Dear Colleagues:

Enclosed is a set of NYSESLATTest Samplers for levels K-12 of the New York State English As SecA Second Language Achievement Test (NYSESLAT).are ready for distribution. These Ttest Ssamplers were developed with the input of practitioners involved in the teaching of English as a second language (ESL) to limited English proficient/English language learners. ESL and bilingual education teachers developed the items test sampler questions after attending training in item writing training last October. We are grateful to Dr. Robert Bedford, Coordinator of Educational Support Services in the Eastern Suffolk BOCES, for facilitatinged this e item writing training and participatinged in the selection of test questions itemfor the samplers. We also want to acknowledge the work of the staff of Bilingual Education Technical Assistance Centers (BETAC’s) who reviewed and edited the Ttest Ssamplers.

Theseis sampler Samplers areis being distributed to all elementary, middle, and secondaryhigh schools., middle schools, and elementary schools Recipients in these schools are askedwith a request to make copies available to their ESL/bilingual education teachers and supervisor in the schools. The Samplers may also be downloaded from the Office of State Assessment’s web site at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/nyseslat.html. The Ttest Ssamplers provides examples of the types of questions, formats, and scoring rubrics associated with that will be administered in the NYSESLAT. Teachers may administer the tTest Ssamplers to LEP students and also use the tasks in the Samplers as exemplars to develop similar tasks for use in the classroom instruction. The scoring rubrics that will be provided in the NYSESLAT Manual for Administrators and Teachers Teacher’s Manual may be shared with students to increase their awareness of the expectations of the NYSESLAT speaking and writing tasks.

Please be reminded thatTeachers should use the enclosed NYSESLAT Test Samplers, not last year's test, for preparing students to take the 2004 NYSESLAT. Aall schools were instructed to return all secure NYSESLAT materials at the conclusion of the spring 2003 testing period and were expressly prohibited from making any notes about any of the test questions since it is possible that items from the 2003 form may be used in subsequent forms. All schools that administered NYSESLAT last year should double-check at this time to ensure that no secure test materials or notes from last year’s administration were inadvertently retained. Schools finding any such materials are strictly prohibited from using them for any purpose and mustshould return them immediately to the Department at the address below.

Test Administration Distribution Unit

Cultural Education Center

Room 167

Empire State Plaza

Albany, New York 12230

School personnel will be held strictly accountable should it be found that they engaged in any practice or review with students that derives directly from last year’s secure NYSESLAT test materials.

The State Education Department is developing a comprehensive Request for Proposals FP(RFP) that will generate a contract for additional NYSESLAT test forms for the next five school years. We will be providing schools and teachers with additional information whenas that RFP is finalized and a new vendor is secured.

Sincerely,

David Abrams

Assistant Commissioner

Enclosure