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What is the LAS Links?
The LAS Links is the English language proficiency assessment that the
Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has selected
to meet the requirement of No Child Left Behind to annually assess
Missouri's students who are eligible for ELL (English Language Learner)
services.
Who takes the LAS Links?
Students who are eligible for ELL services, are K-12 students, and who
are enrolled in a Missouri public school or charter school academy take
the LAS Links.
How are eligible ELLs identified?
A Home Language Survey, a Title VI NCLB reporting requirement, is given
to all students at the time of enrollment. It asks two questions:
1. Is the student's native tongue a language other than English?
2. Is a language other than English spoken in the student's home or
environment?
If either of the answers to these questions is "yes," then the student
is eligible to be assessed for English proficiency. Based on this
assessment, as well as other locally-determined criteria which should
include expert opinion, a district will enter the student into ELL
services offered within the district, not enter the student and place
them in mainstream education, or, in the case of a student who was
enrolled but who has made sufficient progress determined by the
district, exited from ELL services.
Why is the LAS Links given?
It measures, on an annual basis, the progress Missouri's ELLs are making
in the acquisition of their English language skills. Reports on their
progress are provided to districts, the state itself, and the federal
government. The results also are calculated to determine if the district
has met the AMAOs (Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives).
When is the LAS given?
It is always administered in the Spring. The regular testing window is
typically five weeks beginning in early February or late January. For
Spring 2009, this window is from Monday, February 2, 2009 to Friday,
March 6, 2009.
Do I have to give the test in any certain order?
No, districts can decide the order and scheduling of the test based on
what works best. District should not start a particular test (Speaking,
Listening, Reading or Writing) one day and finish the next, but you can
spread out the four different tests over the duration of the testing
window.
What about test security?
This is a federally-mandated, high-stakes test and it must be treated
that way. Follow the same rules that are used for MAP Test security.
All test materials must be stored at the district level on one location.
What happens if I did not receive the pre-coded student labels?
Districts will have to bubble in the student biographical data if they
did not receive labels. You can call CTB's Customer Service number at
1-800-544-9868 to find out why your district did not receive labels.
| February 1 to March 5, 2010: |
Testing window
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| March 1, 2010: |
Deadline for ordering additional test materials
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| March 5, 2010: |
Deadline for ordering additional Test Coordinator Kit materials
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| March 10, 2010: |
Deadline to contact CTB/McGraw Hill for Pickup of Testing Materials
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| March 12, 2010: |
Deadline for Testing Materials to be picked up by CTB's Transportation Vendor
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2010 LAS Links Training Slides and Notes
2010 LAS Links Test Coordinators Manual
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| 2410 B Hyde Park Road . Jefferson City, Missouri 65109 . (573) 893-8931 voice . (573) 893-8932 fax |
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