New Requirement for ELPAC Domain Exemption Justifications

Email Update, September 2, 2026

Dear LEA ELPAC Coordinator:

Beginning in the 2026–27 school year, justifications must be provided for eligible students who take ELPAC and need one or more domain exemptions. To support this requirement, the Test Operations Management System (TOMS) has been updated to collect domain exemption justifications when an exemption is assigned. Individualized education program (IEP) and Section 504 plan teams should work with their LEA ELPAC coordinator or site ELPAC coordinator to ensure the necessary information is available to enter into TOMS. This process will improve coordinating and tracking domain exemption decisions.

When making annual domain exemption determinations, IEP and Section 504 plan teams may use the Initial and Summative ELPAC Domain Exemption Decision-Making Tool to identify and document the justification for each exempted domain. Teams may either

• select a pre-identified justification provided on the form, or
• select a locally identified justification and provide a brief rationale (up to 250 characters).

An LEA is not required to use the Domain Exemption Decision-Making Tool if an alternate local documentation process is in place. Completed documentation should be maintained in the student’s cumulative file and provided to the LEA ELPAC coordinator or site ELPAC coordinator, as determined locally, for TOMS entry. The information collected in TOMS helps the LEA monitor domain exemption assignments and ensures that allowable rationales are being used.

The IEP and Section 504 plan teams retain full authority for determining domain exemptions. The California Department of Education (CDE) does not review or approve the individual exemption rationales. However, the CDE will annually review LEA locally identified justifications entered into TOMS to determine whether additional allowable rationales should be incorporated into future guidance beyond those currently included in the ELPAC Information Guide.

For additional information, please refer to the following resources:

• Domain Exemptions section of the ELPAC Information Guide
• Edit ELPAC Test Assignment Domain Exemptions subsection of the TOMS User Guide
• Test Assignments subsection of the TOMS User Guide
• Upload Student Updates section of the TOMS User Guide

Questions regarding domain exemption policies may be directed to ELPAC@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

California Outreach Team
CAASPP & ELPAC Website