CELDT:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CELDT?
CELDT is a state
mandated test that school districts are required to administer to students
whose home language is not English. The parent/guardian or adult student
identifies their home language in the Language Survey section of the Student
Enrollment Application. If any of the three questions are answered with a
language other than English, the CELDT test must be administered. The purpose
of CEDLT is to identify students who are English Learners in Kindergarten
through grade 12, to monitor their progress in learning English, and to
document their English proficiency.
Who must take the CELDT?
All students
whose home language is not English must take the test within 30 calendar days
after they are enrolled in a
Can parents or guardians have their students exempted from taking the
CELDT?
No, Federal and state laws require that all students who meet the criteria are to be assessed for English language proficiency, and parents or guardians cannot remove (exempt or opt out) their students from this requirement.
Where is the home language identified?
The
parent/guardian or adult student identifies their home language in the Language
Survey section of the Student Enrollment Application. If any of the following
three questions are answered with a language other than English, the CELDT test
must be administered.
1. What language
did your child first learn to speak?
2. Which
language does your child most frequently use at home?
3. Which
language do you most frequently speak to your child?
What does the CELDT cover?
The CELDT assesses
listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills for students in Kindergarten
through grade 12. The CELDT is aligned to the English Language Development
(ELD) standards adopted by the SBE, which are available on the Content
Standards Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/. Blueprints of the exam and released test
questions are available online at the following link: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/el/resources.asp
Who administers the CELDT?
An Education Specialist
from your school will contact the parent/student and make arrangements to
administer the test. CWCS provides trained staff to contact the student/parent
to make location arrangements and administer the CELDT.
How long does it take for students to
complete the CELDT?
The CELDT test is
not a timed test. Testing times given
here are approximate and will vary depending on the individual student:
|
Grades K-1 |
Grades 2-12 |
|
Listening
(15-30 min.) Speaking
(15-30 min.) Reading (15-30
min.) Writing (15-30
min.) |
Listening (15
min.) Speaking (10
min.) Reading (50
min.) Writing (2
sessions, 30 min. each) |
How are the CELDT results scored?
There are five
levels of proficiency a student can achieve. They are:
The report for
each student provides:
How are results of the CELDT used?
Initial test
results for newly-enrolled students are used to help identify English Learners
who need to develop their speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills in
English. Annual CELDT results are used to assess the student’s progress towards
English proficiency.