TELPAS begins transition to new assessment in 2028-29

The State Board of Education (SBOE) adopted new English language proficiency standards (ELPS) in 2024 that will become effective in classrooms in the 2026-27 school year. As a result, the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) will transition to a new assessment in the 2028-29 school year, with five proficiency levels instead of four. TELPAS will continue to be assessed across four domains. For more information about the new ELPS, contact the TEA Curriculum Standards and Student Support Division.

Transition-year assessments will be used during the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years to measure the English language proficiency of emergent bilingual students. The grades K-1 holistic assessment and grades 2-12 assessments will continue to align to the four current proficiency levels (Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced, and Advanced High) during the transition years. For more information, refer to the TELPAS Resources webpage.

The TELPAS online rater training courses available this fall will assist in training raters on procedures for the transition-year holistic assessments.

TELPAS Alternate

As a result of the changes to the ELPS, TELPAS Alternate will also transition to a new assessment in the 2028-29 school year. However, during the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years, the current TELPAS Alternate Holistic Inventory and alternate proficiency levels will continue to be used. Emergent bilingual students with the most significant cognitive disabilities in grades 2-12 who meet participation requirements should continue to be assessed holistically using the TELPAS Alternate Observable Behaviors Inventory. For more information, refer to the TELPAS Alternate Resources webpage.