Welcome, Insiders!
As another school year comes to a close and many of you begin a well-earned summer break, we want to take a moment to thank you for your continued partnership and unwavering commitment to English learners and their families. Whether you’re an educator, administrator, program leader, or advocate, your efforts make a meaningful difference in the lives of students every day. We’re grateful for your support and look forward to continuing our work together in the 2026–27 school year!
In this issue of the ELPA21 Insider, you’ll learn about major improvements to our test administrator training system, discover how this year’s ELPA21 scores can inform instruction in the coming school year, and catch up on highlights from a few recent conferences. Let’s dive in!
This is the blog version of our regular, quarterly email newsletter. If you’re not already subscribed to the email version of the ELPA21 Insider Newsletter, consider signing up! Email subscribers receive the newsletter four times a year (spring, summer, fall, and winter) and one month earlier than it appears on the blog. Plus, subscribers get access to additional content and giveaways not available to blog readers.
However you choose to stay connected, we’re glad you’re here!
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A More Streamlined Training Experience is Here!
For most states, the ELPA21 training modules are now hosted in the ClearCourse Learning Management System (LMS), accessible directly through your state’s ELPA21 portal. By integrating training with the same platform used for test administration, the new system reduces the number of logins educators need to manage while providing a more simplified, user-friendly experience.
For complete details about the transition, including how to access the new training platform and where to find additional support, please visit our blog.
Understanding ELPA21 Scores: From Assessment to Action
ELPA21 assessments provide valuable insights into students’ English language development, but the true value of those results lies in how they’re used. Our latest blog post highlights resources designed to help educators and families interpret ELPA21 score reports, understand student performance, and use assessment results to guide instruction in the coming school year.
Whether you’re reviewing Individual Student Reports for instructional planning or helping families better understand their child’s progress, this guide connects you with practical tools and resources to help you make the most of this year’s assessment results.
ELPA21 on the Road: Conference Highlights and What’s Ahead
This spring, ELPA21 had the opportunity to connect with educators, researchers, and assessment professionals at the National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME) Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, CA, the National Conference on Student Assessment (NCSA) in Austin, TX, and the 2026 International e-Assessment Conference in London, UK!
Members of our Psychometrics & Research team attended NCME to present on advancing the validity and measurement of alternate assessments, highlighting approaches that help ensure assessment results more accurately inform educational decision-making for students with significant cognitive disabilities. At NCSA, our team delivered two presentations: one focused on using ELP standards-based tasks to strengthen instruction and improve student outcomes, and another exploring considerations for shortening assessments through both psychometric and AI-enhanced approaches. Across the pond, our Assessment Design lead presented on the intersection of multilingualism and disability and the considerations involved in designing equitable English language proficiency assessments for students with diverse communication needs.
Thank you to everyone who attended our presentations or stopped by our exhibit booth to speak with us. We always appreciate the opportunity to connect with both researchers and the educators working directly with English learners. These conversations help strengthen our work and deepen our understanding of the needs of the field.
Keep an eye on our social media channels for information about upcoming events. We hope to see you at a conference this fall!
Let’s Keep In Touch
We also want to take a moment to remind everyone about the newly revitalized EL Collaborate Facebook Group, our dedicated online space for conversations, updates, and resources focused specifically on the ELPA21 English Language Proficiency Assessment System. Because the group is facilitated directly by the ELPA21 team, it’s a great place to ask questions, connect with colleagues, and hear the latest news from staff who work closely with the assessment. Educators from any state are welcome, and we’d love for you to invite peers who might benefit from joining. And don’t forget: We’re hosting monthly giveaways to help spark engagement and conversation, and your participation automatically enters you for a chance to win!
Beyond EL Collaborate, we encourage you to stay connected with us across all our social platforms. Following ELPA21 on Facebook, LinkedIn, Bluesky, and YouTube is one of the easiest ways to stay informed about new resources, professional learning opportunities, conference appearances, and important updates. We’re grateful for the work you do every day to support English learners, and we’re committed to being a reliable resource for you year-round.
Thank You!
Thank you for your continued partnership and for everything you do to support English learners in your schools and communities.
We’ll be back with the next edition of the ELPA21 Insider near the start of the 2026–2027 school year. Until then, we wish you a relaxing, well-deserved summer break!