September 15, 2004
TO: District Superintendents
Superintendents of Public and Nonpublic Schools
Principals of Public, Nonpublic, and Charter Schools
FROM: David Abrams 
SUBJECT: Total Score Option for
Exiting Limited English Proficient Students from Programs under Commissioner’s
Regulations, Part 154
In June 2004, a memorandum provided you with
guidance and information for determining a limited English proficient (LEP)
student’s level of English proficiency based on the New York State English as a
Second Language Achievement Test (NYSESLAT) Raw Score ranges. These ranges were
to be applied for students who were administered NYSESLAT 2004. This memorandum and accompanying raw score
ranges table are posted on the Office of State Assessment website at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/nyseslat.html.
This memorandum provides an additional local option for determining English proficiency and exiting limited English proficient students from Part 154 programs based on a student’s total score on all four sections of the NYSESLAT test. A similar total score option for NYSESLAT 2003 was provided in a memorandum in December 2003. Please note that there are adjustments to the 2004 total score option for grades 2, 3, and 4 as a result of the minor changes to the 2004 raw score ranges for Grades 2-4 Listening and Speaking.
If a student meets the criteria for this total
score option as adopted for use at the local level, the student need no longer
be considered LEP. Superintendents
and principals are advised to share this information immediately with
ESL/Bilingual program administrators and coordinators.
NYSESLAT 2004 Total Score Option
Compare the student’s total score
including all four sections (Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing) of
NYSESLAT to the “Cut Off for Exit” for the student’s grade. Students whose total scores are at or above
the “Cut Score for Exit” meet the criteria for exiting from Part 154
programs. Students who have achieved
these NYSESLAT total test scores need no longer be considered LEP.
Grade Cut Off for Exit
K 63
1
70
2
61
3 64
4
67
5
70
6
71
7
69
8
71
9 68
10
69
11
71
12
71