As part of initial school enrollment, all parents enrolling a child in a California public school, K –12 for the first time are required by State and Federal law to complete a Home Language Survey. If the answers to the survey indicate a language other than English in the home or in the child’s background, the school is required by State and Federal law to test the student for English language proficiency.
As of May 2001, all California school districts are required to use the CELDT (California English Language Development Test) for the purpose of determining a student's English language proficiency. The CELDT is published by Educational Data Systems. No other test results can be substituted for this single examination. There are four parts to the CELDT, listening, speaking, reading and writing.
There is no provision in the law allowing students to waive this assessment.
Special needs students are also required to be screened for English proficiency. We are able to accomodate special needs students in a variety of ways. Please feel free to ask your school site for further information.
What is the purpose of the test?
The purpose of the test is to determine the student's English language proficiency level so that the school can determine appropriate classroom program placement and be better able to assist students in the development of their English proficiency.
How are the results used and what programs are available to my student?
A student identified as Fluent English Proficient (FEP) will be enrolled by the school site in a mainstream classroom setting. Historically, more than 70% of incoming students demonstrate proficient English results. These students are recorded as Fluent English Proficient.
If a student demonstrates Limited English Proficiency (LEP), the school must offer appropriate instructional assistance to help develop the student's English proficiency. The type of assistance offered depends upon the student's English proficiency level.
Students at an Intermediate level of proficiency will receive assistance at their resident school in the mainstream classroom. For specific questions regarding the type of assistance provided at your school site, please contact your site directly.
Students below the Intermediate level will be offered the Newcomers Program. IUSD is proud to offer this program at strategically placed school sites throughout the district. In the Newcomer classrooms, students with very limited or no English proficiency are given an opportunity to develop their ability to listen, comprehend and produce the sounds of their new language. All subject areas of the curriculum are taught using special teaching strategies. Students who have participated in the program benefit socially and academically in this supportive environment and as a result, are better equipped to handle a mainstream classroom setting. Statistics indicate that students with little or no English progress faster and are more successful in their academics after having participated in the Newcomers Program.
How often do students take the CELDT?
Students identified as FEP (Fluent English Proficient) will not be required to take the test more than once.
Students identified as LEP (Liimited English Proficient) will receive annual assessments at their school sites. The annual assessment is one criteria used by the school to determine that the student is developing the English language.
How will I know the results of the CELDT?
The initial CELDT results and program options will be shared with the parent or legal guardian after completion of the Initial assessment. The scoring of the assessment requires an additional 10-15 minute wait. However, parents have the option of returning at a later time or picking them up at their school site.
The annual CELDT results are mailed to the parents or legal guardian within 30 days after the district receives them from the state. Typically, the state requires 6-8 weeks after the administration of the test to return official scores to the district..
We are transferring to Irvine School District from another school in California. Can’t you use information from that school instead of testing him again?
Yes. Upon enrollment at your school site, please provide us with an official copy of the CELDT results from the prior school. If you do not have them, you can contact your prior school and ask for an official copy of the CELDT results for your student. We will use the results for placement purposes. According to Californial state law, no other test results may be used.
I know my child is fluent in English. He was born in the USA. I even have his last report card. He gets all A’s and B’s. Do you still have to test him?
Yes, there is no provision in the state law for parents of public school children in grades K-12 to “opt out” of this testing. See Ed. Code 60810. We are not allowed to take any other test results (SAT9, CTBS, IPT, etc.), teacher opinion, grades, transcript of classes, etc., in place of this one examination to verify English language proficiency. A student’s place of birth does not address the question of language development. The questions on the Home Language Survey asking about the child’s language use are established by the State Board of Education. Only the questions relating to the child’s use of the language are our guide to determine who must be tested.
So, why do the test now, before school starts?
Although the state laws and regulations would allow us to delay the English testing for 30 days past enrollment, we prefer to complete the testing and scoring before the student begins school. In this way, the school counselor or teacher will have complete, recent information about the student’s English learner status. This information could affect choices for optional program participation. The information also helps the classroom teachers to plan for effective classroom instruction for your child. We also want to avoid disrupting a child’s educational program once school has started and he/she has settled in to his/her classroom.
What parts of English language does the CELDT measure?
All students, grades K – 12 will be asked questions in four areas which include, Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing. The test levels are appropriate to the developmental age of the student being tested. This test takes approximately one hour for students in grades K-1. Allow two to three hours for grades 2-12.
My child is quiet and shy. He/she will not talk to the tester. How can you get results?
Our testers are all experienced teachers and teachers’ assistants. They have participated in the testing of hundreds of students, including shy and quiet children. We will do our best to make your child comfortable and to obtain a natural language sample. You can help by letting your child know that this is not a “make or break” academic test, but just a chance to show how much English they can use. If there is a serious problem getting your child to talk, our personnel will work with you to solve the problem.
My entering Kindergarten student went to pre-school in California. He scored “beginner” on the CELDT. Why?
Pre-school is a valuable experience for most young students. However, participation in a pre-school program for a few hours a day may not develop academic English language skills comparable to that of a native English speaker who is immersed in English 24 hours a day. Both developmentally appropriate social and academic English language skills are tested on the CELDT. The score on the CELDT is a reasonable guide to use for recommendation for placement in an appropriate program of instruction. Other factors such as exposure to English at home (or lack thereof), may account for a beginning score.
When can I learn the results of the test?
By state laws and regulations, we must bundle the tests and mail them to the publisher for scoring. However, for use in program placement, we are allowed to hand score the initial tests before sending them to the publisher. All efforts are made to provide the scores to the parent or guardian on the day of assessment. This is preferred so that school and classroom placement can be discussed with the parent or guardian on the day of assessment. However, for your convenience, we will be happy to mail the results to you. We will also send the results to your child’s school of attendance. Typically, the scoring of test will require the parent or guardian an additional 10-15 minute wait time.
We have been testing incoming students for English language proficiency since 1975. We recognize the important role that parents play in the education of their children. We honor your need for reliable and accurate information about our programs and the requirements described in the California laws they are designed to fulfill. We are happy to answer any questions and thank you for your patience and cooperation.
