FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
    Academic Achievement Through Language Acquisition
    Office of The Chancellor, K-12 Public Schools
     
      
     
    2005-2006 English Language Learner (ELLs) Alternative Assessment
    Questions and Answers
     
    Question #1
    Who may be exempted from participation in the FCAT?
     
    Answer:
    Only ELL/LEP students (LY) who must be currently receiving
    English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) services and who have
    been served in an approved ESOL program for twelve (12) months or less
    may be exempted from participation in the FCAT by majority action of the
    LEP Committee.
     
    Question #2
    How are the 12 months calculated?
     
    Answer:
    The calculation is twelve (12) calendar months from the ELL/LEP
    Entry Date as reported on the ELL/LEP Student Information Format in
    Survey 3 to the date for the specific FCAT administration. For instance,
    for students exempted from FCAT Writing the ELL/LEP Entry Date must
    be on or after February 7, 2005. For students exempted FCAT Reading,
    Mathematics, or Science, the ELL/LEP Entry Date must be on or after
    March 6, 2005.
     
    Question #3
    How should the ELL/LEP Entry Date be reported for ELL/LEP students who are
    enrolled for twelve (12) months or less in an approved ESOL program, leave the
    country (with or without a withdrawal date) and then re-enroll?
     
    Answer:
    As previously communicated, this would be based on whether
    or not a new English language proficiency assessment is conducted. The
    original LEP Student Information Format should be used, unless the
    ELL/LEP student left the school district (out of county or out of the United
    States) for an extended period of time. While the District defines
    “extended period of time,” it should be based on whether or not the
    student is re-assessed for English language proficiency. Example: An
    ELL/LEP first grade student is served for six (6) months leaves the country
    and returns in the Fall of his/her third grade – a new English language
    proficiency assessment would be conducted in order to effectively meet
    the student’s instructional needs and to develop an appropriate ELL/LEP
    Student Plan; therefore, a new LEP Student Information Format should be
    initiated, with the same student identification number. In this example the
    student would have a new Date of Entry. All historical information must be
    maintained in the student’s cumulative folder.
     
    March 2006
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    FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
    Academic Achievement Through Language Acquisition
    Office of The Chancellor, K-12 Public Schools
     
      
     
    Question#4
    Does the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) require a specific alternative
    assessment test for ELL/LEP students who are exempted from Florida
    Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT)?
     
    Answer:
    NO, the alternative assessment should be based on the reason
    for which the ELL/LEP student was exempted from participation in FCAT
    and should be approved by the LEP Committee. School districts may
    continue to use the same alternative assessment instrument(s) that were
    used in prior years.
     
    Question #5
    What alternative assessment results for ELL/LEP students must be submitted via
    the online (web-based) reporting system no later than April 7, 2006?
     
     
    Answer:
    The alternative assessment results for all ELL/LEP students in
    membership in Survey 3 (February 2006) who were by majority action of
    the LEP Committee exempted from FCAT must be submitted via the
    online reporting system.
     
    Question #6
    How is the participation rate (percent tested) for ELL/LEP students calculated for
    purposes of AYP?
     
    Answer:
    Participation rate is calculated by taking the total number of
    students taking an assessment (FCAT or alternate assessment) and
    dividing it into the number of students in Survey 3. The calculation is
    computed separately for reading and mathematics assessments.
     
    Question #7
    Who is included in the proficiency calculation for ELL/LEP students for purposes
    of AYP?
     
    Answer:
    All students are counted in the proficiency calculation for AYP as
    long as the student was enrolled for the full year (included in Survey 2,
    second week in October, and Survey 3, second week in February). To be
    included in the ELL/LEP subgroup for AYP the student must be currently
    receiving ESOL services “LY” or have received services within the last two
    years “LF”.
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    FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
    Academic Achievement Through Language Acquisition
    Office of The Chancellor, K-12 Public Schools
     
      
    Question #8
    How are the learning gains for ELL/LEP students calculated for purposes of
    School Grades?
     
    Answer:
    Learning gains are calculated for all students by looking at the
    students prior year FCAT score and comparing it to the current year’s
    FCAT score. If the student maintains proficiency, increase and
    achievement level, or improved a year’s worth of knowledge in a year’s
    time according to the developmental scale score the student has made a
    learning gain. Only students taking the next higher grade level test are
    able to use the developmental scale score learning gain. In addition,
    students must have two (2) years of FCAT scores to compute a learning
    gain.
     
    Question #9
    How are the proficiency levels of ELL/LEP students who are assessed by an
    alternative means reported?
     
    Answer:
    The proficiency levels of ELL/LEP students are described in the
    reporting guidelines for alternative assessment. The guidelines specify the
    rating required for proficiency.
     
    Question #10:
    Can the FCAT-NRT (Stanford 10) for Reading or Mathematics be used as the
    alternative assessment for ELL/LEP students served twelve (12) months or less
    who were exempted from participation in the FCAT-SSS by majority action of the
    LEP Committee?
     
     
    Answer:
    Yes, the district can select the FCAT-NRT for the student and
    the Department will match the scores from FCAT-NRT to the LEP student
    record submitted via the ELL Alternative Assessment Online Reporting
    System.
     
     
    Question #11:
    How are the proficiency levels of ELL/LEP students who are assessed by the
    FCAT-NRT reported?
     
    Answer:
    The proficiency levels of ELL/LEP students are described in the
    reporting guidelines for alternative assessment. The rating scale for
    Reading/Language Arts (Assessment tasks presented in English) will be
    used to determine the student’s proficiency level. Districts will not need to
    report a proficiency level for students for whom the FCAT-NRT is identified
    as the alternative assessment.
    March 2006
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    FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
    Academic Achievement Through Language Acquisition
    Office of The Chancellor, K-12 Public Schools
     
      
    Question #12:
    May accommodations be provided to ELL/LEP students who are assessed
    with an alternative assessment?
     
    Answer:
    Only those accommodations approved and described in the
    administration manual for the assessment selected may be used.
    Approved FCAT accommodations may be used for ELL/LEP alternatively
    assessed using the FCAT NRT (SAT-10) and FCAT practice or sample
    writing prompts, as accommodations have been including in the
    development and scoring of these assessments.
     
    Question #13:
    What process should be followed for reporting the alternative
    assessments results for ELLs who are served full-time in Exceptional
    Student Education Programs?
     
    Answer:
    Full-time ELLs/SWD should be reported through the alternative
    education assessment process required for all other SWD who have been
    exempted from FCAT and in accordance to their Individual Education Plan.
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