ELPAC: April Monthly Update

Email Update, April 1, 2025

This communication includes information about the Initial ELPAC, Summative ELPAC, Initial Alternate ELPAC, and Summative Alternate ELPAC.

Notice

April 1: Last Day to Designate an LEA ELPAC Coordinator

The superintendent designation process for the 2025–26 ELPAC administration must be completed in the Test Operations Management System (TOMS) today. The deadline to designate the LEA ELPAC coordinator is April 1, 2024. Once designated, the user can sign the necessary security forms by selecting the LEA ELPAC Coordinator role in the Logged on as: drop-down list in the upper-right corner of TOMS.

If a Primary LEA ELPAC Coordinator is not selected by April 2, 2024, the superintendent of the LEA will be automatically assigned to the Primary LEA ELPAC Coordinator role.

Assessing Bias and Sensitivity of Items During Test Development

During test development, the California Department of Education (CDE), ETS, and California educators thoroughly review CAASPP and ELPAC questions for sensitivity and bias. Sensitive content includes inappropriate behaviors, or emotionally charged, offensive, or controversial topics. Questions are also reviewed for bias such as presentation of stereotypes, insensitive or negative concepts, and language that implies demeaning assumptions. Test questions are carefully developed to ensure that all children are given their best opportunity to show what they know and can do.

Certain standards require students to encounter concepts which may be sensitive for some. We understand there's a chance that a student may be personally affected by content in a test item. If this occurs and a break from testing is helpful, provide a break while considering the pause rules. We share this information so that coordinators, test administrators, and test examiners are prepared to offer support, if needed. For more information on pausing an assessment, refer to the Pause Rules for Assessments flyer.

SSR Electronic Distribution

Ensure Student Score Reports (SSRs) are populated in your student information system for the correct students in a timely manner, as outlined in the Distributing SSRs chapter of the Scoring and Reporting Guide. In addition, ensure that SSRs are properly displayed in such a manner that parents/guardians are able to access only scores for their own children.

Refer to the SSR and Reporting Resources web page on the CAASPP & ELPAC Website for the estimated SSR release dates.

Reminders

Summative ELPAC Supplemental Orders

The Summative ELPAC supplemental materials ordering window is open until May 9, 2025.

Supplemental orders are packaged by quantity ordered at the LEA level. Supplemental orders can be placed once a month throughout the testing window and will be delivered 10–14 business days from the date on which the order is placed.

Return Summative ELPAC K–2 Writing Answer Books

LEA ELPAC coordinators are encouraged to return completed Summative ELPAC kindergarten through grade two (K–2) Writing Answer Books at least twice a month. LEAs should download and complete the ELPAC School Group List when returning Answer Books to serve as a reference for the LEA as to what is being returned in each shipment. Answer Books must be scheduled for pickup by June 13, 2025, to be scored by ETS. Refer to Table 1. List of Key Dates, in the Test Administration Features section of the ELPAC Online Test Administration Manual for a complete list of return dates.

The sooner LEAs return K–2 Writing Answer Books, the sooner ETS is able to complete the quality-control process to release SSRs.

Summative ELPAC and Summative Alternate ELPAC Testing Window Available

The Summative ELPAC and Summative Alternate ELPAC test administration window is available until May 31, 2025. To properly administer the Summative ELPAC, test examiners should be properly trained for the grade levels or grade spans they are administering and access the Directions for Administration corresponding to their LEA's form assignment. Form assignments and information on second scoring can be found on the Form Assignments, Second Scoring, and RSVP web page.

Initial Alternate ELPAC and Summative Alternate ELPAC Test Assignments in TOMS

Newly enrolled students eligible to be tested with an initial assessment must be tested within the first 30 calendar days of student enrollment; however, students might not have an individualized education program (IEP) designating the student to take an alternate assessment prepared in time. In these instances, the student should be tested with the Initial ELPAC using universal tools and designated supports, as appropriate. Note that there is a 45-day extension for the Initial ELPAC and Initial Alternate ELPAC for LEAs impacted by the wildfires, as mentioned previously.

The assignment of the Initial ELPAC does not require students to be assigned to the Summative ELPAC. If the IEP team determines later that the student is eligible to take alternate assessments and the student has been identified as an English learner (EL), the student should be assigned the Summative Alternate ELPAC.

Students assigned to the Summative Alternate ELPAC will take an alternate assessment for each summative assessment that they are eligible to take. LEA ELPAC coordinators should work with LEA CAASPP coordinators to ensure students who will take an alternate assessment for the ELPAC are assigned to take an alternate assessment for CAASPP.

Reclassification Reminder

Students who scored at Summative ELPAC Overall Performance Level (PL) 4 and students who scored at Summative Alternate ELPAC Overall PL 3 for the 2023–24 ELPAC administration should continue to be evaluated for reclassification before the end of the 2024–25 test administration window. The California Department of Education (CDE) recommends that these students should meet all four reclassification criteria before May 15, 2025; otherwise, they should be administered the 2024–25 Summative ELPAC or Summative Alternate ELPAC. Visit the CDE Reclassification web page for more information. Email questions related to reclassification to LPLO@cde.ca.gov.

Upcoming Trainings

To register or locate additional details about upcoming trainings, including dates, times, and content, visit the Upcoming and On-Demand Trainings web page.

April 8: Coffee Session, 2–3 p.m.

These monthly virtual Coffee Sessions, hosted by the CDE and ETS, offer opportunities for LEA staff to ask questions and get answers about assessments, trainings, resources, and more. If you are not already registered, you can register on the Coffee Session Series registration web page. By registering once, you will be eligible to attend all upcoming sessions.

April 17: New Coordinator Training Series Webinar #12, 3–4 p.m.

Webinar #12 will focus on the topic of preparing for scores after testing and will end with a question and answer session with experienced coordinators. This series provides just-in-time information for LEA CAASPP coordinators and LEA ELPAC coordinators. Register for the 2024–25 New Coordinator Training Webinar Series.

Educator Meeting Opportunities

We need your input! California educators are an essential part of the assessment development process.

California educators who teach Spanish have a unique opportunity to have input on the California Spanish Assessment (CSA) threshold score recommendations by attending the CSA Standard Setting meeting being held virtually July 21–24 (grades three through six) and July 28–31 (grades seven through twelve). Details can be found on the Get Involved web page on the CAASPP & ELPAC Website. The application deadline is April 7, 2025.

To apply for educator meetings, go to the Educator Opportunities Portal. Those without an Educator Opportunities Portal account can create an account via the Educator Opportunities Portal Account Creation Form. For any questions, please contact the Educator Opportunities Team by phone at 916-228-2682 or by email at edopportunities@scoe.net.

Available Now!

On-Demand Trainings

Recordings of the following trainings are now available on the Upcoming and On-Demand Trainings web page:

• March Coffee Session
• New Coordinator Training Webinar #11

Ongoing Reminders

Initial ELPAC and Initial Alternate ELPAC Timeline Extension for LEAs Impacted by Wildfires

On January 10, 2025, Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-3-25, which includes an extension of the deadline for conducting English language proficiency assessments (California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Section 11518.5) by 45 days for those LEAs directly impacted by this emergency. This means that impacted LEAs will have an additional 45 days to complete the Initial ELPAC or Initial Alternate ELPAC, in addition to the original 30 days. While this provides impacted LEAs with a total of 75 days to administer the Initial ELPAC or Initial Alternate ELPAC, TOMS will continue to reflect the 30-day timeline and will not include the additional 45 days. As a reminder, eligible students should begin to receive EL programs and services on day 30 until the Initial ELPAC or Initial Alternate ELPAC is administered and the official score is produced.

Domain Exemptions for the Initial ELPAC and Summative ELPAC

When administering the Initial ELPAC or Summative ELPAC to a student with a disability, the LEA should provide all the available accessibility resources as defined on the California Assessment Accessibility Resources Matrix web page, including universal tools; designated supports; and accommodations that are required in the student's IEP or Section 504 plan. After reviewing the domain exemption guidance and sample scenarios provided in the Domain Exemptions subsection of the ELPAC Information Guide, a student whose IEP or Section 504 plan team determines that the student's disability precludes them from accessing one or more domains of the ELPAC—even with allowed universal tools, designated supports, or accommodations—may be eligible for domain exemption(s). However, for the Initial ELPAC and Summative ELPAC, a student may only be exempt from one domain per composite, with a maximum of two domain exemptions allowed. To receive a score, a student must be assessed in the remaining domains within each composite. The CDE Domain Exemption Worksheet is designed to assist and document IEP team's determinations regarding domain exemptions.

Finally, as a way to help clarify this guidance, the following examples illustrate how a disability can preclude participation in each domain:

New Materials Tracking Lookup Tool

The Materials Tracking Lookup Tool is a new way to quickly and easily look up tracking numbers for Pre-identification labels for the Initial ELPAC and Summative ELPAC, special versions of paper–pencil tests, and white cartons for returning ELPAC scorable test materials.

CERS Interpretive Guide Update

The California Educator Reporting System (CERS) Interpretive Guide is now available in an easy-to-search, web-based format and now has guidance for interpreting California Science Test (CAST) and ELPAC interim assessments. The CERS Interpretive Guide is designed to help educators interpret and explain interim and summative assessment results. It is different from the CERS User Guide, which assists educators with viewing assessment data, learning about CERS features, and generating reports. The CERS Interpretive Guide can be accessed through the CERS Resources web page. It is also available as a link in CERS and the CERS Sandbox.

Summative ELPAC and Summative Alternate ELPAC IEP and Section 504 Plan

Students with an IEP or Section 504 plan should have test settings entered in TOMS prior to the beginning of summative assessment testing. Students with accessibility resource changes will require at least two hours for test settings to update from TOMS to the Test Delivery System. Any accommodations to statewide testing assigned to the student must be clearly described in the IEP.

Summative Alternate ELPAC Picture Cards and TIPs

Downloadable versions of the picture cards are available in TOMS. Printed picture card orders are available on the Administration and Scoring Training website.

The secure Test Item Previews (TIPs) are aimed to help test examiners prepare and individualize supplemental testing materials needed by an individual student. The TIPs are posted in the "Summative Alternate ELPAC Administration Resources" section at the bottom of both the LEA certification and the test examiner certification courses on the Moodle Training Site (Moodle).

Administration of ELPAC Interim Assessments

The ELPAC Interim Assessments are available for the 2024–25 test administration on the CAASPP and ELPAC Interim Assessments web page.

The Interim Assessment User Guide has been updated for the 2024–25 test administration. The Interim Assessment User Guide provides guidance on the overall process for the administration of the ELPAC Interim Assessments. It also includes any updates made to test administration processes. One such update was made to the Data Entry Interface (DEI). The DEI now requires educators to manually select Nonstandardized as the manner of administration when administering an assessment in a nonstandardized way.

Registration Open for Spring CERS Trainings

Registration is now open for spring CERS trainings, which are designed as a follow-up to the Introduction to CERS training. It is recommended that participants have a basic understanding of CERS before attending the spring trainings. The Introduction to CERS microlearning videos are available on the Upcoming and On-Demand Trainings web page for educators looking to build a foundational knowledge of CERS prior to attending.

The available spring CERS trainings are as follows:

• 2024–25 Accessing Summative Assessment Results in CERS
  • Module One—Summative ELPAC, Summative Alternate ELPAC, and CSA
    • May 15, 2025, 3:30–5 p.m.
  • Module Two—Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments for English language arts/literacy (ELA) and mathematics; CAST; and the California Alternate Assessments for ELA, mathematics, and science
    • May 22, 2025, 3:30–5 p.m.

Scoring Job Opportunities

ETS is accepting applications for scorers. This is an excellent opportunity for educators to become more familiar with the new generation of California assessments. Scoring schedules are flexible and can include four-, six-, and eight-hour weekday or weekend shifts. California educators interested in applying can access more information on the ETS Online Scoring web page. Questions about the application or hiring process should be directed to etsrater@ets.org. Current scorers can reach out to ratercertify@ets.org for any scoring-related questions.

Previous ELPAC Monthly Communications

Previous ELPAC monthly communications, as well as other email communications, can be found on the Coordinator Emails web page.

Additional Help

• Send direct questions about policies, regulations, and requirements to elpac@cde.ca.gov.
• Contact your region's assigned Success Agent for answers to questions about assessment coordination, development, and administration, as well as for technical support.
• Send direct questions about Moodle, certification, and calibration to moodlesupport@scoe.net.
• Get Answers using this lookup tool available to help LEA coordinators quickly find answers to the most common testing questions. Users can also make suggestions for Additional Questions for the FAQs, which are reviewed on a regular basis.

For further support, visit the Contact Us web page.