TELPAS (Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System)

 In response to the federal testing requirement of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, the Texas Education Agency developed an assessment system called TELPAS. This system consists of reading tests and holistically rated assessments of listening, speaking, reading (for K-1 students), and writing.  TELPAS is designed to assess the progress that limited English proficient (LEP) students make in learning the English language.

Under NCLB, states’ English language proficiency assessments must assess students annually in kindergarten through twelfth grade in four language domains: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. TELPAS assesses the following language domains.

Grades K–2 listening, speaking, reading, writing

Grades 3–12 listening, speaking, writing

The domain of reading in Grades 3–12 is assessed through a multiple choice test. Together, the reading test and the holistically rated listening, speaking, reading and writing assessments provide performance data used to fulfill state and federal reporting requirements.  TELPAS reports student performance in terms of four English language proficiency levels: beginning, intermediate, advanced, and advanced high.

TELPAS is administered to all eligible LEP students, including LEP students who do not participate in a bilingual or English as a second language (ESL) program because of a parental denial.

http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/admin/rpte/telpas_manual.pdf