California Department of Education (http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/el/cefceldt.asp)
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California English Language Development Test - CalEdFacts

This content is part of California Department of Education's information and media guide about education in the State of California. For similar information on other topics, visit the full CalEdFacts.

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 California English Language Development Test (CELDT).

The CELDT was developed to:

Student Participation

LEAs are required to administer the CELDT to all students whose home language is not English within 30 calendar days after they enroll for the first time in a California public school. LEAs also are required to administer the CELDT annually to identified ELs until they are designated RFEP during the annual assessment window from July 1 through October 31. Additionally, Section 3302 of Title III of the ESEA (20 United States Code Section 7012) indicates that LEAs that receive Title III funds shall, not later than 30 days after the beginning of the school year or within two weeks of the child being enrolled in a language instruction program after the beginning of the school year, inform parents or guardians of the reasons for the identification of their child as an EL and that the child is in need of placement in a language instruction program.

Content and Format

The CELDT assesses the four domains of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in English and is aligned to the English-language development (ELD) standards adopted by the State Board of Education (SBE). In California, EC Section 60810 has been amended to authorize early literacy assessment of ELs in kindergarten and grade one (K-1) commencing with the 2009–10 school year. The early literacy assessment must be administered for three years or until July 1, 2012. A report on the results of the administration of the early literacy assessment and the administrative process is due to the Legislature no later than January 1, 2013. The early literacy assessment was designed to be age and developmentally appropriate, and to the greatest extent possible, to minimize the testing burden on these young students.

Reporting and Using Results

In 2010, the SBE adopted performance level cut scores for the K–1 reading and writing assessments, modified the English proficient level for K–1 students given the inclusion of reading and writing scale scores, and allowed for differential weights in the calculation of the Overall performance level for K–1 students (45 percent each for listening and speaking, and 5 percent each for reading and writing).

The CELDT results are reported by the following performance levels: beginning, early intermediate, intermediate, early advanced, and advanced. The CELDT results show the overall English performance level attained by students as well as performance in each domain by level. Individual student reports and student data files are sent to the school district. Districts must inform parents of test results within 30 calendar days of receiving student results from the testing contractor, or, as indicated in the Student Participation section above, within two weeks of the child being enrolled in a language instruction program after the beginning of the school year.

CELDT data are used to calculate Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives (AMAOs) 1 and 2 as required by Title III. Each LEA receiving Title III funds is accountable for meeting the AMAOs established by the SBE beginning with the 2003–04 school year. The CDE provides LEAs with annual Title III accountability reports.

The CDE posts three types of reports (all assessments, annual assessments, and initial assessments) at four levels (state, county, district, and school) annually. Summary results are reported for all students and for a number of reporting categories that include gender, enrollment in specified programs, and primary languages. These results are posted on the CDE CELDT Web site.

Reclassification guidelines established by the SBE clarify the EC criteria in Section 313(d) to be used in reclassifying a pupil from EL to RFEP.

For more information regarding the CELDT, contact the CELDT Office by phone at 916-319-0784 or by e-mail at celdt@cde.ca.gov. Information is also available on the CDE CELDT Web site.

Questions:   English Language Proficiency Assessments Office | celdt@cde.ca.gov | 916-319-0784
Last Reviewed: Monday, April 27, 2015