Scoring and Proficiency Levels

TELPAS uses a four-level proficiency scale — Beginning (1), Intermediate (2), Advanced (3), and Advanced High (4) — to report student performance in each of the four language domains. Composite scores are calculated by weighting the four domain scores according to TEA guidelines and reported on student score reports sent to families.

Listening and Speaking are holistically rated by classroom teachers who have completed a mandatory two-hour online rater training before scoring. This training ensures consistency across campuses and districts. Teachers observe students across multiple classroom interactions before assigning a holistic proficiency rating. Reading and Writing are computer-scored through the online testing platform, with results processed centrally by TEA.

Students who reach Advanced High (Level 4) across all domains — or who meet TEA's alternative exit criteria — are eligible to be reclassified as Fluent English Proficient (FEP) by their campus Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC). The reclassification process also considers STAAR academic performance, teacher recommendations, and parental consent before a student officially exits ELL services. Annual progress is also reported to TEA as part of Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives (AMAO) compliance, tracking the percentage of ELLs making progress and achieving proficiency each year.

TELPAS Preparation Strategies

Effective preparation for TELPAS begins with understanding what each domain requires and developing consistent habits that build English language skills across all four areas. Because TELPAS measures language proficiency in authentic academic contexts, the best preparation integrates language learning into everyday classroom and home activities — not isolated test drills.

Reading Preparation

Reading practice should focus on grade-appropriate English texts across multiple genres — fiction, informational passages, and academic content-area materials. Students benefit from reading daily and practicing strategies such as identifying main ideas, making inferences, and understanding vocabulary in context. For students in upper grades, reading English-language news articles, textbooks, and online content regularly strengthens the comprehension skills measured by TELPAS Reading.

Writing Preparation

TELPAS Writing assesses students' ability to produce organized, grammatically accurate written English. Students should practice writing in complete sentences and paragraphs, focusing on cohesion, correct grammar, and topic-appropriate vocabulary. Teachers can support preparation by assigning daily journal writing, structured short-response tasks, and editing activities that reinforce standard English conventions.

Listening and Speaking Preparation

Since Listening and Speaking are holistically rated by trained teachers over time, the most effective preparation is regular, authentic academic communication in English. Students should practice listening carefully to teacher instructions, participating in class discussions, and responding to questions in complete English sentences. Teachers preparing to rate students must complete the mandatory two-hour TEA online rater training to ensure accurate, consistent scoring across all rating periods.

General Test-Taking Strategies

Students benefit from becoming familiar with the online testing platform before the official testing window opens in March. Schools often provide practice sessions to reduce test-day anxiety and help students navigate the computer-based interface. Additionally, maintaining consistent attendance during the spring testing window is critical since makeup sessions have limited availability. For students in the Advanced or Advanced High range, reviewing academic vocabulary aligned to their grade-level TEKS can help push scores to the next proficiency level and accelerate the reclassification process.

Complete the 2-hour TEA online rater training before assessing student writing/speakingReview TELPAS performance level descriptors (PLDs) for your grade bandCollect multiple writing samples per student over the assessment windowUse official TEA-released TELPAS practice materials for student preparationIdentify students in their first year in US schools — they may qualify for limited participationConfirm IEP/504 accommodations are documented and approved for the testing windowSubmit rating scores through TIDE (Texas Information and Data Engine) by the deadlineReview reclassification criteria with campus ELL coordinator before spring testing

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