LAS Links
English Language Development Solutions:
Accelerate English Language Acquisition

LAS Links

The LAS Link Placement Tests are designed for schools and districts to support initial identification of language learners and to promote proper placement in instructional programs for newly enrolled students. LAS Links Placement Tests can be used for initial placement of English and Spanish Language Learners.

What States use LAS Links?

Two states, Mississippi and Connecticut – currently use the LAS LINKS assessment. Please visit the Mississippi and Connecticut pages to learn more.

What does the LAS Links Assessment Measure?

The LAS Links Placement Test was designed for schools and districts to support initial identification and placement in instructional programs for newly enrolled students. It was also created to complement LAS Links and provides a screening tool for qualified school personnel to administer, score, and interpret results for the placement of students in appropriate English Language Learner programs.

The test is structured around the four major language domains of speaking, listening, reading, and writing, with a balance of constructed-response and multiple-choice items. A combination of tasks allows for an easy way to screen students’ basic level of English proficiency. The LAS Links Placement Test considers that students coming into classrooms faced with higher language demands to participate in instruction.

The test is based on three dimensions of language proficiency: conversational fluency (communicative language), discrete English skills (specific aspects of English linguistic knowledge), and academic language.

English Language teachers can set reaching expectations for their ESL students, accelerate English language acquisition, and ensure equity for all English learners.

Summit K12 Language Development is evidence-based, aligns with LAS Links, WIDA, as well as The Common Core.

Ensure your K–12 English learners are making steady progress toward their English Language Proficiency Growth Goals throughout the year and are prepared for Fall and Spring testing with the Connect to Literacy™ online Review and Readiness program.

Summit K12:

Is adaptive to all learners through Individualized Language Learning Plans (ILLPs)
Provides Autoscoring—including enhanced AI for Speaking Items
Offers Embedded LAS Links Speaking and Writing Rubrics
Was created to differentiate across 6 Grade bands: K, 1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-8, 9-12

With interactive, engaging video lessons written for all English Language Learners the Proficiency Level at six different grade bands, covering all five ELD standards, Connect to Literacy supports growth in all four domains with just 30-60 minutes of practice a week.

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Help Students Progress At least One Proficiency Level

LAS Links Readiness — Listening-Speaking

Developed specifically for the LAS Links exams, and including grade-level benchmarks, Connect to Literacy offers more than 2,000 practice items modeled after the LAS Links Listening and Speaking item types. Using Connect to Literacy, English learners from Beginning to Advanced High will develop their vocabulary and practice speaking and listening in a supported online environment designed to accelerate English language acquisition and prepare students for the LAS links exam.

Through audio, video, and LAS Links Listening-Speaking practice assessments, students actively engage with English and build language proficiency.

Listening Practice Items

Connect to Literacy provides listening items for all proficiency levels, modeled after LAS links item types so that students become confident in listening, comprehending, and responding to English in a variety of ways. All Listening item types include Lesson modeling videos to guide student practices.

Speaking Practice Items

Students will practice speaking using a variety of prompts, differentiated based on proficiency level and modeled after the LAS links item types. All speaking items include Lesson Model Videos to guide students and Model Exemplar recordings for students to listen to after they submit their recordings. Every answer is recorded so that teachers can listen to the responses, rate them using the interactive speaking rubric, and provide coaching to guide student growth.

LAS Links Readiness — Reading-Writing

LAS Links Reading Readiness

The Connect to Literacy online LAS Links Reading and Writing program provides structured skills practice to help students become proficient readers and writers and prepare for success on the LAS Links exam.

With its easy-to-use interface designed for students with limited English proficiency, Connect to Literacy can be used independently by students at home or at school. Comprehensive reporting enables teachers to monitor students’ progress and provide support remotely or in person.

The Connect to Literacy Reading Course includes content differentiated at 6 grade-bands to mimic the LAS Links grade-level differentiation and provide you with an accurate predictor of test outcomes.

LAS Links Writing Readiness

Connect to Literacy guides English learners through the process of completing five practice writing activities during the fall semester that mimic the official LAS Links writing samples that will be completed in the second semester. First, students prepare using Connect to Literacy’s writing skill-building activities, mini-lessons and examples.

The Connect to Literacy Writing course includes Writing Skills and Grammar lessons covering 100% state standards. This gives teachers the lessons, practice items, and assessments to help students prepare for the LAS Links exam.

LAS Links Mastery

The Connect to Literacy online English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) Mastery Course covers 12 areas of foundational language development to build proficiency in all four language domains.

This interactive, engaging program provides more than 23,000 grade—and language proficiency-level activities for students to learn and practice their English language skills. Used along with the Connect to Literacy Listening-Speaking and Reading-Writing programs, you can accelerate language acquisition for your English Learners and prepare them for success on the ACCESS exam.

12 Comprehensive ACCESS Mastery Course Skill Building Modules

Teachers unlock the skill building modules they want students to work on. Built for the ACCESS test and aligned with The Common Core and WIDA standards, students listen to words and phrases and record themselves speaking them back, practice using words such as abstract nouns, and listen to sentences and practice writing them, and much more.

Embedded Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Several ACCESS Mastery modules include embedded AI to automatically rate student pronunciation and writing skills while providing automatic feedback to students to promote self-efficacy and mastery while accelerating the learning process.

Distinct Sounds of English

Provide students with practice using the 44 unique sounds of English which are not part of the Spanish language.

Phonemic Fundamentals

Reinforce the building blocks of English from consonant and vowel sounds to suffixes, prefixes and root words.

High-Frequency Words

Students are introduced to grade appropriate research-based high frequency vocabulary words and practice using them.

Thinking Words

Students learn and practice using often overlooked words — like describe,
differentiate, interpret, and predict — that are essential to success on the ACCESS exam.

Cognates

This module will help Spanish speakers gain confidence in English quickly as they learn words that look familiar and have the same meaning in their native language.

Antonyms

Students formally learn what antonyms are and are introduced to them in word pairs through audio and visual content.

Synonyms

Students are introduced to word pairs using both audio and visual content that have the same or similar meanings.

Homonyms

Covering Homophones, Homographs and Homonyms, this module teaches the differences between the three types of word pairs with hundreds of examples.

Connecting Words

These words are necessary for students to write and speak clearly. Students will learn the different types of conjunctions and their uses.

Academic Vocabulary

This module provides interactive flash cards for all TEKS and STAAR academic vocabulary in core subjects from K-12.

Idioms, Expressions, Adages & Puns

Students are shown a visual of the literal meaning of an expression and then a visual of the actual meaning of grade appropriate, high frequency idioms as well as common adages and puns.

Abstract Nouns

Designed for students at the Advanced or Advanced High proficiency levels, this module provides guided practice using some of the most challenging words for English learners.

Monitor Student Progress Towards Mastery

Easy-to-understand, yet data-rich, reports provide teachers with insights into students’ ongoing language growth. At-a-glance, see which proficiency level students are at, then drill down to learn in which areas students need additional practice and support.

LAS Links Exam Prioritized Focus Area & Essential Action Reports

The Connect to Literacy program includes two diagnostic Listening, Speaking, and Reading benchmarks that can be administered in the fall and winter to monitor student proficiency growth and support. The program also provides required reports to ensure LAS Links compliance.

Preview Reports

Student Reading PLD Distribution Reports

Comprehensive Language Development Summary Reports

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Easy Set Up. Exceptional Support

With our streamlined on-boarding process, teachers and students can begin using our programs quickly. Once our implementation team receives your class rosters, they can have your classes completely set up within 24 hours. Our professional development team is also available year-round for web-based and on-site teacher training.

Summit K12 integrates with Clever, Classlink, Rapid Identity, Enboard, Microsoft Azure, and many other platforms for Single Sign-on (SSO). We support rostering for all platforms.