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

  • Spring 2023 Reassessment Test administration window: January 30 - March 17, 2023

AZELLA Important Notices

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 to districts that have schools who serve Kindergarten students in July and August 2022 after Pearson receives the 2017 version of KPT materials and all training requirements have been completed.

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 Session (this new URL button will be activated in July 2022)

After you click on the above button, 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

JULY 2022

MonTuesWedThurFri

 

 

 

 

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Next Scheduled Session Topics

Tuesday, July 12, 2022 @ 8:00 - 9:00am

  • AZELLA trainings
  • KPT materials
  • AZELLA forms
  • Your Questions

 

Tuesday, July 26, 2022 @ 8:00 - 9:00am

  • AZELLA start of school year testing time frame
  • Which students need to be administered an AZELLA Placement Test
  • EL70 and and EL73 Reports
  • Your Questions

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

PearsonAccessnext (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 EL 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]

Other

AzEDS EL Transactions At-A-Glance  FY 2022 [EL Program Services enrollments and exits through your Student Information System]

> EL Program Services Questions? Contact the Office of English Language Acquisition Services (Attn: Micky Gutier) at [email protected] 

> [email protected] or call Micky at 602.542.7469

 

AZELLA EL/SPED Test Administration Information

EL and Special Education FAQ September 2021

AZELLA - Domain Scoring July 2021

AZELLA (Arizona’s English Language Learner Assessment) Accommodations coming soon

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

More information coming soon! Watch this space.

Bethany Spangenberg, ADE's Director of Alternate Assessment, will be joining the AZELLAology session on Tuesday, May 17, 2022. She will be providing some information about the Alt ELPA for the Spring 2023 AZELLA Reassessment administration.

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

Please submit the secure request form 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. 

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 will be available in July 2022 and are due by August 31, 2022. 

 

AZELLA Additional Accommodations Request Form 

  • Grades KG-12
  • Includes the following requests:

AZELLA Special Paper Version (SPV) Request Form 

for Online Test Administrations Only

  • Grades 3-12 (Placement)/ 2-12 (Reassessment) Special Paper Version
  • Grades 3-12 (Placement) / Grades 2-12 (Reassessment) Large Print of the Special Paper Version
  • Grades 2-12 Spring 2023 AZELLA Reassessment - Braille version for the Reading and Writing Part 1 (multiple choice) test units

AZELLA Large Print (LP) Request Form

for Paper AZELLA Test Administrations

  • Grades 1 and 2 Placement Test
  • Kindergarten Reassessment Test
  • Grade 1 Reassessment 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. 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.

More Sample Test Info

 

Sample Tests for the Spring 2023 AZELLA Reassessment Test

---Coming August 2022 --- to azed.gov/assessment/azella

Setting Up TestNav

Other Online Test Administration Information

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)

Exiting Students from EL Program Services by June 30 

Exiting students from 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 exiting students from EL Program Services. 

  • Students who received an OPL of Proficient must be exited from EL program services with the Exit code ELL01 (Reclassified Fluent English Proficient (RFEP)) by June 30, 2022.

    • You may use the last day of school for the exit date.

  • Students who received an OPL of less than proficient will need to be exited (by June 30) from EL program services with the code of ELL06 for End of School Year or exit code ELL02 for those who have withdrawn from school before the last day.

    • This includes students who have been enrolled in EL program services as Parent Withdrawn (PW).

  • Students who received an OPL of Undetermined will need to be exited by June 30 from EL program services with the code of ELL06 for End of School Year or exit code ELL02 for those who have withdrawn from school before the last day.

    • Please plan ahead - Students with Undetermined AZELLA records must be administered a new AZELLA Placement Test within the first 2 weeks of school year 2022-2023. 

    • The English Learner Status Undetermined Placement Test referral form must be completed, signed by the AZELLA DTC, and placed in the students' cumulative files when the new Placement Test is administered.

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 in September 2022.

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

AZELLA Trainings and  Qualifications

AZELLA Training Requirements by AZELLA Role 2022-2023

 

The AZELLA Annual, Placement, and Understand Scoring training modules and qualifications will open on Tuesday, July 5, 2022. Modules will be posted by Pearson as they become available throughout the week. The Annual and Placement training modules will 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 help you with the final quizzes associated with each module that you must pass with 100% correct.

 

AZELLA Trainings and Qualifications

Arizona Training Management System (ATMS)

https://az.tms.pearson.com/ 

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

All users MUST 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.

  • Annual 
  • Placement Test Training
  • Reassessment Test Training

 

 

 

 

ADE encourages all ATMS users to download and save the PowerPoint presentations and the Transcripts associated with each training module you complete, so you can reference them as needed throughout the school year. They will also help you pass the final exam associated with each module.

Annual (Year-round) AZELLA Training

Opens on July 5, 2022, for the 2022 - 2023 School Year

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.

Available in the Arizona Training Management System (ATMS)

  • 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

Opens on July 5, 2022, for the 2022 - 2023 School Year

Available in the Arizona Training Management System (ATMS)

  • 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)

for Schools that Serve Grades KG, 1, and 2 - AZELLA Placement Test Administration only

Opens on July 5, 2022, for the 2022 - 2023 School Year

These trainings and qualifications are in addition to the Placement Test administration training requirements for schools that serve Kindergarten and Grades 1 and 2.

Available in Pearson's Understand Scoring system

  • 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

 

  • Those required to complete one or both of these Understand Scoring trainings and qualifications:
    • 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

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 Administration Irregularity Report

  • Test Administration Irregularity Report

 

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.

English Language Proficiency Assessment Administrator Attestation SY 2022-2023

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 (coming January 2023)

  • 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.

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!

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 2022 Reassessment Student Data File Layout EXCEL (.CSV) available January 2023 
    • (to be used with the Spring 2023 Reassessment Student Data File) 

 

 

2021-2022 Student data file layouts (available until September 30, 2022)

  • 2021-2022 Placement Student Data File Layout  EXCEL (to be used with the cumulative Placement Student Data File available 6/02/2022 from PAN)
     
  • Spring 2022 Reassessment Student Data File Layout EXCEL (to be used with the Spring 2022 Reassessment Student Data File available 5/05/2022 from PAN)

 

Other Forms

  • AZELLA Transferred Student with an EL Need Form

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

AZELLA Placement Test Referral Forms

AZELLA Mid-Year Placement Test Referral Form

This special administration of the AZELLA Placement Test is only for qualified high school students.

--coming October 2022--

AZELLA Reassessment Test Referral Form

  • Stage I (KG) Reassessment Test Referral Form - Moving from Mainstream to EL Services

    • --coming January 2023--

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.

 

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