OPTEL FAQs

Please note, these frequently asked questions (FAQs) are intended to be helpful. This guidance does not constitute legal advice and is not binding. For questions about the implications of this document on local programs or specific circumstances, local educational agencies (LEAs) should consult their local counsel.

1. What is the Observation Protocol for Teachers of English Learners (OPTEL)?

   The Observation Protocol for Teachers of English Learners (OPTEL) is an observation tool for teachers designed to promote standardization in the reclassification process. It supports educators in observing and evaluating the academic language use of English learner (EL) students, per the requirements of California Education Code (EC) Section 313.3(f)(2)(3) . Successful implementation of the OPTEL will move California closer to statewide standardization of reclassification criteria required per Title III, Part A, Section 3111(b)(2)(A) of the Every Student Succeeds Act.

2. Who was consulted during OPTEL development?

   The following groups were engaged by the California Department of Education (CDE) during this process:

   • CDE Language Policy and Leadership Office
   • OPTEL Advisory Committee
   • Regional County Office of Education English Learner Specialists
   • Advisory Commission on Special Education
   • Regional Assessment Network
   • Assessment Interest Holder Meeting
   • California Teachers Association
   • Bilingual Coordinators Network
   • CDE Special Education Division
   • CDE Assessment Development and Administration Division

3. What analysis was conducted to validate the use of the OPTEL instrument?

   WestEd conducted a field test to ensure the OPTEL protocol appropriately assesses the intended target language constructs, demonstrates a meaningful relationship to the performance levels for the English Language Proficiency Assessment for California (ELPAC), assesses classroom language use, and reflects student progress toward attaining targeted constructs. The validation study can be accessed on the State Board of Education’s Information Memoranda web page.

4. What feedback did teachers provide during the field test?

   The field test participants included 189 educators from 45 school districts. Of these, 109 educators were from the southern region, 50 from the central region, and 30 from the northern region of California. Overall, the majority of participating educators reported that the OPTEL was “easy” or “very easy” to use. The validation study with teacher feedback can be accessed on the State Board of Education’s Information Memoranda web page.

5. Is OPTEL required?

   The California State Board of Education unanimously approved the OPTEL to satisfy reclassification criteria 2 (teacher evaluation) and 3 (parent consultation). As California strengthens the standardization of reclassification criteria, as required by Title III, Part A, Section 3111(b)(2)(A) of the Every Student Succeeds Act, the California Department of Education strongly recommends LEAs transition to the OPTEL for local reclassification processes.

6. When will the OPTEL be available?

   The OPTEL tool is currently available on the California Department of Education OPTEL web page. Some LEAs may already be able to access the OPTEL through their student information system platform.

7. What is the practical difference between how the OPTEL and the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) measure English language proficiency (ELP)?

   The OPTEL and the ELPAC employ different measurement methods. The ELPAC is an empirical language assessment, which captures the ELP of a student at the one point in the school year that they take the test. The OPTEL, on the other hand, uses teacher observation of interactive language use in the classroom. The more frequently it is used during the academic year, the more comprehensive a picture it will likely provide of how the student uses language to access the curriculum content. For more information about how the OPTEL can be used in the classroom, please refer to the OPTEL User Guide.

   For more technical information on the differences, please refer to the OPTEL Validation study.

8. What is the statutory authority for the OPTEL?

   Title III, Part A, Section 3113(b)(2)(A) of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015 requires states to develop standardized exit criteria for English learner students. (20 United States Code 6823[b][2]).

   Assembly Bill 1808, Chapter 32, Statutes of 2017, added Section 313.3 to the Education Code (EC) requiring the California Department of Education “to develop a standardized English language teacher observation protocol for use by teachers in evaluating a pupil’s English language proficiency.”

   EC Section 313.3 (a) specifies that the observation protocol will be developed for “use by teachers in evaluating a pupil’s ELP, as required by paragraph (2) of subdivision (f) of Section 313”, otherwise known as Reclassification Criterion 2: Teacher Evaluation. 

   In November 2023, the State Board of Education approved the OPTEL as the statewide standardized method for criteria 2 (Teacher Evaluation) and 3 (Parent Opinion and Consultation) of the procedure for reclassifying a pupil from English learner to Fluent English Proficient, (EC Section 313 [b],[f]).

9. What was the OPTEL designed for?

   Per Education Code Section 313.3, the OPTEL was designed:​

   • To be used by teachers to evaluate a student's use of English while engaging in academic content learning, including interactive language use with peers;​
   • To allow teachers to assess language practices across a range of proficiency levels in order to help teachers identify student performance along the continuum of progress toward proficiency in English;​
   • To be used for all English learner (EL) students, including those who have individualized education programs (IEPs);
   • To be used by content area teachers at all grade levels, English Language Development (ELD) teachers, bilingual teachers,and special education teachers;​
   • For ease of use by educators; and​
   • To be aligned to the ELD Standards and the performance levels for the Summative ELPAC.​

   Additionally, the legislature intended the OPTEL be useful as follows:

   • To teachers, as a formative assessment tool for purposes of supporting pupils' progress toward proficiency in English during the school year;
   • To support teachers' discussions with parents regarding pupils' progress toward English language proficiency; and
   • To be used by institutions of higher education in the preparation of new teachers.

   NOTE: The California Department of Education recommends the OPTEL be used for all EL students who take the Summative ELPAC, but not for EL students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who take the Summative Alternate ELPAC, as determined appropriate by the IEP team. The OPTEL was not validated for EL students who take the Summative Alternate ELPAC. For more information, please refer to the OPTEL Validation Study.

10. Should the OPTEL be used for all English learner (EL) students or only those students who are close to meeting the reclassification criteria?

    Designed to be versatile, the OPTEL tool can be used in multiple ways to understand EL students’ progress toward ELP. Refer to the “Implementation Guidance” section in the OPTEL User Guide for additional information.

11. Into which languages will the OPTEL be translated?

    The OPTEL will initially be translated into California’s top five most commonly used languages other than English (currently Spanish, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Cantonese, and Tagalog). LEAs will also be encouraged to share translations of the OPTEL in additional languages that can be shared via the Clearinghouse for Multilingual Documents.

12. Is there, or will there be, a recommend timeline for when teachers should use OPTEL?

    Whether being used in the reclassification process, which can occur at any point in the academic year, or for any of the OPTEL’s other intended purposes (e.g., formative assessment, parent consultation, etc.), the time of its use will depend on the circumstances. For more information, please refer to the OPTEL User Guide.

13. When using the OPTEL for Criterion 2 (Teacher Evaluation), is there a recommended level for a student’s expressive and receptive ELP skills?

    The State Board of Education approved a level 3 or above on both expressive and receptive ELP skills for reclassification Criterion 2. This recommendation was based on the findings from the OPTEL Validation Study Report.

14. Is there a central database where the OPTEL data will be collected?

    No. The California Department of Education recommends, however, that LEAs retain locally all OPTEL-related data to support reclassification decisions.

15. Is training needed in order to use OPTEL?

    The OPTEL is designed to support teachers in capturing evidence of students' receptive and expressive skills in instruction aligned to the English Language Development Standards. Therefore, teachers may need some training depending on current levels of expertise, etc. For resources to support OPTEL training and implementation, visit the California Department of Education’s OPTEL web page under the “Tool and User Guide” and “Implementation Resources” tabs. 

16. Can the OPTEL be used with students who are dually identified (for EL and special education services or 504 plans)?

    Yes, the OPTEL is validated for students who take the Summative ELPAC, including students with individual education plans or 504 plans.

    However, the OPTEL has not been validated for use for students who take the Summative Alternate ELPAC.

    For more information, please refer to the OPTEL Validation Study.

17. How can LEAs use the OPTEL to evaluate the ELP of EL students with individual educational plans or 504 plans?

    The User Guide provides recommendations for the OPTEL’s use with dually identified students, including, but not limited to, a discussion of how teachers can notate accommodations. For more information, please refer to the OPTEL User Guide.

18. Why does the OPTEL not include areas for educators to notate modifications?

    Modifications are intended for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. The OPTEL has not been validated for use for students who take the Summative Alternate ELPAC. For more information, please refer to the OPTEL Validation Study.

19. How does the OPTEL facilitate parent opinion and consultation?

    The Parent Consultation Form (page 3 of the OPTEL tool) is designed to guide educators in consulting with parents of EL students, as part of the reclassification process, regarding their child’s progress toward fluent English proficient status.

20. Is the LEA required to consult with parents when considering a student for reclassification?

    Title 5 California Code of Regulations Section 11303 states that LEAs shall include parental involvement through:

    (1) Notice to parent(s) or guardian(s) of language reclassification and placement, including a description of the reclassification process and the parent's opportunity to participate; and

    (2) Encouragement of the participation of parent(s) or guardian(s) in the school district's reclassification procedure, including seeking their opinion and consultation during the reclassification process.

21. What if parents do not respond to requests for consultation or cannot meet in person to sign the OPTEL?

    LEAs should provide opportunities for parents or guardians to discuss their child’s reclassification as practicable and record date and time of attempts to communicate.

22. May an LEA reclassify an EL student if their parent disagrees with their child being reclassified or refuses to sign the OPTEL Parent Consultation Form?

    When an EL student meets the reclassification criteria, the student should be reclassified to fluent English proficient status (Education Code Section 313 and Title 5 California Code of Regulations Section 11303). Parent opinion and consultation is one of the criteria to be considered in reclassification decisions but a parent’s preference otherwise or refusal to sign the OPTEL Parent Consultation Form should not preclude their child from being reclassified.

23. May an LEA reclassify an EL student if the student’s teacher does not sign the OPTEL form?

    The teacher’s signature on the OPTEL Parent Consultation Form is to demonstrate that parent consultation occurred. However, parent consultation is one of the criteria to be considered in reclassification decisions but should not preclude an EL student from being reclassified (Education Code Section 313 and Title 5 California Code of Regulations Section 11303).  Failure to obtain a parent signature shall not preclude a student from reclassification.

24. Can someone other than the teacher who conducted the OPTEL evaluation review the information with the parents if needed?

    Yes, someone other than the teacher may discuss the OPTEL and other reclassification data with the parent/guardian for Criterion 3.

25. Where can I find resources regarding the OPTEL?

    Resources that may be of interest include:

    • October 2023 State Board of Education (SBE) Memo and Validation Study
    • November 2023 SBE Action Item
    • OPTEL User Guide
    • All other resources are located on the OPTEL web page under the “Implementation Resources” tab.