Administering the K–2 ELPAC Writing Domain
The Writing domain for the Initial ELPAC is a PPT using Writing Answer Books for students in K–2. LEAs must order these test materials during the ordering windows (refer to the List of Key Dates table in the Test Scheduling subsection of this manual for dates).
Responsibilities of the LEA ELPAC Coordinator—Before Testing
Ordering Writing Answer Books for K–2
The Writing domain for K–2 is a PPT. These test materials are ordered in TOMS by the LEA ELPAC coordinator. LEAs will have the opportunity to confirm the quantity needed for each school in the LEA prior to placing the test material order for individual school sites. For the 2023–24 Initial ELPAC, there will be a primary ordering window from April 10 to May 5, 2023, for LEAs to place a test material order for individual school sites.
LEAs that are not selected to participate in the RSVP for 2023–24 can reuse materials ordered in 2020–21, 2021–22, or 2022–23 if available. LEAs identified to participate in the RSVP for 2023–24 must order the Writing Answer Books to receive the scannable version.
LEA ELPAC coordinators can order additional test materials during the Supplemental Test Materials Order Window from May 8, 2023, to June 7, 2024. The LEA ELPAC coordinator can place supplemental orders in TOMS. It is important that LEAs place their test material orders as soon as possible to ensure delivery in time for the start of testing. Refer to List of Key Dates in the Test Scheduling subsection of this manual for a list of key dates. This information can also be found on the Initial ELPAC Test Administration web page on the ELPAC website.
Avoid Ordering Excessive Materials
When placing orders for Initial ELPAC test materials, it is important to note that an additional 10 percent of materials is allocated as an overage for orders placed during the primary ordering window. The Initial ELPAC counts from the 2022–23 test administration will be compared to current Initial ELPAC orders. If the difference for any order is 10 percent greater than the order for the administration of the previous year, the system will display a warning message (figure 1) indicating that the quantity may be excessive. Although there will be no charge for excessive materials ordering, LEAs are asked to be cautious when placing test material orders and use the prior year’s information as guidance.
Figure 1. Warning message box
Receive and Inventory Test Materials
Follow these inventory steps to prepare test materials before testing:
- Count all school and LEA boxes immediately upon receipt. Verify that each school will receive the correct number of boxes according to the numbers shown on the box labels (for example, “1 of 10,” “2 of 10”).
- Report missing or damaged boxes. Immediately contact the assigned LEA Success Agent if any boxes are missing, damaged, or if boxes addressed to another LEA were received.
- Inventory LEA test materials against the shipping notice(s). Note any overages, shortages, or the incorrect receipt of test materials on the shipping notice(s).
- Overages—receiving more or different test materials than stated on the shipping notice(s)
- Shortages—missing items or missing one or more boxes in the shipment
A copy of each LEA’s shipping notice(s), which provides documentation of the contents of the school boxes, is provided with the LEA packing list for reference.
- Provide school materials to site ELPAC coordinators. Forward the boxes of materials to the schools identified on the box labels. Remind site ELPAC coordinators that they must retain the boxes for use in storing test materials.
- Report overages and shortages. After the site ELPAC coordinators inventory test materials, they must report overages, shortages, or incorrect grade materials to the LEA ELPAC coordinator immediately.
Use LEA Overage Test Materials (as Needed)
LEAs will receive an overage of test materials in the boxes labeled for the LEA. Use these test materials for reference and provide them to schools as needed. If additional test materials are needed, LEA ELPAC coordinators can order them through TOMS. Supplemental orders will be delivered within 10 to 14 business days.
Prepare for Testing
To prepare for testing, the LEA ELPAC coordinator should do the following:
- Read through materials. Review this Initial ELPAC Online Test Administration Manual in its entirety. Become familiar with all testing and administration procedures.
- Confirm security forms are being electronically signed in TOMS. Monitor and keep an electronic record of the completion of the ELPAC Test Security Agreements and the ELPAC Test Security Affidavits from all site ELPAC coordinators through TOMS. Use the Security Forms and Remote Test Administration Status Report in TOMS under the [Report] tab for tracking completions.
- Ensure that sites have adequate testing materials and materials are redistributed throughout the LEA as necessary.
- Check on the progress of TE training in the Moodle Training Site.
- Ensure that the site ELPAC coordinator and the TE(s) are aware of the security, inventory, and tracking requirements for keeping all test materials in a secure location prior to, during, and after testing.
Responsibilities of the Site ELPAC Coordinator—Before Testing
Receive and Inventory Test Materials
The LEA ELPAC coordinator will provide each school or site with all test materials and forms needed for testing. The site ELPAC coordinator should follow these steps to prepare for testing:
- Locate the school shipping notice(s) enclosed in the test materials shipment. A shipping notice will be at the top of each box received.
- Report overages and shortages to the LEA ELPAC coordinator.
Inventory all test materials against the shipping notice(s) immediately after receipt from the LEA. Report any overages, shortages, or receipt of the wrong material to the LEA ELPAC coordinator immediately:
- Overages—receiving more or different test materials than stated on the shipping notice(s)
- Shortages—missing or damaged items or boxes in the shipment
- Retain boxes. Keep all test materials in a secure, locked location. Retain the original shipping boxes, as they will be used to store test materials until the end of the administration window.
- Discuss security with all designated staff handling ELPAC test materials. Ensure that designated staff, such as TEs and proctors, understand the security, inventory, and tracking requirements for keeping all test materials in a secure location prior to, during, and after testing. Retain electronic records of all ELPAC-designated school staff’s affidavits on site for 12 months.
Prepare for Testing
- Read through materials. Review this Initial ELPAC Online Test Administration Manual and the corresponding DFA in their entirety. Become familiar with all testing and site administrative procedures.
- Confirm security forms are being electronically signed. Use TOMS to monitor and keep an electronic record of the completion of the ELPAC Test Security Affidavits for TEs. Proctors, along with all others handling ELPAC test materials, must also electronically sign the ELPAC Test Security Affidavit for Non-TOMS Users linked on the Test Administration web page under Test Security on the ELPAC website prior to accessing the test materials. Coordinators will be emailed a copy for their records. Use the Security Forms and Remote Test Administration Status Report in TOMS, under the [Reports] navigation tab, for tracking completions.
- Discuss security with all designated staff handling ELPAC test materials. Ensure that designated staff, such as TEs and proctors, understand the security, inventory, and tracking requirements for keeping all test materials in a secure location prior to, during, and after testing. Retain electronic records of all ELPAC-designated school staff’s affidavits on site for 12 months.
Organize and Distribute Test Materials
Materials Provided for Site ELPAC Coordinators
Each school will receive sufficient test materials for the site to administer the Initial ELPAC.
Materials for TEs
Distribute test materials to the TEs. Each TE must verify receipt of the appropriate test materials and access to the DFAs in TOMS.
Additional materials needed by TEs:
- No. 2 pencils with erasers for TEs and students (not provided)
- “Do Not Disturb” sign (not provided)
Prepare Test Books and Answer Books
Filling in Demographic Information
The front and back covers of the Answer Book are the demographics pages containing important student- and school-related information that must be filled in accurately. Site ELPAC coordinators or TEs should ensure the demographics information is accurate and complete for all students.
Refer to figure 2 and the steps provided after the figure, and in the following subsections, for further information on how to ensure the demographics pages for students are complete. Specifically, for the LEAs that are part of the RSVP, staff should ensure there are no extraneous marks on the demographics pages and that all stray marks are erased completely because these pages are scanned.
Figure 2. Sample Answer Book front and back cover fields
Refer to table 1 for a list of the demographic fields and their descriptions.
| FIELD NAME | STEPS TO FOLLOW: |
|---|---|
| 1 STUDENT NAME |
Starting at the left, print one letter of the student’s last name in each box. If the student’s last name has more letters than there are boxes, print only as many letters as there are boxes. For example, if the last name is Aschenbrenner, fill in the boxes as shown next.
If the student’s first name has more letters than there are boxes, print only as many letters as there are boxes. In the space labeled “MI,” print the student’s middle initial. If the student does not have a middle initial, leave this space blank. Fill in the corresponding circles for each letter. Fill in the empty circles to indicate a blank space. |
| 2 TEACHER/TEST EXAMINER, SCHOOL, LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY, LOCAL USE | Print the name of the teacher, the name of the school, and the name of the LEA. The Local Use section may be used for any additional information needed for student identification or any purpose defined by the LEA. |
| 3 DATE OF BIRTH |
Print the “Month,” “Day,” and “Year” of the student’s Date of Birth in the appropriate spaces and fill in the corresponding circles. For “Day,” one digit in each column must be filled in. If the day is between one and nine, precede it with a leading zero, as in 01, 02, 03, etc. For “Year,” fill in circles for 20 before filling in remaining circles.
|
| 4 GRADE |
This grade circle is prefilled depending on the grade to which the Answer Book applies. Ensure that the grade level in the Answer Book matches the student’s grade. |
| 5 GENDER | Refer to TOMS. |
| 6 STUDENT ID NUMBER (OPTIONAL—LOCAL USE) |
If the LEA or school does not use local student numbers, leave this field blank or use it to track any additional information that is of importance to the LEA. Starting at the right, print one digit of the student’s number in each box and fill in the corresponding circles. Note: This field is right-justified, so include leading zero(s) if the ID number has fewer than 15 digits. |
| 7 STATEWIDE STUDENT IDENTIFIER (SSID) |
Starting at the left, print one digit of the SSID in each box. All students should have an SSID (10 digits). Fill in the corresponding circles for each number.
|
| 8 DATE TESTING COMPLETED |
This field must be filled in for all students at the time of testing. Print the “Day” to indicate the last day the student’s testing was completed in the appropriate spaces and fill in the corresponding circles. This is a required field. Do not leave this blank. For “Day,” one digit in each column must be filled in, and if the day is between one and nine, precede it with a leading zero, as in 01, 02, 03, etc. |
| 9 TESTING IRREGULARITIES | If a student was caught cheating during the test or there were irregularities in the administration of the test, take note of the domain(s) in which the irregularity occurred. Report the situation to the LEA ELPAC coordinator or site ELPAC coordinator, who will then submit a report using the STAIRS process in TOMS. |
| 10 ACCOMMODATIONS | If a student requires resources or an alternate setting to complete one or more domains, as noted in the student’s IEP or Section 504 plan, the LEA ELPAC coordinator or site ELPAC coordinator must indicate the appropriate support in the student’s test setting in TOMS. Refer to the Accessibility Resources subsection of this manual for the resources available for the paper–pencil forms. |
| 11 ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT | This field is no longer applicable because of the launch of Initial Alternate ELPAC as of July 1, 2022. |
| 12 DOMAIN EXEMPTION | When a student’s IEP or Section 504 plan specifies that the student has a disability for which there are no appropriate accommodations for assessment in one or more of the Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing domains, the student shall be assessed in the remaining domains in which it is possible to assess the student, per 34 CFR Section 200.6. A student may be assigned an overall score only if assessed in both oral and written language. To be considered as having been assessed in oral language, the student must have been assessed in either Speaking or Listening. To be considered as having been assessed in written language, the student must have been assessed in either Reading or Writing. The LEA ELPAC coordinator or site ELPAC coordinator must indicate domain exemption(s) in TOMS. |
| 13 OPTIONAL—LOCAL USE | This is an optional field for LEA use. |
Responsibilities of the LEA ELPAC Coordinator—During and After Testing
During Testing
The LEA ELPAC coordinator needs to be available during testing for the site ELPAC coordinators to address any questions or concerns that arise and to assist with testing irregularities and security breaches. Refer to the CAASPP and ELPAC Security Incidents and Appeals Procedure Guide for further information about reporting irregularities and security breaches.
Receiving and Checking Test Materials
Check Answer Books Returned from Sites
The LEA ELPAC coordinator is responsible for the following:
- Coordinating the return of Answer Books from the sites back to the LEA
- Checking all materials for completeness
- Ensuring that the forms are completed properly
To accomplish these tasks, the LEA ELPAC coordinator should follow these steps:
- Ensure that required demographic information is completed and accurate on all Answer Books. Having an SSID for every Answer Book for every student is critical for processing.
- Verify the number of Answer Books. Confirm that the correct number of Answer Books have been returned.
After Testing
Locally Scoring Answer Books
Initial ELPAC Answer Books must be locally scored by qualified, trained personnel such as the TE. The TE should follow the information provided on the grade level– or grade span–specific DFA for guidance on local scoring. TEs must use the Writing score sheets in the back of the Answer Books to denote the score for each item. After the scores are noted in the score sheet, designated LEA personnel will enter these scores in the DEI. The Writing scores entered in the DEI will be merged with the Speaking scores also entered in the DEI and the computer-based scores from the Listening and Reading domains. Once all domain scores have been merged, the Initial ELPAC SSR will be available to the LEA to download and print from TOMS.
Generating the Initial Parent Notification Letter Data File
Through TOMS, the LEA ELPAC coordinator and local scoring correspondence administrator can download the Initial ELPAC Parent/Guardian Letter Data file. This Excel file will contain pertinent information from the merging of all domain scores in TOMS to produce the official score information, which can be merged into the Initial Parent Notification Letter for parents/guardians. The sample of the Initial Parent Notification Letter template is available on the Parent Notification web page on the CDE website.
Handling of Test Materials
Initial ELPAC test materials received from ETS should be kept secure at all times as the administration window continues until June 30, 2024. The following information describes the handling of test materials after testing.
Securely store the following materials on-site for future use:
- Unused secure Answer Books (K–2)
- All unopened Answer Books (K–2)
- Printed DFAs
Return special test version materials (braille and large print) to ETS
If special test version materials are ordered, the bundle received will include the test materials along with instructions for returning used test materials to ETS. Follow the information on the packet to return all of the special test version materials after local scoring and printing of the SSR and Initial Parent Notification Letter for parents/guardians. The sample of the Initial Parent Notification Letter template is available on the Parent Notification web page on the CDE website.
Secure Destruction of Used Test Materials
Per CCR, Title 5, Division 1, Chapter 11, Subchapter 7.6, Article 5; the ELPAC Test Security Agreement; and the ELPAC Test Security Affidavit require LEA ELPAC coordinators, site ELPAC coordinators, and all persons who come in contact with ELPAC test materials to take all necessary precautions to safeguard all tests and test materials. At the end of each school year, LEAs are required to ensure that all used Initial ELPAC test materials are locally and securely destroyed.
At the end of each Initial ELPAC administration year, LEA ELPAC coordinators must complete the following:
- Securely destroy the following materials after the end of the test administration window, June 30, 2024, as directed by the testing contractor:
- Used Answer Books or those damaged during testing
- Voided Answer Books
- Indicate the LEA’s method of destruction by completing an online certification form that will be made available to LEA ELPAC coordinators via email communication close to the end of the administration window.
Responsibilities of the Site ELPAC Coordinator—After Testing
Review Answer Books
Prior to returning materials to the LEA ELPAC coordinator, the site ELPAC coordinator must review student responses on the Answer Books for completeness and ensure that
- the SSID number and student name are accurate,
- responses are filled in completely using a No. 2 pencil and stray marks are erased completely,
- the Writing sheet at the back of the Answer Book has been completed,
- the Writing scores have been entered in the DEI, and
- the Speaking scores have been entered in the DEI.
Handling of Test Materials
Initial ELPAC test materials received from ETS should be kept secure at all times as the administration window continues until June 30, 2024. The following information describes the handling of test materials after testing:
Securely store the following materials on-site for future use:
- Unused secure Answer Books (K–2)
- All unopened Answer Books (K–2)
- Printed DFAs
Return special test version materials (braille and large print) to ETS
If special test version materials are ordered, the bundle received will include the test materials along with instructions for returning used test materials to ETS. Follow the information on the packet to return all of the special test version materials after local scoring and printing of the SSR and Initial Parent Notification Letter for parents/guardians. The sample of the Initial Parent Notification Letter template is available on the Parent Notification web page on the CDE website.
Secure Destruction of Used Test Materials
5 CCR, Division 1, Chapter 11, Subchapter 7.6, Article 5; the ELPAC Test Security Agreement; and the ELPAC Test Security Affidavit require LEA ELPAC coordinators, site ELPAC coordinators, and all persons who come in contact with ELPAC test materials to take all necessary precautions to safeguard all tests and test materials. At the end of each school year, LEAs are required to ensure that all used Initial ELPAC test materials are locally and securely destroyed.
At the end of each Initial ELPAC administration year, site ELPAC coordinators must follow the instructions provided by the LEA ELPAC coordinator about secure destruction of used test materials.
Securely destroy the following materials after the end of the administration window, June 30, 2024, as directed by the LEA ELPAC coordinator:
- Used Answer Books or those damaged during testing
- Voided Answer Books