Virginia ESL Supervisors Association Conference: Update on Assessment

1
Virginia ESL SupervisorsAssociation
ConferenceUpdate on Assessment

• January 30, 2004

2
NCLB Assessment Requirements for LEP Students

• Annual assessment of English language proficiency
• Participation in academic assessments in reading
  and mathematics (science is added in 2007-2008)

3
English Language Proficiency Testing

• Annual assessment of English language proficiency
  for all students identified as LEP even if not
  served under Title I or Title III.
• Must measure listening, speaking, reading, and
  writing skills in English for all LEP students

4
English Language Proficiency Testing

• Virginia has been part of a consortium of states
  working together with the Council of Chief State
  School Officers (CCSSO) and its contractors to
  develop an English language proficiency test
  known as the English Language Development
  Assessment (ELDA)
• Virginia has recently been informed by CCSSO that
  the ELDA will not be ready for full
  implementation in spring 2004

5
Stanford ELP Test

• To meet the requirements of NCLB, Virginia will
  use the Stanford English Language Proficiency
  (ELP) test for 2003-2004
• The Stanford ELP assesses reading, writing,
  listening, and speaking
• The reading, writing, and listening components
  are group-administered
• The speaking component is individually
  administered and scored by the examiner

6
Stanford ELP Test

• The reading and listening components are
  multiple-choice as is the writing conventions
  section of the writing component
• The direct writing component requires the student
  to write short pieces in response to prompts.
  This section will be hand scored by a scoring
  contractor
• DOE will pay all costs for the Stanford ELP test
  for the 2003-2004 school year

7
Approval of Locally Developed or Selected
Assessments

• Process for submitting locally selected or
  developed instruments was described in
  Administrative Superintendents Memorandum 67,
  December 19, 2003

8
Status of ELDA

• For the 2003-2004 school year, Virginia will
  participate in the field test for the ELDA
• School divisions will be asked to volunteer to
  participate in field testing
• Results of the field test will be used to inform
  future decisions regarding the ELDA for the
  state.

9
Participation in Academic Assessments Reading

• LEP students in grades 3, 5, or 8 who are at
  levels 3 or 4 of English proficiency will take
  the regular SOL test
• LEP students at levels 1 and 2 of English
  proficiency may take another test that is linked
  to the Standards of Learning in reading.
• The reading subtest of the Stanford ELP may be
  used instead of the reading SOL test for students
  at levels 1 and 2

10
LEP Students Taking Reading ELP

• Students at levels 1 and 2 who plan to use the
  ELP reading subtest as a proxy for the reading
  SOL test will mark the SOL answer document as
  exempt.
• This gridding will alert DOE staff that we must
  collect scores from the reading component of the
  ELP for for purposes of calculating AYP

11
Reading Component of ELP as Proxy

• A committee of Virginia educators will be
  convened to recommend to the Board of Education
  passing scores or cut scores on the reading
  ELP for use as a proxy for the reading SOL test.
• These scores will be used to determine
  proficiency for students who are using the
  reading ELP as a proxy for the reading SOL test.
• Scores will be used in calculating AYP.

12
LEP Testing for 2003-2004 Mathematics

• In the area of mathematics, students in grades 3,
  5, and 8 will take either the regular SOL test or
  a plain English version of the SOL math test.
• The regular mathematics test was used as a
  basis for the plain English version. Language is
  simplified, but concepts and skills remain the
  same.
• Will be treated as a special test form like
  Braille and large print

13
Use of Reading Proxy and Plain English Math Test

• LEP students at levels 1 and 2 of English
  proficiency may 1) take the plain English version
  of the mathematics test and 2) use the reading
  component of a state-approved ELP test as a proxy
  for the SOL reading test for no more than three
  years.

14
THANK YOU for ALL YOU DO!!!!