Welcome to the inservice training for the IPT Tests!

The IDEA Proficiency Test, best known by the acronym IPT, measures the language proficiency of pre-kindergarten through twelfth-grade students in English and Spanish. The tests are designed for the purposes of initial identification, program placement, progress monitoring, and redesignation in school. The English tests are aimed at students who speak English as a second language. The Spanish tests are aimed at students who speak Spanish as a first language, heritage language, or second language. The IPT Spanish tests are often used in bilingual education settings. The chart below shows the instruments that are included in the IPT Family of Tests.

ORAL 3, 4, and 5 year olds Grades K-6* Grades 6-12*
ENGLISH PRE-IPT IPT I IPT II
SPANISH PRE-IPT IPT I IPT II

READING & WRITING Grades K-1 Grades 2-3 Grades 4-6 Grades 7-12
ENGLISH Early Literacy IPT 1 IPT 2 IPT 3
SPANISH Early Literacy IPT 1 IPT 2 IPT 3
* The IPT II Oral English and Spanish are also normed on sixth graders. The sixth-grade band is convenient for middle schools with grades 6-8.

The IPT Tests provide the information you need for identification, placement, and redesignation of English language learners (ELLs). The purpose of this inservice class is to prepare you to administer the IPT Tests. Upon successful completion of this class, you will:

  • be familiar with the test components used to administer the IPT Tests.
  • understand the areas assessed by the IPT Tests.
  • be able to administer and score the IPT Tests.
  • be able to interpret the test results for classroom placement and instruction and for parent-teacher conferences.

Please note that test examiners must be proficient in English in order to administer the IPT English Tests or in Spanish to administer the IPT Spanish Tests. It is critical that the examiner's pronunciation is clear and comprehensible. If you have any questions about your ability to administer the IPT Tests, please contact your testing coordinator.

This inservice training is made up of four modules. You only need to train for tests that you are actually going to administer. You do not need to complete the training in one sitting, although it is recommended that once you begin one of the modules, you go through all of it. The training is available to you seven days a week, 24 hours a day, as long as you have access to the Internet. At various points in the training, you will have the option of taking an interactive Quick Quiz to check your learning. And at the end of the training, you will take the Final Quiz to assess whether you have mastered the information needed to administer the IPT Test. If you score at least an 80% on the Final Quiz, you will be awarded a Certificate of Achievement. You also will have an opportunity to review a completed Final Quiz to check any questions you answered incorrectly. If you do not score at least an 80%, you can review the course material again and retake the Final Quiz.

Which test do you want to learn to administer and score?

IPT Oral Tests IPT Reading & Writing Tests
Pre–IPT
(English & Spanish)
(approx. 1 hour)		 IPT I–Oral & IPT II–Oral
(English & Spanish)
(approx. 1 hour)		 IPT Early Literacy
(English & Spanish)
(approx. 1 hour)		 IPT Reading & Writing 1, 2, and 3
(English & Spanish)
(approx. 1 hour)

If you experience technical difficulties, please send an e-mail message to info@ballard-tighe.com. If you would like immediate assistance, please contact your Ballard & Tighe educational consultant directly at (800) 321-4332.