[Massachusetts Star Logo] Spring 2011 MEPAParent/Guardian Report Name: SASID: School: Grade: District: Date of Birth: Letter from the Commissioner Dear Parent(s) or Guardian(s): Last spring your child took the Massachusetts English Proficiency Assessment (MEPA), which is designed to measure your child’s English language skills. All English language learner (ELL) students must take the MEPA. Schools are required to teach English to students who are limited English proficient (LEP). It is my goal to make sure that English language learner students are able to communicate effectively in English. This report shows your child’s results on the spring 2011 MEPA test in reading, writing, listening, and speaking and provides an overall score and performance level. If your child was also assessed in 2010, I hope you will see progress in the results from last year to this year. Information in this report will help you to understand the MEPA program and why it is important to test students who are English language learners. Please meet with your child’s teacher(s) to discuss the results and identify ways you can support your child’s education. Your involvement is important in helping your child to become proficient in English and to be successful in school. Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D. Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education What is MEPA? The Massachusetts English Proficiency Assessment (MEPA) is a statewide test that measures the performance of English language learner students and the progress they are making toward English proficiency. MEPA is composed of two tests. • The Massachusetts English Proficiency Assessment-Reading/Writing (MEPA-R/W) is a paper and pencil or online test that measures students’ reading and writing skills. • The Massachusetts English Language Assessment-Oral (MELA-O) is an assessment of listening and speaking based on the observation and rating of each student during ordinary classroom activities by a trained and qualified MELA-O administrator using the MELA-O scoring matrix. Scores on both the MEPA-R/W and MELA-O are combined to determine an overall score for each student. Only those students who have taken both the MEPA-R/W and the MELA-O receive an overall MEPA score. Who takes the MEPA? All English language learner students in kindergarten through grade 12 who are reported as limited English proficient are required to take the MEPA tests. The only exceptions are some students who are deaf or hard of hearing, students who require an alternate assessment (for reading and writing tests only), and students who require a test accommodation that is not available. Participation in MEPA is required by state and federal laws. Your Child’s Overall MEPA Performance Level and Score In the figure below, the top of the black bar indicates your child’s combined score on all portions of the MEPA. The small gray bar at the top of the black bar shows the range of likely scores your child could have received if he or she had taken the test many times. 550 Level 5 xxx Level 4 xxx Level 3 xxx Level 2 xxx Level 1 400 Spring 2011 Your child’s current performance level: Score: Your child is/is not making progress according to the explanation on the back page. Performance Level Definitions Performance Level Overall Description of Performance Level 5 A student at Level 5 communicates effectively in English, with very few errors. Oral and written communication is correct and understandable. A student at this level typically: Reading reads and understands most grade-level texts Writing writes and edits grade-level texts Speaking speaks fluent English Listening understands nearly all spoken English Level 4 A student at Level 4 is generally fluent in English and is usually understandable. A student at this level typically: Reading reads and understands most common grade-level words Writing writes short grade-level sentences and texts, with few errors Speaking speaks English, with few errors Listening understands most spoken English, with occasional repetition and explanation Level 3 A student at Level 3 communicates using basic English, though errors sometimes interfere with communication and understanding. A student at this level typically: Reading reads and understands some common grade-level words and recognizes most letters of the alphabet Writing writes common grade-level words and simple sentences, with some errors Speaking speaks English using common words, with some errors Listening understands most basic spoken English, with some repetition and explanation Level 2 A student at Level 2 communicates using simple written and spoken English, with errors that often interfere with communication and understanding. A student at this level typically: Reading reads and understands a few common words and recognizes some letters of the alphabet Writing writes a few simple words and some letters of the alphabet, with errors Speaking speaks English using simple words and short phrases, and is usually difficult to understand Listening understands some simple spoken words and phrases in English, with frequent repetition and explanation Level 1 A student at Level 1 cannot yet communicate in English, and errors almost always interfere with communication. Understanding is shown either without words, using a few simple words, or in another language. A student at this level typically: Reading reads very few words and may recognize only a few letters of the alphabet Writing may be able to write a few letters of the alphabet and may try to write simple words, mostly incorrectly Speaking speaks using only a few simple English words, with frequent errors, and is not easily understood Listening understands very little spoken English If Your Child Received a Score: Your child’s spring 2011 performance compared to other ELLs in grade span K–2 who have been enrolled in Massachusetts public schools for x years. Percentage of Students 100% 75% 50% 25% 0% Level Performance Level Black bar indicates the percentage of students in your child’s performance level If Your Child Did Not Participate: Explanation of Non-Participation Status If no score is available for your child, a non-participation status is given in place of a performance level, as explained below. Non-participation Explanation status Absent—Medical Your child did not take the test due to a medically documented absence. Absent Your child did not take the test due to an unexcused absence or did not complete the entire test. Did Not Participate Your child did not take the test for one of the following reasons: • A required test accommodation was not available. • An alternate assessment was not available. • A student who is deaf or hard of hearing was not required to participate. Transferred Your child transferred to or from another school during testing and did not participate in all required test sessions. Invalidated Your child’s results were invalidated for one of the following reasons: • He or she took the test but was not required to participate. • A violation of test administration policy was reported to the Department. Your child’s spring 2011 performance ([check mark]) compared to a student performing at Level 5* Your child scored: Below a Level 5 student Approaching a Level 5 student At or Above a Level 5 student Reading Writing Listening Speaking *Level 5 is the score of a student who is recommended for reclassification as non-LEP. Name: SASID: Grade Span K-2 Your child’s MEPA scores are shown on the inside pages of this report. Students earn a numerical score and a performance level based on the results of separate tests in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Scores range from 400 to 550, and performance levels include Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, Level 4, and Level 5. The report also shows whether your child is making progress in learning English. In order to receive a score and performance level, a student must be tested in all four areas of reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Generally, a student who scores at Level 5 is able to perform ordinary classroom work in English and may be a student who is no longer limited English proficient (LEP). This report also shows how well your child performed on MEPA in reading, writing, listening, and speaking compared to a typical student performing at Level 5. This information will help you and your child’s teachers identify the areas in which your child needs additional instruction and support. Another section of the report shows how well your child performed on MEPA compared to other English language learners who have been in Massachusetts public schools for the same number of years as your child. How are MEPA test results used? MEPA scores are used with the student’s classroom grades and test scores, MCAS scores, and teacher observations and recommendations to make instructional and reclassification decisions for each student. Results are used to: • measure your child’s English language skills and progress in learning English, • make decisions about your child’s classroom instruction, • decide when your child will no longer be identified as limited English proficient (LEP), and • show whether schools and school districts are making progress in teaching English to English language learners. What is “Making Progress”? ELL students who took the spring 2011 MEPA test (including reading, writing, listening, and speaking) and who also took the MEPA test in spring or fall 2010 are rated on the progress they made this year in learning English. The purpose of this rating is to see whether a student is improving his or her English skills enough to no longer need ELL services after five to six years of going to school in the U.S. The table below shows what is needed to “make progress” in learning English. Each of the lowest four performance levels (Levels 1–4) is divided into two steps, Low and High. The top level (Level 5) is divided into five 10-point steps. For students who took the same grade-span test in spring 2011 and in 2010 (e.g., grade span 5–6 in both years) 2010 MEPA score Needed to make progress in 2011 Level 1 Low to Level 3 Low Must advance 2 steps Level 3 High to Level 5 Must advance 1 step For students who took a different grade-span test in spring 2011 and in 2010 (e.g., grade span 5–6 in spring 2011 and grade span 3–4 in 2010) 2010 MEPA score Needed to make progress in 2011 Level 1 Low to Level 4 High Must advance 1 step Level 5 Must maintain Level 5 Who can you contact if you have a question? Questions about MCAS and MEPA? mcas@doe.mass.edu or call your child’s school Questions about instruction for English language learners? ell@doe.mass.edu (in English, Spanish, or Portuguese) Page 5 of 5 Page 5 of 5