If you or your state are new to the ELPA21 Assessment System—or if you simply need a refresher—this article will help you start the school year with confidence. Feel free to bookmark it for future reference or share it with a colleague who may find it useful. For your convenience, you can also download a one-page flyer for quick reference.
Getting Started
Before assessments are administered, both students and educators take important steps to prepare.
For students, the process typically begins during school enrollment. Most districts issue a language use survey, commonly known as a Home Language Survey (HLS), which helps identify students who may be English learners (ELs). The HLS typically asks about:
- The first language the student learned to speak
- The language the student speaks most often at home
- The language most often spoken to the student at home
If any responses indicate a language other than English, the student may be identified as a potential English learner and take a screener assessment to determine eligibility for EL services. While procedures may vary by state or student circumstance, the HLS is the usual first step in identifying ELs.
For educators, the process begins with completing the required ELPA21 Test Administrator (TA) training courses. These self-paced, online trainings certify educators to administer ELPA21 assessments. Separate courses exist for the ELPA21 Dynamic Screener, Alt ELPA Screener, ELPA21 General Summative, and Alt ELPA Summative assessments. Educators must complete each course relevant to the tests they will administer, as well as annual “refresher” trainings to stay current on any updates.
- Training courses cover topics such as:
- The purpose of each assessment
- Criteria for identifying qualifying students
- Test administration, including domain exemptions, accessibility supports, and scoring
- Test security protocols
- …and more
Educators can begin training by contacting their school/district test coordinator or visiting the ELPA21 Training Website.
Administering the Screener
A student identified as a potential EL by the HLS will take either the ELPA21 Dynamic Screener or the Alt ELPA Screener (for students with significant cognitive disabilities). Test Administrators should consult their state or district policies for guidance on which assessment to assign, and to verify that their state participates in the Alt ELPA Screener.
Once determined, student records and settings are entered into the Test Information Distribution Engine (TIDE), the platform used to manage users, students, and test conditions. Each state’s ELPA21 Testing Portal provides instructions for configuring TIDE.
Screeners may be given year-round to accommodate new or transfer students. Appropriate accessibility features and accommodations, guided by the Accessibility and Accommodations Manual, must be entered into TIDE before testing.
After testing, results are available through an online reporting system. Students who score proficient exit the process, while others qualify for EL services and continue until they meet proficiency through annual summative testing.
Administering the Annual Summative Assessment
By federal law, students identified as English learners are assessed annually until they reach proficiency or complete their K–12 education. Testing windows vary by state but typically occur in the second half of the school year.
Practice tests are available year-round through each state’s ELPA21 Testing Portal and are strongly recommended to help both students and educators become familiar with the testing format. Though not scored by the system, practice tests can be reviewed locally.
Before testing, student records and settings must again be entered into TIDE. Completed summative assessments are scored through a combination of human and machine scoring. Results are typically available 6–8 weeks after the close of the testing window, with release dates posted in the “Important Dates” section of each state’s Testing Portal. Availability of summative score results can vary by state, and educators are encouraged to contact their School or District Testing Coordinator for more information.
Based on scores, students may exit EL services or continue support. Districts also use this data to inform programming for the following year.
Additional Resources
To support you, we offer several helpful resources:
- ELPA21 Information Directory – Guidance on where to find help for any part of the system.
- Organization of the ELP Standards – A summary of the 10 proficiency standards and their role in supporting participation in core content areas.
- Frequently Asked Questions for Educators and District Staff – A compilation of frequently asked questions about the ELPA21 assessments, covering topics such as test administration, accessibility, score reporting, training, and more.
- Alt ELPA FAQs – Frequently asked questions regarding the Alt ELPA Summative and Alt ELPA Screener assessments.
- Even more resources can be found on the Resources page here on ELPA21.org.
Thank You
Thank you for all you do to support English and multilingual learners in your schools and communities! We are honored to be part of your journey as an educator and value your feedback on the ELPA21 Assessment System. If you have additional questions or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.