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                                                                                                June 25, 2004

TO:                  District Superintendents

Superintendents of Public and Nonpublic Schools

Principals of Public, Nonpublic, and Charter Schools

FROM:           David Abrams  

SUBJECT:      New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test (NYSESLAT) 2004 Raw Score Ranges Table and Multiple Measures Option for Exiting limited-English-proficient students from Part 154 Programs

GENERAL INFORMATION

This memorandum provides the new raw score ranges for the NYSESLAT 2004 test and guidance and information concerning the interpretation of the raw scores.    Local options for exiting students from Part 154 programs using multiple measures are also provided in this memorandum.    A copy of this memorandum is being sent to the principal of each public, nonpublic, and charter school, to each district superintendent and to each public and nonpublic school superintendent.  A copy is also being emailed to all CR part 154 and NCLB Title III contacts on the SED listserve.  This document is also posted on the New York State Education Department’s web site at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/testing/nyseslat.html Superintendents and principals are advised to share this information with ESL/Bilingual program administrators and coordinators immediately. 

Since NYSESLAT was administered for the first time in 2003, the standards were set originally using partial operational test data.  Consequently, to confirm the standards set in 2003 with the complete operational test data, a review of standards was conducted with a group of bilingual and ESL teachers who participated in the original standard setting.  As a result of the review, minor adjustments were made to the raw score ranges for Grades 2-4 Listening & Speaking.   The raw score ranges for all other grade levels and proficiency levels remain the same.

Although the changes to the 2-4 Listening & Speaking proficiency levels are the only changes to the raw score ranges for NYSESLAT 2004 as compared to NYSESLAT 2003, you must use the attached NYSESLAT 2004 Raw Score Ranges Chart to determine ESL proficiency for this year.        

NYSESLAT RAW SCORE RANGES 

NYSESLAT has five grade level bands: K-1, 2-4, 5-6, 7-8, and 9-12. Each grade level has four modalities: Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing.  The Comprehension score, which is the combined score of Listening & Reading, is also provided.   The attached table shows the information that can be derived from the raw scores in the four modalities of the NYSESLAT test. The table presents the raw score ranges for the combination of modalities required to determine the student’s level of English proficiency (Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced, and English Proficient) as follows:

(1) Listening & Speaking (combined score)

(2) Reading & Writing (combined score)

(3) Comprehension – combined score for Listening and Reading

 DETERMINING ESL PROFICIENCY LEVELS

To determine a student’s level of English proficiency, match the student’s scores on the NYSESLAT test to the raw score ranges for Listening and Speaking (L&S) and Reading and Writing (R&W) on the table.

• To move from one level of proficiency to the next, the LEP student must score within the range of the higher proficiency level in both combinations of modalities.

• To move from the limited English proficient level to the English proficient level, the LEP student must score at the proficient level in both combinations of modalities.

• LEP students who have moved in only one combination of modalities should remain at the lower proficiency level.

·        A description of the ESL Proficiency Levels is available on the Office of Bilingual Education’s website at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/nysben.html.

For example, the student in Level I (K-1) must achieve at least 32 raw score points on Listening & Speaking, and a 36 raw score points on Reading & Writing to be classified as English proficient.  These students are no longer LEP and must be provided programs and services in the general education program.

 MULTIPLE MEASURES OPTION

This memorandum provides additional local options for exiting limited English proficient students from the Part 154 programs required by the Commissioner of Education.   If a student meets the criteria for one of the multiple measures options within the same academic year, the student need no longer be considered limited-English-proficient.    Superintendents and principals are advised to share this information immediately with ESL/Bilingual program administrators and coordinators.

Grade 4 ELA Test: A performance level of 3 or 4 on ELA 4 together with a total raw score of 34 on the combined Listening and Speaking sections of the NYSESLAT for the grades 2-4 level constitute meeting the exit criteria from programs required under Part 154 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education.  Students who have met these double criteria within the same academic year need no longer be considered Limited English Proficient. 

Grade 8 ELA Test: A performance level of 3 or 4 on ELA 8 together with a total raw score of 37 on the combined Listening and Speaking sections of the NYSESLAT for the grades 7-8 level constitute meeting the exit criteria from programs required under Part 154 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education.  Students who have met these double criteria within the same academic year need no longer be considered Limited English Proficient. 

Regents Comprehensive Examination in English:  A score of 55 on the Regents Comprehensive Examination in English together with a total raw score of 37 on the combined Listening and Speaking sections of the NYSESLAT constitute meeting the exit criteria from programs required under Part 154 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education. Students who have met these double criteria within the same academic year need no longer be considered Limited English Proficient.

If you have not received your students’ NYSESLAT raw score data, please contact your Regional Information Center (RIC) or Large City Scanning Center.    If you have questions about determining a limited-English-proficient student’s level of English proficiency, please contact the Office of State Assessment at EMSCASSESSINFO@ mail.nysed.gov or call 518-474-5902.

cc:        James Kadamus

Carmen Perez Hogan

            Martha Musser

            Howard Goldsmith

To determine a student’s level of English proficiency, match the student’s scores on the NYSESLAT test to the raw score ranges for Listening and Speaking (L&S) and Reading and Writing (R&W) on the table.

• To move from one level of proficiency to the next, the LEP student must score within the range of the higher proficiency level in both combinations of modalities (L&S and R&W).

• To move from the limited English proficient level to the English proficient level, the LEP student must score at the English proficient level in both combinations of modalities (L&S and R&W).

• LEP students who have moved in only one combination of modalities should remain at the lower proficiency level.

* Comp. = Comprehension  (combined score of Listening and Reading) This score is provided for informational purposes.