COMMONWEALTH
OF VIRGINIA
DEPARTMENT
OF EDUCATION
P.O.
BOX 2120
RICHMOND,
VIRGINIA 23218-2120
SUPTS. MEMO NO. 27
February 4, 2005
INFORMATIONAL
|
TO: |
Division Superintendents |
|
FROM: |
Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction |
|
SUBJECT: |
Updated Guidelines for Spring 2005 Stanford English
Language Proficiency Test Administration |
The state-approved
English language proficiency assessment for the 2004-2005 school year, as
required by the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001, is the Stanford English
Language Proficiency (SELP) test, developed by Harcourt Assessment, Inc. The
SELP test assesses the speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills of all
limited English proficient (LEP) students in grades kindergarten through 12. The SELP test consists of the following five
testing levels: preliteracy grades K-1, primary grade 2, elementary
grades 3 through 5, middle grades 6 through 8, and high school
grades 9 through 12. As stated in
Superintendents Informational Memorandum, No. 132, June 25, 2004, the Virginia
Department of Education will pay for the administration and scoring costs
associated with the SELP test for all LEP students in kindergarten through
grade 12 for the 2004-2005 school year.
In accordance with
the requirements of NCLB, Virginia has further defined the assessment
requirements for LEP students as follows. LEP students in grades kindergarten
through 1 who are classified at English language proficiency level 1 or level 2
must take all four subtests of the SELP test. LEP students in grade 2 who are
classified at English language proficiency level 1, level 2, or level 3 must
take all four subtests of the SELP test. Students in grades 3 through 12 who
are classified at English language proficiency level 1, level 2, level 3, or
level 4 must take all four subtests of the SELP test.
Students are placed
on monitor status for two consecutive years after they have achieved full
proficiency on the Virginia English Language Proficiency standards. Students in grades kindergarten through 1
must achieve full proficiency in level 2 before placement on monitor status.
Students in grade 2 must achieve full proficiency in level 3 before placement
on monitor status. Students in grades 3
through 12 must achieve full proficiency in level 4 before placement on monitor
status. Students on monitor status (year 1 or 2) are required to take only the
reading and writing subtests of the SELP test.
SELP Reading Subtest Used as Substitute for SOL English: Reading
Test
The Virginia Board
of Education has approved the SELP reading subtest as a substitute for the SOL
English test (grade 3) and the SOL English: Reading test (grades 5 and 8). Eligible LEP students are those who are in
grades 3, 5, and 8 who are classified at English language proficiency level 1
or level 2, and all LEP students in grades 3, 5, and 8 during their first year
of enrollment in a U.S. school, regardless of their English language
proficiency classification.
Remediation Recovery Program
LEP students who are eligible to use the SELP reading subtest as a substitute
for the SOL grade 3 English test or the SOL English: Reading tests at grades 5
and 8 may use scores from the SELP reading test for remediation recovery.
School divisions may choose to use the SELP reading subtest score for students
in grades 3, 5, or 8, who are classified in levels 1 or 2 of English language
proficiency for calculating school accreditation. Division directors of testing will be provided more information
on how to code the answer documents of such students.
LEP Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities
To meet the requirements of evaluating and reporting English language
progress and proficiency for all kindergarten through 12 LEP students as
required by NCLB, the English language proficiency of LEP students with
significant cognitive disabilities should be assessed through the Virginia
Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP).
Division directors of testing will be provided detailed information at a
later date.
If you have
questions about assessment guidelines for LEP students or administration of the
SELP test, please contact the Division of Assessment and Reporting at darfax@doe.virginia.gov or by phone
at (804) 225-2102.
JLD/SLR/jc