During the first week of February, many students of Porterville High School will be taking the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC). What is the ELPAC, you might be wondering? Well, the ELPAC is a mandated state test used by schools to determine if a person whose first language isn’t English is proficient. The ELPAC is a significant assessment for these students because it will ensure they receive the academic support they need to continue succeeding and expanding their language knowledge. To determine their levels, these assessments test the student’s skills, such as listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Passing is essential because it will show the student has been progressing and developing their language further.
Last semester, we had many English Learner students improve 1 or more levels from their previous score on the ELPAC. There were 30 scholars who qualified for reclassification (a huge accomplishment). I’ve included a gallery of images from a celebration we had in December to honor our amazing students. We had snacks like ice cream sandwiches and chips and got a chance to socialize and celebrate each other. We received awards from the school. Mr. Valdez, Mr. Herrera, and Ms. Hernandez gave motivational speeches. It was awesome! We will have another celebration after this next ELPAC, so get ready!
I, myself, took these tests from elementary to middle school, which is when I finally passed them. I would get called throughout my elementary and middle school summers to take tests where my learning, listening, and writing skills were tested. They would give me journals with scenarios to describe what was happening and see how proper my language usage was. My classes through those years helped me pass these tests because I learned how to write and use verbs, nouns, and other English criteria precisely, which helped me expand my learning and pass these assessments.
We wish all of our Panthers who are taking the ELPAC good luck! We hope you do well, and we are so proud of you!
