Week 2 DQ 1 and DQ 2... 200 words each

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Guide to Navigating and Using AZELLA Reports

Arizona Department of Education

A publication of the Assessment, OELAS (Office of English Language Acquisition Services), and Accountability divisions

revised 10/6/2016

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Contents Contents .....................................................................................................................................................................2

OVERVIEW ..................................................................................................................................................................3

NAVIGATING AZELLA Reports .................................................................................................................................3

PearsonAccess and Arizona Department of Education (ADE) Reports ...................................................................3

AZELLA USERS .........................................................................................................................................................4

TRAINING – PART I: AZELLA REPORTS ........................................................................................................................6

UNDERSTANDING AZELLA REPORTS - PearsonAccess ............................................................................................6

Understanding the Individual Student Report ...................................................................................................6

Understanding the Proficiency Roster Report ................................................................................................. 16

Kindergarten Placement Test Reports ............................................................................................................. 19

TRAINING – PART II .................................................................................................................................................. 20

UNDERSTANDING AZELLA REPORTS – ADEConnect ............................................................................................ 20

Overview of SDELL Reports ............................................................................................................................. 20

How to Gain access to ADEConnect ................................................................................................................ 20

SDELL70 – AZELLA Student Test History Report ............................................................................................... 21

SDELL71 - ELL Program Participation Report ................................................................................................... 23

SDELL72 – AZELLA Roster Report ..................................................................................................................... 25

SDELL73 – ELL Student Need Report ................................................................................................................ 26

AZELLA Corrections .......................................................................................................................................... 29

TRAINING – PART III ................................................................................................................................................. 30

Using AZELLA Reports for Instruction .................................................................................................................. 30

How to use the AZELLA report with the English Language Proficiency Standards .......................................... 30

AZELLA Blueprint ............................................................................................................................................. 32

AZELLA Scoring Rubrics .................................................................................................................................... 33

TRAINING – PART IV ................................................................................................................................................ 34

Using AZELLA Reports for Data Management ..................................................................................................... 34

How to use the AZELLA report for data management specific to accountability and funding. ...................... 34

CONCLUSION – PART V ............................................................................................................................................ 36

The Importance of Good Documentation ............................................................................................................... 36

Final Remarks .......................................................................................................................................................... 36

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OVERVIEW

NAVIGATING AZELLA Reports PearsonAccess and Arizona Department of Education (ADE) Reports

The AZELLA is Arizona’s English language proficiency assessment. The purpose of this guide is to assist educators to understand and use the Arizona English Language Learner Assessment (AZELLA) reports available in PearsonAccess and on the ADE website.

The AZELLA was developed to test the Arizona English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS). In alignment with the ELPS, AZELLA is designed to test the domains of Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. Grade span clusters match the ELPS and tests are specifically designed for each of the five Stages, I-V. AZELLA test items cover the range of the ELPS proficiency levels: Pre-Emergent, Emergent, Basic, and Intermediate. Students scoring Proficient on the AZELLA are considered to have met the knowledge, skill, and ability requirements of the ELPS.

AZELLA District Test Coordinators invest their time to ensure that the AZELLA is administered in a consistent manner to yield reliable results. Once the test has been administered and the test results are published, it is the responsibility of district educators to use the AZELLA score report information to improve the educational outcomes for English Language Learner (ELL) students.

AZELLA testing occurs in two major categories: Placement testing and Annual Reassessment. Placement testing occurs all year for new students who require testing, students without recent AZELLA scores, and for students who meet other requirements for placement testing. The Annual Reassessment is required for all continuing ELL students and all parent withdrawn ELL students, and occurs in a specific time period each spring. See the AZELLA Reference Manual for more information on Placement and Annual Reassessment testing. Student reports are essentially the same for both of these purposes.

The PearsonAccess website provides a variety of current-school-year reports available for convenient downloading. The Individual Student Report and the Student Roster Report are two key AZELLA reports. The Individual Student Report is provided in both electronic and print versions and the Student Roster Report is provided in an electronic version. Also available on the PearsonAccess website is a Student Data File. This file, available only in an electronic format, contains significantly more information than the paper reports. The Student Data File is a very useful tool for district personnel who choose to create their own customized data reports. Directions on how to access the Placement and Reassessment reports and download the Student Data File from the Pearson website are available on the PearsonAccess landing page found at http://www.pearsonaccess.com/cs/Satellite?pagename=Pearson/QuickLink/az.

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The ADE website also provides important AZELLA and other ELL student reports. These reports are available from the ADEConnect link.

Reports that are available include:

• SDELL70 - AZELLA Student Test History Report • SDELL71 – ELL Program Participation Report • SDELL72 – AZELLA Roster Report • SDELL73 – ELL Student Need Report

All four reports can be found under the AZELLA Corrections /SDELL Reports option on the ADEConnect menu. The SDELL70 report provides an individual student’s AZELLA test history and most recent ELL program history. The SDELL71 report provides information on a student’s ELL program participation. The SDELL72 report is an AZELLA roster report. The SDELL73 report displays students who have an ELL Need in the current or prior two years.

These reports are critical for researching a student’s ELL history whenever a student transfers to a new school or district. Using these reports, you are able to determine if a student is currently eligible for, and/or receiving ELL services. These reports will help you decide if a student requires an AZELLA Placement test, an AZELLA reassessment, and/or ELL program enrollment.

AZELLA USERS Users of the AZELLA score reports fall into several broad categories: District and School Administrators, AZELLA District Test Coordinators, ELL and Curriculum Specialists, Classroom Teachers, and Parents.

District and School Administrators District and school administrators use AZELLA score reports to determine staffing needs based on ability-based grouping of ELL students, to plan for classroom resources including textbooks, to plan for intervention programs and summer school, and to inform budget decisions. Administrators also need to understand how AZELLA score reports reflect their ELL data and are used for federal state accountability measures. Federal Title III Accountability requires that LEAs report the number and percentage of ELL students making progress toward English language proficiency and for those who reclassify from ELL status to English proficient status. AZELLA scores are used as the basis for these accountability measures. Moreover, AZELLA score reports display ELL data that is used for state and federal funding. Using the reports to ensure ADE has accurate data is crucial to a school’s and LEA’s accountability and funding. It is the responsibility of Administrators to be aware of how the effective use of AZELLA score reporting can be utilized to improve the educational outcomes for ELL students. Administrators can use the existing Student Roster reports or they may choose to create their own custom reports based on the AZELLA data provided in the Student Data File.

AZELLA District Test Coordinators The Superintendent or Charter Holder for each LEA in Arizona is required to identify an AZELLA District Test Coordinator. This person is ultimately responsible for AZELLA test administration. LEAs will approach the

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responsibilities of AZELLA test administration in various ways, with some District Test Coordinators managing the responsibilities themselves, and others distributing responsibilities and tasks. The AZELLA District Test Coordinator may assign others the ability to administer tests, score Placement tests, enter student responses, and view student reports in PearsonAccess.

It is likely that the AZELLA District Test Coordinator will play a key role in distributing AZELLA test results to those who need them. It is essential that the AZELLA student results are provided to teachers with ELLs in their classrooms and that classroom teachers are trained to read and use AZELLA reports. A copy of the Individual Student Report must remain in the student’s cumulative folder. Currently, the cumulative folder provides the only complete AZELLA score history. Reports furnished by Pearson only provide information for students tested within the district. The AZELLA District Test Coordinator may need to research the test history of a student who is enrolled in their district, but did not test in their district. ADE provides a series of ELL reports that are available through ADECONNECT. Designated personnel may access ADE’s AZELLA test history information for any student enrolled in their district, regardless of where they tested. The SDELL70 – AZELLA Student Test History Report is used for this purpose.

ELL and Curriculum Specialists Curriculum specialists, ELL coordinators, ELL coaches and other educators who provide support to ELLs should use AZELLA results to assist in planning instruction and intervention programs. Evaluating AZELLA results based on grade, domain, and proficiency levels can provide direction for instructional planning that accelerates English language development. Because the ELPS are linked to Arizona’s College and Career Ready Standards, educators can expect that students scoring Proficient on the AZELLA have acquired the level of English proficiency needed to access mainstream class work. AZELLA provides useful information for instructional planning purposes. ELL and Curriculum Specialists may use the Student Roster reports or can create custom reports based on AZELLA data provided in the Student Data File.

Classroom Teachers Classroom teachers use AZELLA reports to improve instruction at the classroom level and at the individual student level. Proficiency levels reported by AZELLA match those of the ELPS. Instruction should be based on the proficiency levels of the students in Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking. Classroom teachers will use both the Student Roster reports and the Individual Student Reports. AZELLA scores need to be available to classroom teachers who have ELL students.

Parents Parent notification is required when students are placed into ELL services. ELL Coordinators and/or teachers need to schedule time to meet with parents to discuss AZELLA results. Parents should receive a copy of the Individual Student Report, which is available in English or Spanish. The narrative explanation that accompanies the Overall Proficiency Level on the student report is a good place to begin the discussion with parents. This narrative provides a high level summary of the general language ability of a student at that Overall Proficiency Level. Domain scores should be used to discuss strengths and weaknesses in the individual domains of Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking.

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TRAINING – PART I: AZELLA REPORTS

UNDERSTANDING AZELLA REPORTS - PearsonAccess

Understanding the Individual Student Report

The first step in using the AZELLA reports is to understand what is included in the Individual Student Report. This report is produced only for students with a valid, completed, and scored AZELLA. Below is a mock-up of the Stage I – Stage V Individual Student Report. The Kindergarten Placement Test is different and that report will be discussed separately.

A – Header information B – Student demographic information C – Student score information D – Student overall proficiency level and ELL designation

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Header Information

Note that the test administration is reported. For Placement Test reports, this will state “Placement.” For annual reassessment in Spring 2015, the header information will state “Spring 2015.”

Student Demographic Information

This area reports the information about the student. If a Pre-ID Label is used, this information is obtained from data in AzEDS. If this is a new student or a Placement Test, the information is collected from the demographic page of the answer document or test book. If there are errors in this information, corrections may be made using the AZELLA Corrections application on ADEConnect.

• The student name is reported by last name followed by first name. • The SAIS ID is Arizona’s unique state student identification number. • Student birth date is reported. • Student grade is reported. • The student language program as of the test date is reported. • Dist-Sch # is the District-School entity number. • Student’s school name, at time of testing, is reported. • Student’s district name, at time of testing, is reported.

B

A

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Student Score Information

Reporting Element: Domain Scores

Student scores are reported for each domain (sometimes called sub-test).

• Reading Reading items are all multiple choice. Many Reading test items are constructed around a reading passage and have two-to-four test questions associated with that passage. Based on Lexile levels, each Stage includes a range of grade-appropriate passages to cover the multiple grades included in the Stage test.

• Writing Writing items include a mixture of multiple choice and open-ended responses. Every Writing sub-test includes two or three opportunities for students to provide extended writing responses. A variety of modes are used for the extended writing responses including Narrative, Expository, Persuasive, and Functional. These items require a well-constructed, on-topic paragraph response. Students are provided with blank scratch paper so that they may organize their thoughts and draft their responses before writing their final responses on their answer pages. Rubrics are used to score the open-ended Writing items. See Part II for more information on the AZELLA rubrics.

• Listening The Listening test is delivered via an audio recording – either from a CD or downloaded from the PearsonAccess website. Students listen to a variety of passages and for each passage are asked to mark their answers to one or two related multiple choice questions on their answer pages.

• Speaking The Speaking test is delivered via telephone. Students are asked a series of open-ended questions, followed by 10 repeat items. All items are scored electronically, based on the AZELLA scoring rubrics. See Part II for more information on the AZELLA rubrics.

C

Domain Scores

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Reporting Element: Additional Scores

Additional student scores are reported. Oral and Comprehension scores have been required for federal reporting purposes and are intended to assist educators in understanding the language needs of an ELL student. The Language Score is a new addition to the AZELLA. The Language Strand is not tested directly, but it is assessed as a secondary element of test items. Not reported on the Individual Student Report or the Student Roster Report is a Literacy Score. This score is a combination of Reading and Writing scores, and is reported on the student data file, only.

• Language The Language score provides a secondary indicator for items that are aligned to the Language Strand of the ELPS. All test items are designed to align to a primary ELPS performance indicator from the Domain of Reading, Writing, Listening, or Speaking. Items that align to both the primary performance indicator and also explicitly to an element in the Language Strand are included in the Language score. The Language score is a reflection of three major Language Strand categories from the ELPS: Parts of Speech; Phrase, Sentence, and Question construction; Vocabulary. The Language score is intended as an indicator of proficiency in the Language Strand for instructional purposes.

• Oral The Oral Score is a combination of the Listening and Speaking scores.

• Comprehension Comprehension is a combination of the Reading and Listening scores.

Additional Scores

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Reporting Element: Total Combined Score

The Total Combined Score is the combined score of all four domains. The contribution to the total point value of the test for each of the Domains to the Total Combined Score varies by Stage.

Reading Writing Listening Speaking Stage I 28% 28% 22% 22% Stage II 34% 26% 19% 21% Stage III 32% 32% 17% 19% Stage IV 33% 33% 16% 18% Stage V 33% 33% 16% 18%

Total Combined Score

Domain contribution to Total Combined Score by Stage

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Reporting Element: Scale Scores In order to report scores in a consistent manner, AZELLA reports use scale scores. Scale scores for all of the Domain Scores and the Additional Scores range from 100 to 400, with higher numbers indicating a higher level of ability. All scale scores are equated across test forms and years. It is the scale score, not the raw score, that is used to determine proficiency. For all Domain and Additional scores, a score of 250 or greater is in the Proficient range. A score of 230 to 249 is in the Intermediate range. A score of less than 230 will fall into the Pre-Emergent/Emergent/Basic range. The Total Combined Score is a separate scale ranging from 2000 to 3000. For Stages I and V, there is a single cut score for each proficiency level. For Stages II, III, and IV each grade has a different cut score for each of the reported proficiency levels.

Scale Scores

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Total Combined Cut Scores Total Combined “Proficient” score alone does not determine Overall Proficiency Level of “Proficient”

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Reporting Elements: Proficiency Levels

Student English proficiency levels are reported based on test scale scores. The Arizona ELPS are constructed around five Proficiency Level Descriptors. Listed from the lowest to the highest designations, these are Pre- Emergent, Emergent, Basic, Low Intermediate, and High Intermediate. The knowledge, skills, and abilities included in the ELPS are detailed at various proficiency levels. A performance task for a specified proficiency level is called a Performance Indicator. The Performance Indicators reflect the knowledge, skills, and abilities that a student should demonstrate as he/she progresses toward Proficient status. The AZELLA is built to test these Performance Indicators. Proficient status is obtained once a student demonstrates competency in the Intermediate Performance Indicators.

Overall Proficiency Level

A check box indicates the student’s Overall Proficiency Level. For the purpose of the Individual Student Report, a very brief narrative snapshot of the student’s English language proficiency is provided.

The determination of a student’s eligibility for ELL services is based on the student’s Overall Proficiency Level. If a student scores Proficient, he/she is not eligible for ELL program placement. If a student scores at any other Overall Proficiency Level he/she is considered ELL and is eligible for ELL program placement.

Whenever the Total Combined Score is Intermediate, Basic, or Pre-Emergent/Emergent, the Overall Proficiency Level will match the proficiency level reported for the Total Combined Score.

When the Total Combined Score is Proficient, the Overall Proficiency Level is determined based on three scores: Total Combined score, Reading score, and Writing score. In order to obtain an Overall Proficiency Level

D

Proficiency Levels

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of Proficient, the student MUST score Proficient in Reading and Writing and Total Combined. If any one of these three scores is below Proficient, the student will not score Proficient.

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How does a Proficient student look on the student report?

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Understanding the Proficiency Roster Report

How to use the AZELLA report for grouping students

The Models of Structured English Immersion require schools to utilize English language ability-based grouping to place students in SEI classrooms. Overall Proficiency levels are based on student AZELLA scores. Schools with high numbers of ELLs may have multiple SEI classrooms dedicated to specific language abilities. When making classroom assignments, generally, the number of students at a given overall proficiency level will determine classroom placements. AZELLA roster reports are very helpful for this purpose.

Spring Reassessment Reports

Annually, AZELLA scores are provided to LEAs electronically through PearsonAccess, followed by print reports. Score reports are needed to plan for ELL services for the upcoming school year. Each individual student’s English language proficiency scores need to be evaluated to determine if the student is eligible for ELL services. Students who have attempted the test, but do not have a complete, valid, and scored test result, will not receive an Individual Student Report. Partial score information for these students will be found in the roster reports.

Each student’s Overall Proficiency Level is the determining factor when evaluating if a student is eligible for ELL services. An Overall Proficiency Level of Proficient will establish that the student is Not Eligible for ELL Services. Any Overall Proficiency Level other than Proficient establishes that the student is Eligible for ELL Services.

In those rare cases when the student’s Speaking test was not successfully completed, that student may need to be administered a Placement test at the start of the upcoming school year to obtain a current AZELLA score for placement purposes. The unsuccessful Speaking attempt is reflected on the score report by the designation “Nonscorable Speaking.”

Overall Proficiency Level

Nonscorable Speaking

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The Proficiency Roster Report is organized to be helpful to district and school administrators as they configure classrooms. Reports are designed to break by grade. Student Overall Proficiency Levels are grouped under grey row headings (i.e., Invalidated, Incomplete Test, Pre-Emergent/Emergent, Basic, Intermediate, Proficient).

Grade

SCORE RESULTS GROUPING CATEGORIES

Invalidated

Incomplete

Pre-Emergent

Basic

Intermediate Proficient

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Alphabetical Roster Report

The Alphabetical Roster Report assists with student classroom assignments. The report indicates the school, grade levels, and names of the students and provides a convenient report for looking up an individual student’s AZELLA results.

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Kindergarten Placement Test Reports Kindergarten Placement Test reports are different from other reports and are much simpler. Only a single scale score and proficiency level are delivered. The Proficiency Roster Report Detail is an effective tool for ability- based grouping.

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TRAINING – PART II

UNDERSTANDING AZELLA REPORTS – ADEConnect

Overview of SDELL Reports

Several important ELL student reports are available from the ADE home page under the ADEConnect link at https://www.azed.gov/aelas/adeconnect. The SDELL70 report provides an individual student’s AZELLA test history and most recent ELL program history; the SDELL71 report provides information on a student’s ELL program participation; the SDELL72 report is an AZELLA roster report; and the SDELL73 report is an ELL Student need report. These reports are critical for researching a student’s ELL history whenever a student transfers to a new school or district. Using these reports, you are able to determine if a student is currently eligible for, and/or receiving ELL services. These reports will help you determine if a student requires an AZELLA Placement test and/or a spring reassessment. All reports can be downloaded in a PDF or CSV file format for ease of use.

The AZELLA Corrections application is a tool designed for LEAs to correct errors due to a mismatch between test record student data and SAIS student data. The application should be monitored regularly for timely correction of student data.

How to Gain access to ADEConnect If you currently do not have access to ADEConnect, but need access, you need to contact your LEA’s local entity administrator to request permission for access to the AZELLA Corrections / SDELL Reports. There is only one (1) designated role of “AZELLA District Test Coordinator” in ADEConnect for each district. All others may have the role of “ELL” in ADEConnect. Both of these roles have access to the AZELLA Corrections / SDELL Reports. Entity administrators may contact the ADE Support Center at 602-542-2222 or, [email protected] for assistance. This document will discuss the reports found under the AZELLA Corrections / SDELL Reports.

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SDELL70 – AZELLA Student Test History Report

Once access is provided to the ADEConnect application for an appropriately credentialed user, the AZELLA Corrections / SDELL Reports option will be available for selection. From the landing page, select SDELL Reports. When the page updates, select the SDELL70 – AZELLA Student Test History Report. This is an assessment report that provides information by student regarding AZELLA test and ELL program participation history. The student lookup is by SAIS ID number. This report is intended for use with students who are currently enrolled or seeking enrollment in your LEA/school. The disclaimer identifies the purpose of this report and must be read and acknowledged prior to use. This report is monitored and any misuse is a violation of state and federal law. After reading and acknowledging the disclaimer, you can enter a SAIS ID number in the box and click on “View Report”.

The SDELL70 Report will assist LEAs to determine the eligibility of a student for ELL program services. The testing history should reflect an initial Placement Test followed by an annual Spring Reassessment. Once a student has an Overall Proficiency Level of Proficient, the student is exited from the ELL program and is monitored for two years using the statewide academic assessment and other academic indicators. The SDELL70 Report should be accessed for all newly-enrolled students who have any PHLOTE response of a language other than English. In order to provide timely services and to avoid unnecessary testing, an LEA has the ability to check the AZELLA test history of a student as soon as the student is enrolled. It is not necessary for the student to have been tested within that LEA. You will be able to determine if a student is “Eligible for ELL Services” or “Not Eligible for ELL Services”.

The “Assessment History” section of the student report includes the Overall Proficiency Level of all scored AZELLA tests. The “Most Recent Assessment Details” reports the AZELLA Oral, Reading, Writing, and Total Combined sub-scores. The Most Recent ELL Program History section reports selected program participation information. Three “Types” could be reported: Most Recent ELL Program; Most Recent Parent Withdrawal; and Most Recent SPED Withdrawal. The most recent transaction posted in the student information system will be reported in this area along with the effective date. Utilize this information to determine the appropriate ELL program placement for a student as well as determine if the student needs placement testing or an annual reassessment. This information will also assist educators as they develop each student’s instructional plan. The

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report is updated regularly and reflects new information as it is uploaded into SAIS. Current ELL program participation information in SAIS helps to ensure that students receive timely and appropriate services.

SDELL70 Report

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SDELL71 - ELL Program Participation Report

The SDELL71 – ELL Program Participation Report is a report that provides information on the services provided to ELL students at a specific district or charter. The report is available historically for each school year. Included in the annual report are the students who were entered into services for that individual district or charter and whether or not those students passed integrity. If a student has an assessment that determines that he or she is eligible for ELL services, those services must be reported to ADE. The program choices (reported in the Program field) include the following:

A4 - Structured English Immersion (SEI) 4-Hour Model A3 - Structured English Immersion (SEI) 3-Hour Model A2 - Structured English Immersion (SEI) 2-Hour Model B1 - Bilingual/Dual Language with Waiver 1 B2 - Bilingual/Dual Language with Waiver 2 B3 - Bilingual/Dual Language with Waiver 3 IP - Individual Language Learner Plan PW - Parent Withdrawn ELL

The SDELL71 Report also documents for the LEA the ELL Program Exit Reason. The following are the applicable ELL Program Exit Reasons:

ELL01 - Reclassified as FEP by Reassessment ELL02 - Withdrawn from school ELL05 - Transferred to a different program ELL06 - End of school year ELL07 - Withdrawn due to SPED Criteria ELL08 - Transferred to Different Track.

One student record is reported on each line of the report. At ADE this report is used by the Office of English Language Acquisition Services, School Finance, and Accountability. Questions on this report should be directed to those offices.

(See next page for visual.)

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SDELL71 Report

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SDELL72 – AZELLA Roster Report

The SDELL72 - AZELLA Roster Report is an annual report based on fiscal year. The current year plus three previous fiscal years are available for viewing. Included in this report is every student AZELLA test administered in that district, reported school-by-school, during the report year. This report does not vary based on changes in enrollment. For this report, the student always reports in the district where he/she was tested. This report includes all AZELLA test results administered during the selected year. The report is updated regularly and reflects new information as it is uploaded into ADE’s student record system. Student data is reported by district, school, stage and grade. The AZELLA results that are reported include the Overall Proficiency Level, Total Combined, Oral, Reading and Writing scale scores and proficiency levels. Finally, whether the student is Eligible or Not Eligible for ELL Services is reported.

SDELL72 Report

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SDELL73 – ELL Student Need Report

The SDELL73 - ELL Student Need Report is an annual report that displays all students in a school/LEA that have an ELL Need in the current or prior two fiscal years. This report is intended to be used in conjunction with the SDELL70 Report to determine the students who need to be placed into ELL services and annually reassessed. In addition, this report will help “catch” students whose PHLOTE responses were all English but have an AZELLA and ELL history. Once a student attains an overall proficiency level of “Proficient” s/he will no longer be on this report.

The report is updated regularly and reflects new information as it is uploaded into AzEDS. Once the student is enrolled in the school/LEA and that information is uploaded to ADE, if the student has an ELL Need in the current or prior two fiscal years the student will show on the report. The report will display general demographic information including SAIS ID, last name, first name, and grade. Additionally, the student will also be placed into one of the following ELL Groups:

1 = ELL Need (And no current year ELL program enrollment) 2 = ELL Need and current year ELL program 4 = Parent Withdrawn in FY11 through current year 7 = Student needs a Placement Test administered due to revisions in the AZELLA program at the end of SY 15-16

Students in ELL Group = 1 require a conversation with the parent regarding ELL services. If the parent elects to place the child in an ELL program, once the ELL program enrollment data is uploaded to ADE the group will change from 1 to 2. If the parent elects to not place the child in an ELL program, once that Parent Withdrawn ELL data is uploaded to ADE the group will change from 1 to 4. Students should not remain in group 1.

Students with ELL Group = 1, 2, or 4 must be annually reassessed in the spring. The only exceptions to testing annually in the spring are the following situations:

• Student is new to the state and completes his/her first placement test after January 1 in the current year.

• Student transferred during the spring testing window and has already been reassessed at his/her prior school/LEA.

Also displayed on the report is the qualifying AZELLA test date for the student, as well as the upload date that ADE received the data. Finally, this report shows the integrity result from the SDELL71 for each student. The integrity column can show three options:

• “Passed” – integrity has passed for this student. • “Failed” – this student has failed integrity. • “Not Run” or a Null Value – the student’s data has not yet gone through integrity.

Students who “Failed” integrity need to have the incorrect element of their data addressed. See “How to Use the AZELLA Report for Data Management” below regarding how to find the data error and how to fix it. Some

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students might not have a null (aka, missing) value or will show “Not Run” for their integrity result. If the report displays “Not Run” for integrity, simply wait a week or two and check again to see if integrity has since run. As integrity runs the “Not Run” label should change to “Passed” or “Failed”. In certain cases a null value might exist; for example, students who were Parent Withdrawn in any year but the current one. In this Parent Withdrawn circumstance a null value is acceptable because these students are not currently enrolled on the SDELL71 and do not, therefore, go through integrity. Students who are Parent Withdrawn in the current year should never have a null value. In other cases, for example, students who are ELL Group = 1, a null value is unacceptable because no one has yet to enroll these students in an ELL program in the current year. Once an ELL program enrollment occurs, the null value will be changed.

This report is designed for informational purposes and can be used to ensure best practices for students with an ELL need. This report is not intended to remove or replace the use of the SDELL70 Report; however, it will be a way to see all students with an ELL need in your school/LEA once their enrollment information is uploaded to ADE. For more detailed information on each student, such as AZELLA and ELL program history, a SDELL70 Report should be pulled. This report is intended to be utilized for data management purposes as well as for AZELLA reassessment purposes. Check this report to validate ELL student program enrollment and ELL Group. Additionally, no test list will be posted by the ADE Accountability unit as this report will be live all year long and available to the field. Any ELL data uploaded to ADE will post to this report and guide test coordinators on which students must be reassessed.

(See next page for visual.)

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SDELL73 Report

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AZELLA Corrections The AZELLA Corrections application is used to identify and correct matching errors between test record student data and the SAIS student data. Corrections made in this application will not be reflected in the Pearson reports, which will remain unchanged. The application should be monitored regularly in order to make timely corrections. Instructions for making corrections are included on the application page. Students remaining in the Corrections application cannot be counted for accountability or enrolled in ELL programs the following year; thus, it is imperative that all AZELLA Corrections are fixed.

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TRAINING – PART III

Using AZELLA Reports for Instruction

How to use the AZELLA report with the English Language Proficiency Standards The AZELLA is a criterion-referenced test that assesses the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS). Proficiency levels on the score reports reflect the attainment of the skills detailed in the ELPS. It is important to recognize that any single administration of the AZELLA cannot test ALL the proficiency levels of all the Performance Indicators within the Standards. The full set of Performance Indicators that are tested are represented by a limited number of items. Educators should use the AZELLA results to find a tentative starting point for each domain in the ELPS for each of their ELL students. Using classroom assessments, educators can more precisely determine which of the Performance Indicators in the ELPS the student has achieved. The goal is to accelerate English language acquisition by progressing systematically through the ELPS from the student’s starting point to achievement of the High Intermediate skills.

The claim for the AZELLA is that it is constructed using appropriate assessment tasks that return a valid and reliable score reflecting the test taker’s level of English language proficiency based on the ELPS. A score of Proficient is designed to represent a good working knowledge of English, which means that the student will have the ability to access regular classroom instruction in English. As a consequence of the test results, students scoring less than Proficient are identified as ELL and are to be provided with targeted instruction to support English language development.

An example of how to use the AZELLA score report to begin instructional planning is provided below.

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Instruction should begin with the Pre-Emergent, Emergent, and Basic Performance Indicators from Stage III of the ELPS. The goal is to progress to High Intermediate.

This Individual Student Report states that the Grade 4 student scored at Pre-Emergent/Emergent/Basic proficiency level in Writing.

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AZELLA Blueprint Background Knowledge of the structure of AZELLA is helpful in understanding the use of test results. During the development process, decisions were made that would balance the length of the test with levels of specificity that could be validly reported as score results. Used as a Placement Test or an annual Reassessment, the AZELLA provides summary information on a student’s overall English proficiency and on the student’s proficiency in the domains of Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking. It is expected that during the course of the year, interim assessments will be used within the classroom to monitor progress in English language acquisition.

The AZELLA Blueprint summarizes the contribution of each of the language domains - Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking - to the Total Combined Score. Arizona’s ELPS were designed to be comprehensive in scope and sequence, detailing the knowledge, skills, and abilities in the progression toward English language proficiency. The AZELLA is a criterion-referenced test that is designed to measure English proficiency based on Arizona’s ELPS. A test blueprint was constructed using a thorough analysis of the ELPS to determine which of the performance indicators could be measured on a standardized test and which performance indicators should be used primarily for evaluating performance in the classroom. In general, a performance indicator would be considered primarily designed for classroom evaluation if it required instructional support, group discussion or other interactive activities, or could not be assessed on a large scale assessment. This analysis was done over a period of several months, utilizing the expertise of Arizona educators, ADE, and WestEd.

The test development team determined that Reading and Writing skills were essential, especially at the higher Stages. The AZELLA Test Blueprint reflects this by dedicating a greater proportion of the test to Reading and Writing, particularly in Stages III-V.

The AZELLA Blueprint reflects the overall representation of assessable standards toward the Total Combined Score. This may be accomplished by weighing certain elements of the test. For example, at all Stages, the Speaking test includes 10 repeat items. These items are scored based on a 6-point rubric. During the scoring process, these 60 points are reduced to just 4 points which are calculated into the final score. The Blueprint reflects the contribution of the repeat items to the Total Combined Score.

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AZELLA Scoring Rubrics

The AZELLA includes open-ended responses that are worth multiple points and are scored based on a range of performance criteria. These items are included in both the Writing and the Speaking tests. For example, the AZELLA requires all students to write a paragraph. The writing prompts found on the tests are designed specifically for each stage. In order to provide a valid and reliable score, criteria have been established for assigning a score to a student’s response. The criteria are specified in the scoring rubrics. The AZELLA scoring rubrics can be found at the “Resources” tab on the ADE-AZELLA website at http://www.azed.gov/standards- development-assessment/arizona-english-language-learner-assessment-azella/

Domain/Standard Kindergarten

Placement Stage I Stage II Stage III Stage IV Stage V Reading 17% 28% 34% 32% 33% 33%

Print Concepts/ Phonemic Awareness/ Decoding 43% 50% 44% 35% 25% 21%

Comprehension 57% 50% 56% 65% 75% 79% Writing 5% 28% 26% 32% 33% 33%

Applications 0% 33% 32% 39% 36% 36% Conventions 0% 67% 68% 62% 50% 39% Process/Elements/Research 100% 0% 0% 0% 14% 26%

Listening 31% 22% 19% 17% 16% 16% Comprehension 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

Speaking 47% 22% 21% 19% 18% 18% Delivery 50% 71% 88% 88% 88% 88% Repeats 50% 29% 13% 13% 13% 13%

AZELLA Blueprint

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TRAINING – PART IV

Using AZELLA Reports for Data Management

How to use the AZELLA report for data management specific to accountability and funding. The SDELL71, SDELL72, and SDELL73 Reports should be utilized for data management purposes. Specifically, these reports contain data that is submitted to ADE by the LEA/school. Data on these reports are used for state funding and state and federal ELL accountability. Thus, it is imperative for LEAs to consistently review their data and ensure that the data is accurate.

SDELL71 – this report shows ELL program enrollment by LEA/school and can be pulled by fiscal year. Those reviewing the SDELL71 should:

1. Check integrity results for each student. The integrity result can show three options: • “Passed” – integrity has passed for this student. • “Failed” – this student has failed integrity. • “Not Run” – the student’s data has not yet gone through integrity.

Any student that has failed integrity will not receive state funding and could impact accountability. Integrity failures occur when something is wrong with the data submitted for a student and should be corrected as soon as they are discovered. One of the key ways to determine why the student failed integrity is to pull a SDELL70 Report. Integrity failure reasons can be found on the ADE School Finance website (http://www.azed.gov/finance/). If it says “Not Run” for any students, wait a week or two and check the report again. Once integrity runs those students should change to either “Passed” or “Failed”.

a. If the data that needs to be changed is in the current year, then make those changes in the student management system and trigger the upload to ADE.

b. If the data that needs to be changed is in the prior year or last three years, then a 15-915 must be opened. See School Finance’s website for details (noted above).

2. Confirm withdrawal codes and dates, if applicable. 3. Ensure all students who are enrolled in an ELL program or are Parent Withdrawn ELL in the current year

are on the SDELL71 Report.

SDELL72 – this report shows all AZELLA tests given at a school/LEA and can be pulled for each fiscal year. Those reviewing the SDELL72 should:

1. Confirm that ADE has the same number of students taking an AZELLA as the LEA/school does. 2. Use this report to check for students who completed the AZELLA but are not on the report; these

students could be in the AZELLA corrections application.

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SDELL73 – this report shows all students with an ELL need in the current and prior two years. Those reviewing the SDELL73 should:

1. Confirm that all students on this report have an ELL need. a. Kindergarten students who completed both the KPT and AZELLA reassessment in FY14 will not

be on this report unless they were enrolled in an ELL program in FY15. b. Once a student tests proficient on the AZELLA s/he will no longer be on this report. c. Check to ensure that all students with an ELL need are on the report.

2. Confirm the ELL Group of each student. a. Students should not remain in ELL Group = 1 as that means they have not been placed into an

ELL program. b. Students that were SPED Withdrawn from the SDELL71 in the current year but do NOT have a

SPED need in SAIS in the current year will remain in ELL Group = 2. If the student should truly be withdrawn due to SPED because the student no longer has an English language need, then a SPED need must be in SAIS.

c. Check data specific to enrollment and withdrawal codes. For example, if a student has been withdrawn from a school on the SDELL71 report, yet still shows on the SDELL73 report, something was not entered correctly for that student. Similarly, if a student has been parent withdrawn, but ELL Group = 2, then something was not entered correctly.

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CONCLUSION – PART V

The Importance of Good Documentation

Student information is protected information. The current reporting channels through ADE and Pearson are limited by privacy requirements. As discussed throughout this report, you are likely to be limited in your access to complete records of ELL students who have transferred to your schools. With the high rate of student mobility, this is a widespread issue. Timely transfer of complete student records will greatly assist in providing continuity of students’ services. Always keep a copy of the Individual Student Report in the cumulative file. Be sure to document program placement information as the information in the SDELL71 Report will not be available to the new school. When a student leaves your school, be sure to complete the ELL Program Information section of the Official Notice of Pupil Withdrawal Form. This form is located on the ADE website under Finance/IT/Business Services; SAIS; Official Notice of Pupil Withdrawal Form.

Arizona Revised Statute 15-828 (G) states: Within five school days after enrolling a transfer pupil from a private school or another school district, a school shall request directly from the pupil’s previous school a certified copy of the pupil’s record. The requesting school shall exercise due diligence in obtaining the copy of the record requested. Notwithstanding any financial debt owed by the pupil, any school requested to forward a copy of a transferring pupil’s record to the new school shall comply and forward the record within ten school days after receipt of the request unless the record has been flagged pursuant to [A.R.S.] section 15-829.

Final Remarks The AZELLA score reports are essential tools for designing instructional programs for ELLs. Student achievement is maximized when all stakeholders including district and school administrators, ELL coordinators, AZELLA coordinators and administrators, teachers, and parents all work together to provide a structured and evidence- based plan for each ELL student. In addition to the reports discussed in this guide, many other resources are provided on the ADE website that can assist in this planning at http://www.azed.gov/. AZELLA questions may be sent to [email protected].