Ohio English Language Proficiency Assessment Results and Exit Criteria
Students
were administered the Ohio English Language Proficiency Assessment (OELPA) in spring
2016. Earlier this year, the Ohio Department of Education reported the delay in
score reporting due to the first-year standard setting process. Ohio uses the
OELPA scores to determine the English language proficiency levels of students who
have been identified as English learners. The score results are used as the state's
progress indicator and exit indicator for students to be reclassified from the
status of English learner.
The
OELPA results were posted on Nov. 6, 2016 and the exit criteria based on those
results was presented in a memo sent to districts on Nov. 11, 2016. Students
who received a Proficient overall performance level must be exited immediately
based on the Nov. 11 date. English learner accommodations shall not be allowed on any state tests for students who
exited the program as of Nov. 11. The next state tests to be administered are
the high school end-of-course tests during the Dec. 5, 2016 to Jan. 13, 2017
test window.
A student is reclassified (no longer English
learner) when the student has attained a performance level of Proficient on
the OELPA. The Proficient performance level is defined as domain/test level
scores of 4s and 5s in any combination across all four domains (listening,
reading, writing and speaking). Students in grades K - 12 are eligible for
reclassification if the student receives a performance level of Proficient. The EMIS window
is now open to enter the code (N) to reclassify the student. The district must
maintain the reclassification status based on the Nov. 11, 2016 date.
In
OELPA, there are three overall performance levels: Proficient, Emerging and
Progressing. The performance levels are determined as follows:
- “Proficient”
students are those scoring any combination of 4’s and 5’s across all four
domains;
- “Emerging”
students are those scoring any combination of 1’s and 2’s across all four
domains;
- “Progressing”
students are those scoring any combination across the four domains that does
not fall into Proficient or Emerging.
The performance level definitions above do not
match the definitions as currently defined in OAC 3301-13-11. Districts must
follow these new exit criteria and performance level definitions beginning with
their spring 2016 OELPA data. The ODE will be working over the next several
months to propose changes to OAC 3301-13-11, in the effort to align them with
the new exit criteria. The new exit criteria correspond to the overall
proficiency levels of the OELPA.
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