Ala. Admin. Code r. 290-030-040-.02

Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 1, October 31, 2024

Section 290-030-040-.02 - Alabama English Language Proficiency Testing Program

(1) General Information.

(a) The Alabama English Language Proficiency Testing Program Registration Bulletin has been produced for the Alabama State Department of Education by National Evaluation Systems, Inc. of Amherst, Massachusetts, which is under contract to the Alabama State Department of Education to administer the Alabama English Language Proficiency Test (ELPT). The purpose of the Alabama English Language Proficiency Test Program Registration Bulletin is to provide general information concerning the testing program and instructions for registering for the test. You may request additional information about the ELPT Program from the education department of the institution you are currently attending, or from the Alabama State Department of Education, Teacher Education Office, 347 State Office Building, Montgomery, Alabama 36130, Telephone 205/832-3830.

(b) Scope.

1. The Alabama State Board of Education has adopted a resolution which mandates that undergraduates seeking to enter teacher training programs be required to demonstrate minimum proficiency in the English language. The English Language Proficiency Test (ELPT) has been designed to measure this competence. The test is administered four times a year at selected teacher education colleges and universities throughout Alabama. The State Superintendent of Education shall establish English Language Proficiency Test dates and may establish additional administrations of the tests.

2. An individual must obtain a minimum overall standard score of 70 in order to pass the English Language Proficiency Test.

(c) Who Must Take the Test?

1. All teacher education candidates entering teacher education programs as of January 1, 1982, and thereafter, must pass the English Language Proficiency Test.

2. The ELPT may be taken at the student's discretion at any time prior to entering a teacher education program. Therefore, the test will be open to college/university freshmen if they desire to take the test during their freshman year.

3. The ELPT is criterion-referenced and competency-based. A criterion-referenced test is designed to measure knowledge and skills in relation to an established standard of competence (criterion) rather than in relation to the performance of other candidates.

(d) Nature of the Test. The English Language Proficiency Test comprises four different parts. Each part involves a different type of test question, and some of these types may be new to you. Below is a brief description of each part. (The objectives on which the test is based are available from the Dean of Education of your college or university.)

1. Part One: Writing. For the first portion of the test, you will be required to produce a sample of expository writing in response to an essay question. The response will be based on your experience and not on factual knowledge. You will have 40 minutes to write your response.

2. Part Two: Listening. The second portion, which will last 30 minutes, is a test of listening skills. You will listen to taped readings of various forms of prose, then answer multiple-choice questions based on each reading.

3. Part Three: Reading Comprehension. The reading comprehension portion is composed of reading passages in which some of the words have been replaced by blanks. You will read each passage, then choose the correct word (from five choices) to fit in each blank.

4. Part Four: Language Skills. Each test question in the fourth section is multiple-choice, with four possible answers, related to language skills (e.g., grammar, vocabulary)

(2) Registering for the English Language Proficiency Test. A Registration Form and detailed instructions appear in the middle of the English Language Proficiency Test Registration Bulletin. To register complete the form and mail it with the fee, AAC Rule 290-030-040-.02(3). Your Registration Form must be postmarked no later than the Registration Deadline for the testing date for which you are registering, and must be received by National Evaluation Systems within six days of that postmark date.

(a) Registration Schedule. Refer to the current Registration Schedule for a listing of the test dates being offered. If you did not receive a copy of the Registration Schedule with this bulletin, you may obtain a copy from the education department of the institution you are attending.

(b) Responsibilities of Examinees.

1. Before you register for the ELPT, familiarize yourself with the rules that govern your participation in the ELPT Program. These rules are explicitly stated on the Registration Form and are summarized briefly below.

(i) You must bring to the test center a valid admission ticket and positive identification (including a picture I.D.) in order to be admitted.

(ii) You must not communicate with other examinees in any way during the test session. If you do so, your test performance will be voided.

(iii) You authorize the team of proctors at your assigned test center to relocate you during the test session for the purpose of maintaining a proper and secure test administration.

(iv) Test materials are not available for your review before or after the test is taken. In addition, you are not permitted to take any examination materials from the test center or to make written notes of the contents of the test booklets. If you are found violating the rules stated in this paragraph, your test performance will be voided.

(v) If you choose not to complete the test (e.g., due to illness), your test performance will be voided. However, you will not receive a refund of any portion of the testing fee.

2. Your signature on the Registration Form indicates that you understand the rules summarized above. IF WE RECEIVE YOUR REGISTRATION FORM WITHOUT YOUR SIGNATURE, IT WILL BE RETURNED TO YOU.

(3) Testing Fee. The fee for taking the ELPT is $26.00. You should enclose with your Registration Form a MONEY ORDER OR CERTIFIED BANK CHECK for the correct amount made payable to National Evaluation Systems, Inc. (CERTA). PERSONAL CHECKS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

(4) Instructions for completing the English Language Proficiency Testing Program Registration Form are contained in the Registration Bulletin.

(5) Examinees with Handicapping Conditions. Special administration procedures will be provided for examinees with handicapping conditions who would not be able to take the test under the standard conditions. To request special arrangements, send a letter with your Registration Form specifying in detail your handicap and the special arrangements you will need to take the test. In some cases, NES may need to contact you directly to acquire more information about your disability so that we may provide suitable arrangements. Prior to the test date, you will receive confirmation of the arrangements which have been made.

(6) Religious Conflicts.

(a) Special test dates may be arranged for those people whose religious convictions prohibit their taking tests on Saturday. These additional test dates may be arranged only for religious reasons.

(b) To request a special administration date, include with your completed Registration Form a letter stating your request and a letter of authorization from your clergy.

(c) After National Evaluation Systems, Inc. (NES) has received your request, we will correspond with you and may schedule an alternative test date. If an alternative test date is scheduled, it will be the Friday before the regular Saturday test date. We will also correspond with you concerning the test site and the time will be 8:00 a.m.

(7) Mailing Procedure.

(a) After you have completed and checked all of the requested information on the Registration Form and signed your form, place the Registration Form in an envelope. Include your money order or certified bank check for $26.

(b) Send your completed registration form to: Alabama ELPT Program (CERTA), National Evaluation Systems, Inc., P.O. Box 226 (30 Gatehouse Road), Amherst, MA 01004.

(c) Your registration form must be postmarked no later than the Registration Deadline for the testing date for which you are registering and must be received by National Evaluation Systems within six days of that postmark date.

(8) After Registration.

(a) After receipt of your accurately completed Registration Form, you will receive a letter confirming the date, test center (your first and second choices), and time of the test. If you have not received this Receipt of Registration within four weeks after you have mailed your Registration Form, contact National Evaluation Systems, CERTA Office, at 413/253-9538.

(b) About two weeks before the test date you will receive an admission ticket which will include: your name, address, test center and test date. Bring this admission ticket with you to the test center. Your admission to the test center will be delayed if you do not have this ticket. If you lose your admission ticket or have not received it by at least one week prior to the test date, call National Evaluation Systems (CERTA Office) immediately at 413/253-9538.

(9) Changing Your Registration.

(a) If you have mailed your Registration Form and decide to change either the test date or test center for which you had originally registered, complete the Change of Registration Request Form. Be sure that you enter all of the information as it appeared on your original Registration Form, regardless of your requested change.

(b) An additional $5.00 processing fee is charged for ALL Change of Registration Requests. Be sure that you enclose a money order or certified bank check (PERSONAL CHECKS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED) for the correct amount payable to National Evaluation Systems, Inc. (CERTA). DO NOT SEND CASH. If the correct payment is not enclosed, or if your money order or certified bank check is made out incorrectly or not signed, your Change of Registration Request will be returned to you.

(c) Mail the completed Change of Registration Request form to: Alabama ELPT Program (CERTA), National Evaluation Systems, Inc., Post Office Box 226 (30 Gatehouse Road), Amherst, MA 01004.

(d) Your Change of Registration Request must be postmarked by the Registration Deadline of the test date for which you were originally registered and must be received by National Evaluation Systems within six days of that postmark date. NO CHANGES WILL BE MADE AFTER THE REGISTRATION DEADLINE.

(10) Refunds.

(a) If you would like to withdraw your registration from a test administration, fill out the Refund Request Form in the Registration Bulletin. Mail the completed form to National Evaluation Systems, Inc. (CERTA). Because a portion of your fee has been used to process your registration form, you will receive a partial refund of your fee ($15.00) if your request is postmarked prior to the Registration Deadline of the test date for which you originally registered and received by National Evaluation Systems within six days of that postmark date. NO REFUNDS WILL BE ISSUED AFTER THE REGISTRATION DEADLINE (SEE REGISTRATION SCHEDULE).

(b) If for any reason the test candidate or examinee fails to complete the English Language Proficiency Test on the assigned date, the test fee shall not be refunded and there will be no credit for future testing fees.

(11) Day of the Test.

(a) Admission to Test Center.

1. Report to your assigned test center at 8:00 a.m. LATE ARRIVING EXAMINEES WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO TAKE THE TEST.

2. You must bring with you:

(i) Your valid admission ticket

(ii) two pieces of identification--one must include a recent photograph

(iii) several #2 pencils with erasers. Pencils will not be supplied at the test center.

3. If you do not have all of these materials, you should report directly to the Chief Proctor at your assigned test center.

4. You will not be allowed to bring brief cases, packages, notebooks, textbooks, or any written materials into the test center.

(b) Release from Test Center.

1. As soon as you complete the test, your test materials will be collected and you will be dismissed. The session will end at approximately 12:00 noon.

2. If you become ill and are unable to complete the test, you will be released prior to the end of the test session. In this case, your score will be voided and you will not receive a refund of the fee.

(12) Examinee Score Report. Your test score report will be mailed to you approximately six weeks after you have taken the test. Under no circumstances will your score be given over the telephone.

(a) Nature of the report. Your score report will indicate whether or not you have passed the test. The report will include a general description of your performance on the test and a description of your performance on the major subareas. This will provide you with valuable information to help you assess your strengths and weaknesses in English language proficiency. If you have failed the test, this information will be particularly helpful to you as you prepare to retake the test. You must obtain a minimum overall standard score of 70 in order to pass the test.

(b) Release of Your Test Score. Your performance on the test will be reported to you, the institution where you are applying for a teacher education program, and the Teacher Education Office of the Alabama State Department of Education.

(c) Voiding Your Score.

1. If after taking the test you feel that you did not perform as well as you were able, you can void your test score. You are eligible to void your score up to one week after you have taken the test. National Evaluation Systems will void your score upon the receipt of a written request from you postmarked within seven days after the test administration. The examinee should telephone NES immediately, at 413/253-9538, if the examinee has not received notice from NES within 21 days from the test date that NES has received the examinee's request and the score has been voided. If you choose to void your score, you will not receive a refund of any kind.

2. If you request that your score be voided, your test performance will not be reported and will not be entered on any of your records. After your score is voided, all records of your test responses will be destroyed and you will not be able to have your score reported. However, if your score was voided because you violated one of the rules of test administration that are listed on the Registration Form, a report of the incident attesting that the score was voided will be forwarded to the Alabama State Department of Education.

(d) Retaking the Test. Examinees who wish to retake the test may do so at any succeeding test administration. If you wish to do so, you must send a completed Registration Form by the Registration Deadline for that test administration date, along with the correct test fee, AAC Rule 290-030-040-.02(3). Send a money order or certified bank check for the correct amount along with a completed Registration Form to National Evaluation Systems, Inc., CERTA Office.

Author:

Ala. Admin. Code r. 290-030-040-.02

New January 8, 1980, February 2, 1981, July 29, 1981, reaffirmed January 7, 1982.cf. The bulletin, Alabama English Language Proficiency Test Program Registration Bulletin.

Statutory Authority:Const. of Ala. of 1901, Amend No. 284, Code of Ala. 1975, § § 16-2-2, 16-3-11, 16-3-16, 16-4-4, and 16-23-1 through 2.