1. The Arizona English Language Learner Assessment (AZELLA)

2. Overview of AZELLA
Who is an ELL? What is AZELLA? How is AZELLA used? How is the SCORE reported? How can teachers use the AZELLA scores?

3. ELL Assessment History
School Years
Statewide SELP implementation
School Years
AZELLA Form AZ-1
School Year
AZELLA Form AZ-2
School Year 2013
AZELLA Kindergarten Placement Test
Revised Spring 2013 Reassessment
School Year 2014
Revised AZELLA Placement Test
Revised Spring 2014 Reassessment
Arizona began ELL proficiency testing using a single instrument in Before that, schools could choose from multiple tests. We began with an off-the-shelf test (SELP) in , modified that to better align to Arizona’s ELPS (AZELLA AZ-1 and AZ-2) in 2007 and 2009, and this new AZELLA is wholly owned and developed by Arizona. 3

4. Who is an ELL? An ELL student is one who has been:
Identified by the Home Language Survey
First language of student, or
Language spoken at home, or
Primary language used, is other than English
Taken the state assessment, AZELLA
Scored less than PROFICIENT

5. “Proficient” on AZELLA
AZELLA IN – AZELLA OUT
“Proficient” on AZELLA
SEI Classroom
Mainstream Classroom
AZELLA is a high-stakes test. Scoring, or not scoring, PROFICIENT on the test determines classroom placement. AZELLA in – AZELLA out.
Program entry and exit is based on AZELLA scores.

6. What is AZELLA?
Arizona’s state test for English language proficiency: AZELLA
Tests the Arizona English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS)
Determines eligibility for ELL services and informs ELL program placement (entry)
Is used to measure annual progress in English language acquisition
Is used to report language proficiency levels in the domains of Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking
Provides for a proficiency determination used to establish reclassification (exit)
Informs classroom placement and instructional program
Is used for state and federal reporting and accountability measures

7. Listening Speaking Reading Writing
AZELLA Domains
(sub-tests)
AZELLA Proficiency Levels
Listening Speaking Reading Writing
Pre-Emergent/Emergent Basic Intermediate Proficient

8. Built on English Language Proficiency Standards
Domain
Proficiency Levels
AZELLA is a criterion referenced test built on the ELPS. The Domains and Proficiency Levels are the same for both the ELPS and the AZELLA.

9. Two Types of AZELLA Placement tests Reassessment tests
Given when student first enrolls in Arizona schools
Reassessment tests
Given each year in the spring to measure progress toward English fluency

10. Items on the AZELLA Listening Administered by playing a CD
Multiple choice items
Reading
Writing
Extended response items – paragraphs
Speaking
Administered by telephone
Open ended responses
Repeat items
Listening is delivered on CD and Speaking by phone. Speaking is scored electronically based on a rubric, professional scoring, and extensive training of the scoring engine. Electronic Speaking tests are used by DOD, FAA, many international educational institutions, government agencies, and businesses. Open ended Writing items are professionally scored based on a rubric and exemplar papers. The rest of the test is paper and pencil.

11. Reading Domain Reading items are all multiple choice.
Many Reading test items are constructed around a reading passage and have two-to-four test questions associated with that passage.
Based on Lexile levels, each Stage includes a range of grade-appropriate passages to cover the multiple grades included in the Stage test.

12. Writing Domain
Writing items include a mixture of multiple choice and open-ended responses. Every Writing sub-test includes two or three opportunities for students to provide extended writing responses.
A variety of modes are used for the extended writing responses including Narrative, Expository, Persuasive, and Functional. These items require a well-constructed, on-topic paragraph response.
Students are provided with blank scratch paper so they may organize their thoughts and draft their responses before writing their final responses on their answer pages.
Rubrics are used to score the open-ended Writing items.

13. Speaking Domain
The Speaking test is delivered by telephone. Students are asked a series of open-ended questions, followed by 10 repeat items. All items are scored electronically, based on the AZELLA scoring rubrics.

14. Listening domain
The Listening test is delivered on a CD. Students listen to a variety of passages and for each passage are asked to mark their answers to one or two related multiple choice questions on their answer pages.

15. Stages
AZELLA tests are structured the same as the ELPS, by grade span. Each grade span is defined as a STAGE.
Stage I = Kindergarten
Stage II = Grades 1-2
Stage III = Grades 3-5
Stage IV = Grades 6-8
Stage V = High School

16. What is the Student Report?
A Header info B Student demographic information C Student score information D Student proficiency level and ELL designation

17. OVERALL PROFICIENCY LEVEL
The overall proficiency level is identified and a description of the students abilities are outlined.

18. TOTAL COMBINED SCORE
This represents ALL the Domains COMBINED, for a single overall score as a continuum across the levels of proficiency.

19. READING & WRITING SCORES
To be considered overall proficient, students must achieve PROFICIENT in both the Total Combined Score and the Reading and Writing scores.
READING & WRITING SCORES

20. How Does a Student Qualify as Proficient?

21. Proficient 3 criteria to be determined OVERALL ENGLISH PROFICIENT:
Combined Score = Proficient
Reading Score = Proficient
Writing Score = Proficient
A designation of OVERALL PROFICIENT now requires 3 criteria, not just a composite score.

22. How is AZELLA Used? To identify ELL students
To inform classroom placement
To inform instruction based on the Arizona English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS)
To measure annual progress in English
To exit ELL students from ELL programs
As a measurement and accountability tool

23. How can Teachers use AZELLA with the ELP Standards?

24. Using the AZELLA report with English Language Proficiency Standards
Proficiency levels on the score reports reflect the attainment of the skills detailed in the ELPS.
Any single administration of the AZELLA cannot test ALL the proficiency levels of all the Performance Indicators within the Standards. The full set of Performance Indicators that are tested are represented by a limited number of items.

25. Educators should use the AZELLA results to find a tentative starting point for each domain in the ELPS for each of their ELL students.
Using classroom assessments, educators can more precisely determine which of the Performance Indicators in the ELPS the student has achieved.
The goal is to accelerate English language acquisition by progressing systematically through the ELPS from the student’s starting point to achievement of the High Intermediate skills.

26. At grade 4 the student scored Pre-Emergent, Emergent, and Basic proficiency level in writing.

27. Instruction should begin with the Pre-Emergent, Emergent, and Basic Performance Indicators from Stage III of the ELPS.
The goal is to progress to High Intermediate.

28. Conclusion
AZELLA identifies ELL students and informs classroom placement.
AZELLA measures annual progress in English and determines exit.
The AZELLA score reports are essential tools for designing instructional programs for ELLs.
AZELLA is used as a measurement and accountability tool.
AZELLA is used to inform instruction based on the Arizona English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS).

29. Conclusion
The AZELLA score reports are essential tools for designing instructional programs for ELLs.
Student achievement is maximized when all stakeholders, including administrators, ELL Coordinators, teachers, and parents work together to provide a structured and evidence- based plan for each ELL student.

30. Resources Additional resources are provided on the ADE website at:

31. References
Arizona Department of Education: Standards and Assessment (n.d.). Guide to Navigating and Using AZELLA Reports. Retrieved from Johnston, M. (2013). Background on the Arizona English Language Learner Assessment [PowerPoint slides]. From Standard Setting Committee Work. Phoenix, AZ Kelley, K. D, (2010). AZELLA Overview [PowerPoint slides]. From Sheltered English Instruction Workshop. Flagstaff, AZ