Pupil testing: English language development test.

Existing law requires each school district that has one or more pupils who are English learners to assess the English language development of each of those pupils upon initial enrollment in order to determine the level of proficiency of those pupils and thereafter to assess each of those pupils annually until the pupil is redesignated as English proficient. The assessment primarily consists of the administration of a specified English language development test that assesses pupils in grades 2 to 12, inclusive, in English listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, and pupils in kindergarten and grade 1 in English listening and speaking. This bill would require the annual assessment to be conducted during a 3-month test period that commences on the day when 65% of the instructional year is completed. The bill would require the State Department of Education to provide the score a pupil achieves on the English language development test to the parent or guardian of the pupil in English and, if available, in the language reported on the home language survey. The bill would require that the score be provided in a format that uses terminology that is easy to understand and includes an explanation of the purpose of the test, the pupil's score, and the intended use of that score by the school district. The bill would state the intent of the Legislature to direct the department to explore cost-saving measures regarding the administration of the California English language development test, including electronic test administration and procedures by which test booklets may be reused.