English Language Proficiency Assessment for California (ELPAC)
Federal law (Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act [ESEA]) and state law (Education Code [EC]sections 313 and 60810 through 60812) require a statewide English language proficiency test that local educational agencies (LEAs) must administer to students in kindergarten through grade twelve whose primary language is not English and to students previously identified as English learners (ELs) who have not been reclassified as Fluent English proficient (RFEP). California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Section 10510, defines the test as the English Language Proficiency Assessment for California (ELPAC).
The Initial ELPAC is used to identify students as either English Learners or fluent in English. It is administered only once during a student's time in the California public school system, based on the results of the Home Language Survey. It is completed after enrollment in the school district. For more information regarding the Initial ELPAC, please refer to the Initial ELPAC Assessment Fact Sheet created by the California Department of Education.
The summative ELPAC is administered annually and measures how well students identified as English learners progress with English language development across the four domains of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. It serves as a critical tool in determining whether a student's English language skills have progressed to the "Fluent English Proficient" status level. For more information regarding the summative ELPAC, please refer to the California Department of Education's summative ELPAC assessment fact sheet.
Parent Guides to Understanding the ELPAC