E L PA
(Required for DTCs, STCs, and
ELPA TAs)
ELPA
Objectives
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Understand the definition and
purpose of the English Language
Proficiency Assessment (ELPA)
Administer the Oregon ELPA
appropriately
ELPA
Purpose and Use
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The ELPA (English Language Proficiency
Assessment) measures the proficiency of English
Language Learners (ELL) in reading, writing,
speaking and listening English based on Oregon’s
English Language Proficiency Content Standards.
Used as part of Title I accountability to document
which students are Limited English Proficient and as
part of Title III Accountability incorporated into the
Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives (AMAO).
Required for all students eligible to receive English
Language Development (ELD) services.
ELPA
Schedule and Scoring
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2014-15 Oregon ELPA test window: Jan. 6 – April 15
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Each test opportunity is subject to a 45-day expiration
period and expired ELPAs are not re-opened.
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There is no 20-minute pause rule for the ELPA
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ELPA scores will be loaded into ODE’s system within
approximately 6 weeks of the end of the month in which
a test is completed. For example: If a student
completes the ELPA anytime in March 2015, the
student scores will be available after May 8, 2015.
ELPA
Before Testing
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Review Section 8 of the Test Administration
Manual and your training notes
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Identify students to be tested
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Make sure you have the correct SSID for each
student
Make sure each student’s LEP flag is set to “Y” in
TIDE
Provide students with opportunities to become
familiar with the test format and technology
Check headsets to ensure they are properly
installed and functioning correctly
(Use the Practice Test to check headsets)
ELPA
Domain Exemptions

Domain exemption is a restricted
resource for individual students
whose IEP or 504 Plan exempts a
student from responding to a
particular ELPA domain

Must be based on individual
student need documented in the
student’s IEP or 504 Plan

Note that there are NO 4domain exemptions for 2014-15.

Must be identified for the student
and entered into TIDE by a
DTSA/DSA prior to approving
the student to start the ELPA.

District must also enter ELPA
“Only” IEP test admin code in
Student Centered Staging
Important: Once a student is approved to start the ELPA, the district may no longer
set this restricted resource for the student. Approving a student to start the test
without this restricted resource in violation of the student’s IEP or 504 Plan is a
reportable impropriety.
ELPA
Student Interface at A Glance -new features for 2014-15
Back, next and
pause buttons
on left side,
rather than right
side.
New
volume
adjustment
button!
New read aloud
“instructions”
button (“listen
and respond” etc)
New play and restart buttons, with enhanced functionality.
If audio is paused, then restarted, the audio starts where it
left off.
If the audio is paused and the student clicks the new back
arrow button, the item’s audio restarts from the beginning.
VOLUME CONTROL
Click to adjust the volume.
ELPA STUDENT INTERFACE
Click to turn on line reader
Toggle between
test pages.
Zoom in/out buttons
(to adjust text size).
Pause test
button.
Click to view
student help
Click to view list of item
pages. Pages with marked
items will be indicated.
Select item/item page to
navigate.
Click to mark
item for review.
Click to select
a comment
about the item.
Click to have listening
item played, or if
playing, pause the
audio. It will restart
from where it left off.
Click for item type
tutorial.
Click to have answer option played.
Click to have instructions read aloud
Click to adjust the volume
Click to have listening
item start back at the
beginning.
ELPA
Test Administration
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ELPA is a Test Subject that can be selected
for inclusion in a test session from the OAKS
Online TA Interface.
ELPA is administered as one adaptive test,
with the speaking domain segmented at the
end.
While the ELPA is not timed, we estimate
that it will take 75 minutes to complete.
Note: Tests that are not
completed within 45 days of
starting will expire.
ELPA
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Test Administration (cont’d)
Monitor to ensure that students only have access to
the allowable resources listed in the Accessibility
Supports section of the OAM.
If breaking up the test into multiple sessions, the
student will see the next item if the previous item
was “saved” during the previous session. Otherwise,
the test will resume on the item the student was
last on.
For the Speaking segment, students may receive a
pop-up warning if their recorded response is too soft.
Students can play back their response to verify
before moving on and can re-record if necessary.
For students whose IEP or 504 Plan exempts
them from a domain, enter domain exemption
in TIDE as a restricted resource prior to
approving the student to test. When in doubt,
don’t start the ELPA. Check the exempts first.
ELPA
Do’s…
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Schools must use Oregon’s ELPA for ALL students
eligible for services under the ESEA criteria for an
English Language Learner, regardless of whether the
student actually receives services.
Districts must set the LEP Flag to Y in the SSID
system for students to be eligible to take an ELPA test.
This must be done by appropriate district personnel
prior to logging the student in for the ELPA.
Districts must set the Domain Exemption restricted
resource in TIDE for students whose IEP or 504 Plan
exempts them from an ELPA domain based on
individual student need. This must be done by
appropriate district personnel prior to logging the
student in for the ELPA.
ELPA
Do’s (cont’d)…
If a student arrived at a U.S. school:
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On or before May 1, 2014, the student must take the
ELPA and all state assessments: ELA, Math, and Science
(as appropriate for his/her grade).
After May 1, 2014, the student must take the ELPA and
state assessments in Math and Science (as appropriate for
his/her grade).
Between April 1 and April 30, 2015, the student must
take the assessments in Math and Science (as appropriate
for his/her grade) but is not required to take the ELPA
(unless the student is enrolled and officially identified as
an ELL on or before April 15, 2015).
On or after May 1, 2015, the student is not required
to test. Please note: if a Newcomer misses the ELPA
window AND is not required to take the ELA assessment,
they will be considered a non-participant for that AMO.
ELPA
…and Don’ts
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Districts may not exempt an ELL student from
taking ELPA based on their Language Proficiency
Level.
Districts may not administer the ELPA to any
students on monitor status (Exited within the last
two years) unless they were exited “late” (after
September 19, 2014- see below)
Students who were eligible to exit in 2013-14 but
weren’t exited prior to July 1 can be officially exited
in Fall. The deadline to exit is September 19, 2014
using the district exit policy.
Test administrators may not translate or
read aloud any of the items on ELPA.
ELPA
…Don’ts (cont’d)
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TAs must not share their login information and
passwords, even with other authorized users.

Do not approve students to test until you are sure the
students are taking the correct test at the right time.
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Do not allow students having technological difficulties
submit their ELPA(s). The test(s) should be paused and
district personnel should contact the appropriate Help
Desk staff before a student submits an ELPA.
Students may not use resources such as electronic
translators, a dictionary, a thesaurus, literature texts,
or literary glossaries. Remember that wall charts that
contain literary definitions or vocabulary must be
removed or covered during the testing session.
Do not let tests linger, they will expire after
45 calendar days and expired tests are
very rarely re-opened.
ELPA
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Promising Practices
Familiarize yourself and your students ahead of testing about
available accommodations and supports, especially for
newcomer ELLs.
Provide students with practice on how the headset and
microphone work in ELPA prior to administering the test.
The ELPA practice test is available for this purpose at
www.oaksportal.org.
Use the OAKS Secure Browser to access the ELPA practice
test. (Note: ELPA tests and practice tests must be taken on
laptop or desktop computers. ELPA is not supported on iPads,
Android tablets, and Chromebooks during 2014-15).
Some students may benefit in having their testing broken up
over a couple of days.
Use Table 18 in the TAM to assist students who are not
familiar with technology/computer operations.
ELPA
Promising Practices (cont’d)
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Early Advanced ELL students should take the
ELPA earlier in the assessment window in order to
receive scores back sooner in the school year.
Any student who may have moved up a proficiency
level should take the assessment early in the
assessment window in order to receive scores back
sooner in the school year.
Test administrators may choose to assess all
Beginning level and Newcomer ELL students
later in the testing window as students need more
language acquisition time to demonstrate their
ability on ELPA
Consider testing K-1 students in very small groups
to provide an improved environment for these
young students.
ELPA
Promising Practices (cont’d)
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You may have students pause the ELPA at the
beginning of the speaking domain and have the
student resume later, being sure to keep in mind
the 45-day test expiration period (expired ELPAs
are not re-opened).
You might choose to provide students with a name
tag with picture to avoid confusion during the log-in
process.
Practice a microphone check with students prior to
logging into the operational assessment. Use the
practice test to be sure the headsets are working
properly.
ELPA
Online Resources
 Test
Administration Manual, Section 8
http:www.ode.state.or.us/go/tam
 Promising
Practices:
http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?=2444
 OAKS
Portal and Practice Tests:
http://www.oaksportal.org
 Oregon
Accessibility Manual:
http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?=487
ELPA
In a Nutshell
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2014-15 ELPA test window closes April 15, 2015
ELPA is administered as a single adaptive test
consisting of two segments, with the Speaking
segment administered second.
All students in grades K-12 eligible for LEP services
must take the assessment.
There is no 20-minute pause rule for the ELPA
Only those students with a valid ELPA score and a
valid submission in the LEP collection will be
counted as LEP for accountability reports.
Refer to Table 18 in the TAM and Table 1 ELPA
and Table 2 ELPA in the OAM for resource help.
ELPA
Acorns for Storage
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What is the process for deciding which students
should take the ELPA?
How should a TA determine which accommodations
should be provided for a student taking the ELPA?
What steps should a TA follow to ensure valid test
administration for all eligible students?
How should results from the ELPA be used?