AZELLA DTCs

AZELLA

The Arizona English Language Learner Assessment (AZELLA) is a standards-based assessment that meets both state and federal requirements to measure students’ English language proficiency. AZELLA is used for both placement and reassessment purposes. The AZELLA is administered to eligible Kindergarten through Grade 12 students.

The AZELLA District Test Coordinator (DTC) is responsible for all the AZELLA Assessment administrations - the year-round AZELLA Placement Test and the annual Spring Reassessment Test.

This web page is dedicated to the administration, scoring, and reporting of the AZELLA tests.

AZELLA FAQs     Placement Test FAQs      Reassessment Test FAQs

AZELLA Calendars

AZELLA 2022-2023 Test Administration Windows

 

 

  • 2022-2023 Placement Test administration window: 2 weeks prior to first day of school (provided all pre-testing requirements have been met by the DTC and AZELLA staff) through May 12, 2023
  • Spring 2023 Reassessment Test administration window: January 30 - March 17, 2023

AZELLA Important Notices

All Arizona districts and charters must submit the 2022-2023 Assessment Test Coordinator and Security Agreement to [email protected] by August 1, 2022

 

AZELLA Additional Accommodations Requests (SPED/504 PLAN) are due August 31, 2022 - for the AZELLA Placement and Reassesment test administrations.

 

All 2017 AZELLA Kindergarten Placement Test materials must be returned to Pearson now! For more information, please contact the AZELLA Team at [email protected]. The 2022 refreshed AZELLA Kindergarten Placement Test materials will be shipped by Pearson to districts that have schools who serve Kindergarten students after Pearson receives the 2017 version of KPT materials and all DTC training requirements have been completed.

 

The AZELLA Mid-Year Placement Test has been cancelled for this school year only.

AZELLAology 

AZELLAology

AZELLAology is an open invitation for our AZELLA District Test Coordinators to attend a virtual call using the Microsoft Teams application (camera is not required) where the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) AZELLA Team answers your AZELLA questions and shares AZELLA important information, news, guidance, and mini-tutorials about a variety of AZELLA-related topics. ADE's AZELLA Team shares our live screen to coach you through different AZELLA applications, reports, systems, and other AZELLA topics. AZELLAology attendance is not a requirement, but if you see a topic that interests you, attending. AZELLAology is very informative and AZELLA District Test Coordinators statewide have found the sessions to be valuable.

Each live video call is accessed through the Microsoft Teams application. The optional video call will be up to one hour and focused on specific AZELLA topics. We will answer individual session specific questions during this hour. We value your time; therefore, we cannot ensure all questions will be answered within the session, but please acknowledge that we will provide details on how to reach us if your question is not addressed during the session. These AZELLAology video calls are informal and not recorded.

All scheduled AZELLAology sessions, unless otherwise noted, begin at 8:00am and end at 9:00am.  Your first connection to AZELLAology will take to you a web page (https://teams.microsoft.com) for Microsoft Teams. The Microsoft Teams application can be accessed by 1) Downloading the Windows app, 2) Using Microsoft Teams through the current web browser without downloading anything, or 3) Open your desktop/phone/tablet app from Microsoft Teams.

AZELLAology Sessions 2022-2023

 

After you click on the above button ( OR use https://tinyurl.com/azellaology), before the session starts, you will be placed into a waiting room and then granted access after you are verified by one of our team members.

AZELLAology Monthly Scheduled Sessions

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2022

MonTuesWedThurFri

NOV 28

29 

30

DEC 1

2

5

6 

7

8

9

12

13  

14

15

16

19

20

21

22

23

25

27 

28

29

30

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next Scheduled Session Topics

 

Tuesday, December 13, 2022 @ 8:00 - 9:00am

  • Placement Cycle 7 - ADE's Student Data Extract File
  • DTC Checklist for the Spring 2023 Reassessment administration
  • Students with Speech and Language needs - requires the Additional Accommodations Request Form 
  • SPR23 Reassessment Training
  • Your Questions

 

Tuesday, January 10, 2022 @ 8:00 - 9:00am

  • TBD
  • Your Questions

 

Thursday, January 12, 2022 @ 8:00 - 9:00am

SPECIAL SESSION - SPRING 2023 REASSESSMENT REQUIRED TASKS

 

Tuesday, January 16, 2022 @ 8:00 - 9:00am

Tuesday, January 23, 2022 @ 8:00 - 9:00am

Tuesday, January 31, 2022 @ 8:00 - 9:00am

AZELLA Information and Guidance 

AZELLA Information

AZELLA Placement Test Flow Chart 2022-2023

AZELLA Proficiency Scale and Cut Scores

AZELLA Assessment (web page) (about AZELLA)

AZELLA Sample Tests - all grades; paper and online

How to Read the EL70 - AZELLA Student History Report Updated 8/09/2021

How to Read the EL72 - AZELLA Roster Report Updated 8/09/2021

How to Read the EL73 - EL Student Need Report Updated 8/09/2021

Guide to Navigating and Using AZELLA Reports [5/01/2019]

ADEConnect Account

All AZELLA District Test Coordinators are required to have an ADEConnect account, and the role of "AZELLA District Test Coordinator" must be requested. 

For access to ADEConnect, you will need to contact your district/charter ADEConnect Entity Administrator and request to have the AZELLA District Test Coordinator role assigned to you. If you do not know who your ADEConnect Entity Admin is, you can contact Constituent Services at 602.542.7378 so they can verify.

There is only one (1) designated role of “AZELLA District Test Coordinator” in ADEConnect for each district. All others may have the role of “ELL” in ADEConnect.

ADEConnect Entity Administrator, please follow the instructions in the ADEConnect Entity Administrator Manual. Here is the direct link:
 https://cms.azed.gov/home/GetDocumentFile?id=57915b0caadebe0330cb928c

  1. Refer to page #4 to create a new user account.  
  2. Refer to page#7 to add the relationship for each “Entity” (district #4215; and school #4877)
  3. Refer to page#9 to add each “Role” (AZELLA District TC. EL, Entity Admin …etc.)

Any questions related to ADEConnect account, please contact the ADE Support Center at (602) 542-2222 if you are in the Phoenix area (outside the Phoenix area (866) 577-9636), E-mail at [email protected], or click here for more information.

PearsonAccessnext (PAN)

PearsonAccess Next is a secure AZELLA test management site. All AZELLA District Test Coordinators are required to have a PAN account.

AZELLA DTC PAN accounts are enabled by ADE and Pearson after all Annual and AZELLA test administration training requirements have been completed and verified by ADE.

The Pearson Placement PAN User's Guide is located inside PAN > Support > Documentation. It's the first document listed.

Pearson has provided several Quick Guides (extracted from the PAN User's Guide) on the AZELLA PAN home page under the Links section. These are step-by-step directions for completing specific tasks in PAN.

 

Locating a Speaking Test Lithocode in PAN

Creating a Unique 11-Digit SSID Number for Private School Students in PAN for AZELLA Testing

 

AZELLA Placement Student Registration File Layout and Template 2022-2023 (Not required)

 

Spring 2023 AZELLA Reassessment Student Registration File Layout and Template (coming January 2023)

  • Quick Guide for the Spring 2023 AZELLA Reassessment Student Registration File Template (PDF) (coming January 2023)

 

AZELLA Placement 2022-2023 PAN User File Layout and Template (to update and add new User PAN accounts) (Not required)

AZELLA EL/SPED Test Administration Information

AZELLA Accommodations Manual 2022 UPDATED

EL and Special Education FAQ September 2021

AZELLA - Domain Scoring July 2021

Special Update - ELs with Disabilities May 2019

AZELLA Guidance for Students Who are Completely Deaf and/or Blind - please contact the AZELLA Team at [email protected] 

Identifying and Supporting English Learners with Disabilities 2019 Revised Aug-2019

 

Alt ELPA

Alt ELPA (ADE)

 

Alt ELPA Project • (https://altelpa.org/)

Accessibility and Accommodations Wishlist (UCLA) (PDF) • (https://ucla.app.box.com/s/znhulqn820ims93v1xd8q5tesoozhlzz)

English Language Proficiency Standards for English Learners with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (UCLA) (PDF) • (https://app.box.com/file/596477284015?s=fd82746xcj3a57dud1rxck399d85bktl)

Alternate Assessment Participation Guidelines and Eligibility Determination • (This document is under review.) Use this for talking points.

 

AZELLA EL/SPED Accommodation Request Form for 2022-2023

Do NOT use this request form is you are applying for the Alt ELPA Test for a student. 

 

Please submit the secure AZELLA Additional Accommodations Request Form 2022-2023 as soon as possible so that any delay in testing is minimized. Each submitted request may take up to 4-weeks for ADE to complete the review process. (https://www.azed.gov/azellaAddAccRequest22-23) 

 

All requests MUST be submitted and approved by ADE prior to administering the AZELLA test to the student. One submission (per form) will cover all AZELLA Test administrations for the current school year for the student.

This request form for the 2022-2023 school year is due by August 31, 2022. 

 

 AZELLA Additional Accommodations Request Form 2022-2023

 Do NOT use this request form is you are applying for the Alt ELPA Test for a student. 

 

The AZELLA Additional Accommodations Request Form for Grades KG - 12 (Placement and Reassessment) includes the following requests in the single form:

 

AZELLA Special Paper Version (SPV) 

for Online Test Administrations Only

  • Grades 3-12 (Placement)/ Grades 2-12 (Reassessment) Special Paper Version
  • Grades 3-12 (Placement) / Grades 2-12 (Reassessment) Large Print of the Special Paper Version

 

Braille Version (requests due no later than November 30, 2022 due to publishing)

  • Grades K-12 Spring 2023 AZELLA Reassessment only

 

Accommodated version with ASL Videos for directions and other accessibility features 

  • Grades K-12 Spring 2023 AZELLA Reassessment only
  • Check the "Other" box under the "Accommodations" section of the form to enter "ASL Video accommodated form"

 

AZELLA Large Print (LP)

for Paper AZELLA Test Administrations

  • Grades 1 and 2 Placement Test
  • Kindergarten Reassessment Test
  • Grade 1 Reassessment Test
  • Grades 2-3 Reassessment Unit 4

 

Students with Speech and Language Needs

  • Grades K-12 Spring 2023 AZELLA Reassessment only
  • The AZELLA Additional Accommodations Request Form should be submitted for students with Speech and Language needs documented in their IEP or 504 Plan. 
  • Check the "Other" box under the "Accommodations" section of the form to enter "Speech and Language needs" - this will provide human scoring of Unit 5 (Speaking test)

The AZELLA online tests are administered through PearsonAccessnext (PAN) and TestNav, both are Pearson systems. The Test Administrator manages the students' tests through PAN, and the students complete their test using TestNav. There are no testing materials such as a Student Test Book or Answer Document; however, the Test Administrators must use the Test Administration Directions (TADs) that are only available electronically through PearsonAccessnext and the ATMS. The TADs may be downloaded and printed, and they must remain on campus or at the district office at all times.

Online testing - student Sample Tests

  • The TestNav application must be downloaded to a computer or electronic device. 
  • Once TestNav has been downloaded and set-up, open the application and then select the Mic Check & Sample Tests link.
  • Usernames and Passwords are NOT required for the Online Sample Tests.

Setting Up TestNav

Other Online Test Administration Information

 

The new AZELLA Sample Tests online tests are aligned to the new AZELLA tests beginning with the Spring 2023 Reassessment Test. The new AZELLA test is aligned to the 2019 English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS).

Available in PearsonAccessnext (PAN) 

AZELLA Placement 2022-2023 administration > Support > Documentation > Pages 2-3: 

  • Sample Test Books - by grade level(s)
  • Sample Test Audio Files - by grade level(s)
  • Teacher's Editions - by grade level(s)

Available in TestNav

Arizona Online Sample Tests and Assessment Tutorials

  • Arizona Online Sample Tests and Assessment Tutorials

  • AZELLA Sample Tests

August 26, 2022 Webinar

AZELLA Results

AZELLA DTCs receive 2 paper copies of Pearson's Individual Student Reports (blue):

  • 1 copy must be placed in the students' cumulative files

  • 1 copy must be distributed to the parent(s)

Enrolling Eligible Students in EL Program Services 

Enrolling students in EL Program Services is completed through your Student Information System and then synchronized to AzEDS. Please contact Micky Gutier, in OELAS, with specific questions regarding enrolling and exiting students from EL Program Services. 

  • Students must have a "current" AZELLA record. "Current" means dated during the current school year or the prior school year. For the 2022-2023 school year, the AZELLA record must be dated during the 2022-2023 school year or the 2021-2022 school year.

    • The current AZELLA record must have an Overall Proficience Level (OPL) of less than proficient (e.g., Pre-Emergent/Emergent, Basic, Intermediate, or a combination of those levels)
    • The current AZELLA record must show a status of "Eligible for EL Services"

 

State Assessment Results and A-F Letter Grades

Accountability 

The 2022 state EL reclassification rate will be published by the Accountability Division after the A - F Letter Grades have been completed.

Accountability Questions? Contact the Accountability Unit at [email protected].

AZELLA Forms and Reports

Student Privacy - FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. This law applies to all schools that receive U.S. Department of Education funds under applicable programs, including the states' English Language Proficiency assessments such as AZELLA.

AZELLA materials may contain Personally Identifiable Information (PII), and sensitive information about a student’s educational background and historical performance. As such, we are all responsible for protecting and securing AZELLA materials to prevent the accidental disclosure of the information they contain.

Do not include students' names and/or date of births in the body of emails. Use their State Student Identification (SSID) number. When images are included in the body of emails, all student identifiable information except for the SSID number must be extracted or blacked-out before adding the image to the email.

AZELLA Test Security

 

AZELLA Test Security and Ethics Incident Report

 

AZELLA Test Administration Irregularity Report

 

AZELLA EL Reports

AZELLA EL Reports are accessed through ADEConnect > Applications > Assessments > AZELLA Reports

How to Read the EL70 - AZELLA Student History Report 

How to Read the EL72 - AZELLA Roster Report 

How to Read the EL73 - EL Student Need Report 

Guide to Navigating and Using AZELLA Reports  [5/01/2019]

 

Before, During, and After AZELLA Administration Forms 2022-2023

 

Student Testing Logs

You may edit the Student Testing Logs to meet your needs; however, when ADE requests your testing logs, the information included in these provided Student Testing Logs must be included when submitted to ADE. Do not include student names and date of births on Student Testing Logs that are submitted to ADE.  

2022-2023 PLACEMENT Test Administration

  • KPT Student Testing Log  Excel  |  PDF
  • Placement Student Testing Log - Paper/Telephone Grades 1 - 2 Excel  |  PDF
  • Placement Student Testing Log - Online Grades 3 - 12  Excel  |  PDF

 

Spring 2023 REASSESSMENT Test Administration

  • Spring 2023 Reassessment Test Student Testing Log - Paper/Telephone Grades KG - 1  Excel  |  PDF
  • Spring 2023 Reassessment Test Student Testing Log - Hybrid (Online/Paper) Grades 2 - 3  Excel  |  PDF
  • Spring 2023 Reassessment Test Student Testing Log - Online Grades 4 - 12  Excel  |  PDF

 

Student Data File (SDF) Layouts

2022-2023 Student Data File (SDF) Layouts

These layouts do not have any student data included. The district's Student Information System (SIS) (i.e., Synergy, PowerSchool, Infinite Campus, etc.) administrator/IT needs to have the layouts prior to uploading the Student Data Files (SDF) (contains student information) from each test administration into your SIS. The SDF Layouts are always available in PearsonAccessnext for the specific test administration.

There are 2 specific AZELLA test administration layouts. One is for the AZELLA Placement Tests and one is for the AZELLA Reassessment Test. They are different layout files!

Using the Student Data Files that are provided by Pearson is optional. If your district/charter intends to use the Student Data Files provided by Pearson (not ADE) for your Student Information System, you must use the Student Data File Layouts as well. 

Download one copy of the Layout file (by test administration) and forward the file UNOPENED to your SIS Administrator.

 

  • Spring 2023 Reassessment Student Data File Layout EXCEL (.CSV) available February 2023 
    • (to be used with the Spring 2023 Reassessment Student Data File) 

 

English Language Proficiency Attestation

All AZELLA District Test Coordinators, School Test Coordinators, and Test Administrators must attest to being proficient in English prior to any AZELLA test administrations. AZELLA DTCs must keep this form and provide it to ADE upon request.

English Language Proficiency Assessment Administrator Attestation SY 2022-2023

Other Forms

  • Spring 2023 AZELLA Reassessment Student Transferred with an EL Need form    Word  |  PDF

Completed and signed documents MUST be placed in the student's cumulative file.

AZELLA Placement Test Referral Forms

AZELLA Mid-Year Placement Test

The Mid-Year Placement Testing for SY 2022-2023 has been cancelled.

AZELLA Reassessment Test Referral Form

 

AZELLA Trainings and  Qualifications

AZELLA Training Requirements by AZELLA Role 2022-2023

The AZELLA Annual, Placement, and Understand Scoring training modules include a downloadable correlating PowerPoint and Transcript. We recommend that you download these, especially newer District and School Test Coordinators and Test Administrators. These will be a helpful resource that you can refer to throughout the school year, and they can be used as you complete the final quizzes associated with each module that must be passed with 80% correct.

Arizona Training Management System (ATMS)

https://az.tms.pearson.com/ 

You should use the MOZILLA FIREFOX or the GOOGLE CHROME web browser to access the ATMS.

All users will create their own ATMS account using their work email address. 

 

Follow the "Category" associated with your AZELLA staff role for the required training modules.

  • AZELLA District Test Coordinator (DTC) (there is only one AZELLA DTC per district) 
  • AZELLA School Test Coordinator
  • Technology Coordinator
  • AZELLA Test Administrator
  • AZELLA Data Entry (only for the AZELLA Placement Test administration for the KPT and Grades 1 and 2 data entry of responses and scores)
  • District Only Reports and School Only Reports
  • Proctor/Other Staff

 

Modules completed under an incorrect category will have to be completed again under the correct Category because completed modules cannot transfer between Categories (AZELLA roles).

There are 3 sections or tabs for the AZELLA training modules. These tabs are located across the top bar on the homepage of the AZELLA ATMS.

  1. Annual - completed at the start of the school year
  2. Placement Test Training - completed at the start of the school year
  3. Reassessment Test Training - completed in January

 

 

 

 

 

Annual (Year-round) AZELLA Training

These Annual training modules are applied to all AZELLA Test administrations and must be completed once per school year and prior to any AZELLA test administration.

  • Test Security and Ethics 
    • required: ALL AZELLA roles
  • AZELLA Basics
    • required: AZELLA DTCs and STCs
  • AZELLA Technology
    • required: AZELLA DTCs, STCs, and Technology Coordinators
  • AZELLA Reports and Corrections
    • required: AZELLA DTCs, STCs, and District and/or School Report Access Only in PAN
  • PANext
    • required: AZELLA DTCs, STCs, and those with the PAN role of Data Entry for AZELLA

AZELLA Placement Test Administration Training

Start of the school year training modules

  • AZELLA DTC-STC Placement
    • required: AZELLA DTCs and STCs
  • K-2 Placement 
    • required: AZELLA DTCs, STCs, and Test Administrators with schools that serve Kindergarten and Grades 1 and 2 students
  • 3-12 Placement Administration
    • required: AZELLA DTCs, STCs, and Test Administrators with schools that serve Grades 3-12 students

Understand Scoring Training and Qualifications (Kindergarten - Grade 2)

Start of the school year additional trainings and qualifications for Districts and Charter Schools that Serve Grades KG, 1, and 2 - AZELLA Placement Test Administration only

Understand Scoring is a secure site. All materials from this site are secure test materials and must be treated as such - always!

Available in Pearson's Understand Scoring system platform

  • Required training and qualifications for:
    • AZELLA DTCs that have schools that serve Kindergarten and Grades 1-2 students
    • AZELLA STCs from schools that serve Kindergarten and Grades 1-2 students
    • AZELLA KPT Administrators
    • AZELLA Stage II [Grades 1 and 2] Writing Scorers

 

  • Every Understand Scoring user MUST create a new account annually
  • KEYWORD to create new account is 2223azella (case sensitive and no spaces)

Spring 2023 AZELLA Reassessment Test Administration

Available in the Arizona Training Management System (ATMS) January 2023

  • AZELLA DTC-STC Reassessment
    • required: AZELLA DTCs and STCs
  • K-1 Reassessment 
    • required: AZELLA DTCs, STCs, and Test Administrators with schools that serve Kindergarten and Grade 1 students
  • 2-3 Reassessment 
    • required: AZELLA DTCs, STCs, and Test Administrators with schools that serve Grades 2 and 4 students
  • 4-12 Reassessment Administration
    • required: DTCs, STCs, and Test Administrators with schools that serve Grades 4 through 12 students

Presentations and Useful Web Links 

 

Contact Information 

The AZELLA Inbox ([email protected]) should be your first contact concerning AZELLA questions. All questions concerning AZELLA training modules, AZELLA test administration, students eligible and required to test, test administration schedules, test irregularities, AZELLA test records, and any issues that arise during test administration should be sent to the AZELLA Inbox. The AZELLA Team is able to respond to you much faster through email. We strive to respond with 1 business day to all emails and voice mails. ADE is closed on the weekends and all holidays.

 

High Importance – For issues that arise during actual student testing, send an email to the AZELLA Inbox and indicate in the subject line “Students Testing – Need Help.” Mark your email with a High Importance tag. Include a phone number that we can return contact with you if necessary. ADE will respond as quickly as possible. Do not leave a voice message as these calls are not responded to as quickly as emails. In your email include any error message or code that the student or TA is receiving.

 AZELLA Inbox

 AZELLA Inbox 

Brenda Vanderwerp | AZELLA State Test Coordinator 602.542.5031

Gabriela Finn | Director of English Language Assessments 602.542.5031

Jessica Thompson | English Language Assessment Development Coordinator 602.542.5031