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CELDT in California: Assessing the Results.

Tyler Scott Vido

National University
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Abstract

The California English Language Development Test, or the CELDT, is a test

administered to non-native English speaking students in the state of California. The test is not a

timed test as its primary purpose is to assess the level of English proficiency a student is at. The

test itself consists of four areas: listening, reading, writing and speaking. There is a performance

level and score given for each section of the test, with a comprehension score given for the

listening and reading sections. The version of the test a student gets depends on their age, as the

test is administered in grade spans, viz., from K-1, grade 2, grades 3-5, grades 6-8 and then from

9-12. The purpose of this paper is to elucidate what decisions teachers or administrators make

given the results of the CELDT, as understanding this is of great importance as an educator in

California, since it is likely that we will all have students whose educational plans and efficiency

will rely on its results and our assessment of the results.

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The CELDT offers a complete assessment of a student’s performance in the four sections

of listening, reading, writing and speaking in a way that allows teachers or administrators to

identify key problem areas a student has which will in turn help develop an effective Individual

Education Plan (IEP) for each student. The reason the CELDT is so effective is because of its

focus on each of these areas, since it allows educators to hone in on certain areas that need to be

developed in order to ensure a student’s success. This sort of information is what is decided from

an initial assessment of the CELDT results. The first decision that must obviously be made by

educators is what a students primary language is. If they are deemed to be non native English

speakers, the initial assessment of the four areas of reading, writing, speaking and listening is

what is used to identify problem areas in order to make a wider plan for the student. This initial

assessment is what is used to determine what sorts of special services or programs a child needs.

Apart from these initial assessments of the test, annual results are also used to develop a broader

picture of the student’s progress. Progress monitoring is of great importance because without it

no clear picture of what the student has learned can be drawn. The ultimate goal is to get the

student to a skill level in using English such that they can be reclassified as being fluent, known

as being reclassified as fluent English proficient (RFEP).

Other decisions that can be made given the results of the CELDT is how to work with

parents toward where they want their child to be in terms of skills and how aggressively they

want to pursue the goal of their child being fluent in English. Parent input is obviously a very

important feature of a child’s education since they are key for keeping a child motivated and

willing to work toward educational goals. Administrators, also, can use the CELDT results of a
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student in order to evaluate how well a teacher is doing in order to achieve the goals set out for

the student. Teacher evaluation through the lens of how well a student is progressing throughout

a school year toward the goal of the student can be clearly seen through the test results.

It is important here to note that CELDT results are not actually used to measure a

student’s academic achievement. The test itself is used to make determinations how what types

of classes and programs the student ought to be placed in to maximize their chances of being

fluent in English, and therefore maximizing their chances of success. Whatever decisions that are

made for the student based on CELDT results, these decisions should have the ultimate goal of

having the student eventually be able to take part in a general education program the same way

all native English speaking students participate in. English language proficiency is treated as an

ongoing program where a student is monitored and evaluated throughout each school year.

Administrators are the ones who are responsible for the aforementioned RFEP and this is one of

the most important decisions that has to be made in the end. What leads up to a student being

reclassified as fluent in English is sound educational decisions made by the teacher in the time

leading up to the eventual assessment and having close contact with parents throughout this time.

Administrators who make this decision are required to follow state guidelines but the guidelines

can only be met through dedication and sound judgment from the educator in the first place.

California is in more of a unique situation than many other states in the United States

given the diversity of the population and thus the amount of people residing here whose primary

language is not English. Assessment tests such as the CELDT, therefore, are of primary

importance for ensuring public education is accessible and effective for the students living here.

Teachers and administrators alike are in a very important position for making sure the
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assessment of these tests are done with a high level of scrutiny and to make sure that each person

being assessed is being placed in programs and afforded services that will maximize their

chances of academic success. Thank you again for this class, I really enjoyed the content.
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References

https://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/ep/documents/celdt1618guide.pdf

https://nu.blackboard.com/bbcswebdav/pid-6153314-dt-content-rid-17678447_1/institution/Nati

onal%20University/National%20University%20Online%20%28NUO%29/ITL%20-%20I

nspired%20Teaching%20and%20Learning%20%28NUO%29/ITL%20604/week-four/W

eek%204%20Celdt%20%20Brochure.pdf