[CA] CALPADS FLASH #286: TK Grade Placement

The California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) recently released Update Flash #286, addressing the critical impacts of Assembly Bill 2268 on the assessment process for Transitional Kindergarten (TK) students. The following are the main takeaways from the update:

1. Importance of Correct Grade Placement for TK Students

• Due to Assembly Bill 2268, TK students are now exempt from taking the Initial and Summative English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) and their alternate versions.
• Ensuring that TK students are correctly placed in grade level TK, rather than mistakenly in kindergarten (KN), is vital to avoid unnecessary assessment requirements.

2. Consequences of Incorrect Grade Placement

• If TK students are incorrectly placed in KN, they will appear in the Test Operations Management System (TOMS) as needing to take the Initial ELPAC, which is not required for their grade level.
• This misplacement could lead to unnecessary administrative burdens and confusion for Local Educational Agencies (LEAs).

3. Steps to Resolve Incorrect Placement Issues

• Immediate Action: LEAs must notify their ELPAC coordinator immediately if any TK students are inappropriately placed in KN to prevent them from being tested.
• Resolution Process: Depending on whether the student has started or completed testing, the steps to correct the placement and resolve the issue in TOMS vary:
  • Scenario 1: If the student hasn’t started testing, simply correcting the enrollment in CALPADS and informing the ELPAC coordinator should suffice.
  • Scenario 2: If the student has started or completed testing, more complex steps are required, including submitting a Security Test and Incident Reporting System (STAIRS) appeal to reset the tests and possibly updating the student's records in both CALPADS and the Student Information System (SIS).

4. Persistent Notifications from TOMS

• LEAs should be aware that even after correcting the placement of TK students, TOMS may continue to send notifications to test the student. However, once the student is correctly exited from KN and enrolled in TK, TOMS will eventually mark the student as inactive.

5. Implications for LEA ELPAC Coordinators

• ELPAC coordinators need to be vigilant in verifying that TK students are correctly marked as inactive in TOMS and that no unnecessary testing is conducted.
• Coordination between CALPADS, TOMS, and SIS is essential to ensure that student records accurately reflect the correct grade level and testing requirements.

Conclusion The changes brought by Assembly Bill 2268 highlight the importance of accurate student data management, particularly in transitioning students between kindergarten and TK. LEAs must ensure that their enrollment records in CALPADS are up-to-date and correct to prevent complications in the assessment process. By following the outlined steps, LEAs can effectively manage these transitions and avoid unnecessary testing of TK students.

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