Student Score Reporting

The SSR shows the student’s results on the Summative ELPAC or Summative Alternate ELPAC, the state tests of ELP. The Summative ELPAC and Summative Alternate ELPAC provide information about the student’s annual progress toward ELP. For example, the student’s 2022–23 Summative ELPAC results can be compared to Summative ELPAC results from as far back as the 2018–19 administration, when available, because the threshold scores and reporting levels are the same.

Reporting Summative ELPAC Proficiency

Assessments were scaled vertically after the 2016–17 field test, which means that scores for certain items that were common between adjacent grade levels were linked. This makes it possible to monitor students’ year-to-year progress in ELP and to describe student progress over time across grade levels.

ELPAC overall reporting levels are designations given to particular scale score ranges. The minimum and maximum scale scores for each level vary by grade level and grade span. Performance levels for domains are also reported for Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing.

Threshold scores—the maximum scores at Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 by grade level or grade span—determine scale score ranges for each performance level. These were set based on a standard setting and validation study that used the 2017–‍18 operational data for the Summative ELPAC. The results allow meaningful comparisons between individual students and group comparisons between schools and LEAs across grade levels.

Overall Performance Levels

Summative ELPAC overall performance levels are categorical labels given to particular scale score ranges. The minimum and maximum scale scores for each performance level typically vary for grade level or grade span; these are presented in Appendix A: Scale Score Ranges. Performance levels for domains are also reported for Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing and were set during a process called standard setting, which established the association between scale scores and their category of performance.

Table 1 lists the four Summative ELPAC reporting levels and describes what students at each level can typically do.

Table 1. Overall Summative ELPAC Reporting Levels
Reporting Level	What Students Can Typically Do at Each Level
Level 4	Students at this level have well developed English skills They can usually use English to learn new things in school and to interact in social situations. They may occasionally need help using English.
Level 3	Students at this level have moderately developed English skills. They can sometimes use English to learn new things in school and to interact in social situations. They may need help using English to communicate on less-familiar school topics and in less-familiar social situations.
Level 2	Students at this level have somewhat developed English skills. They usually need help using English to learn new things at school and to interact in social situations. They can often use English for simple communication.
Level 1	Students at this level are beginning to develop English skills. They usually need substantial help using English to learn new things at school and to interact in social situations. They may know some English words and phrases.

Performance level–setting ensures that the performance levels align to the 2012 ELD Standards. Information about performance level descriptors and scale score ranges can be found on the CDE Summative ELPAC General PLDs web page.

Composite and Domain Reporting Levels

The student’s overall score is a combination of two other scores: an oral language composite score that is comprised of the Listening and Speaking domains; and a written language composite score that is comprised of the Reading and Writing domains. The overall-level performance is reported as four levels:

Beginning to Develop
Somewhat Developed
Moderately Developed
Well Developed

Domain-level performance is reported as Beginning to Develop, Somewhat to Moderately Developed, and Well Developed on the Summative ELPAC SSR.

In rare cases where a domain exemption was requested for a student with a disability that precludes the student from testing in one or more domains, the student received a score or scores based on the remaining domain in that composite and all other domains assessed.

If a student is not exempted but did not log on to a particular domain assessment, the student received zero points for that domain.

Reporting Summative Alternate ELPAC Proficiency

Summative Alternate ELPAC overall reporting levels are designations given to particular scale score ranges. The minimum and maximum scale scores for each level vary by grade level and grade span.

Threshold scores—the maximum scores at Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 by grade level or grade span—determine scale score ranges for each performance level. These were set based on a standard setting and validation study that used the 2021–22 operational field test data for the Summative Alternate ELPAC. The results allow meaningful comparisons between individual students and group comparisons between schools and LEAs across grade levels.

Overall Performance Levels

Summative Alternate ELPAC overall performance levels are categorical labels given to particular scale score ranges. The minimum and maximum scale scores for each level typically vary for grade level or grade span; these are presented in Appendix A: Scale Score Ranges. Performance levels were set during a process called standard setting, which established the association between scale scores and their category of performance.

Table 2 lists the three Summative Alternate ELPAC performance levels and describes what students at each level can typically do.

Table 2. Overall Summative Alternate ELPAC Performance Levels
Reporting Level	What Students Can Typically Do at Each Level
Level 3	Students at this level are fluent English proficient. They have sufficient English skills to communicate and learn in school. They may need occasional help with English in order to learn grade-level information that has been modified for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities.
Level 2	Students at this level are intermediate English learners. They can sometimes use English to communicate and learn in school. They may need frequent help with English in order to learn grade-level information that has been modified for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities.
Level 1	Students at this level are novice English learners. They are beginning to develop the English skills they need to communicate and learn in school. They may need substantial help with English in order to learn grade-level information that has been modified for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities.