FLACS Exam Portal

Exam Administration Date: Monday, June 22, 2026

FLACS A start time – 9:15 AM (early start 8:15 AM)
FLACS B start time – 1:15 PM (early start 12:15 PM)

Countdown to FLACS 2026

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LINK TO EXAM DESIGNEE ACCESS - CLICK IN THIS BOX

THE PORTAL WILL OPEN IN EARLY JUNE 2026

Checkpoint A & B Rubrics

25-26 Edition – Now Available!

The New York State (NYS) framework identifies two categories of modern languages, based on the time it typically takes English speakers to develop proficiency.

Category 1 & 2 Languages: These include languages with Roman-based alphabets like Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Swahili.
Category 3 & 4 Languages: This group covers a diverse range, including American Sign Language (ASL), indigenous languages like Seneca and Tuscarora, character-based languages such as Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, as well as languages with non-Roman alphabets like Arabic, Greek, Hebrew, and Russian.

Want to dive deeper? Check out these documents: Category 1-2 and Category 3-4 to see how the NYS standards help students thrive in world language learning!

25-26 Rubrics are updated to reflect the NYSED OBEWL’s guidance on the Interpersonal Speaking point distribution as of the Summer of 2025.

Important Documents

School Administrators Manual (SAM)
This document describes general information on FLACS exams and overall procedures and guidelines.

UPDATED SAME COMING SOON
FLACS Speaking - Administration Guidelines
This booklet provides specific information on how to administer the speaking portion of the FLACS exam. It also contains examples of items with scoring explanations.

We ask that you read the guidelines carefully. ALL items in our speaking task booklets may be used for either practice or as secure testing items. It will be up to individual districts to decide which and how many items from each theme will be used for testing purposes. Once secure testing items are selected, districts may then use the other items as practice throughout the year.

Secure Speaking task booklets are released to current members of NYSAWLA. If you have not received them, check your membership status in your account. If you are a current (or pending) member, then the email may have landed in your junk email folder! Please take us out of “junk” by asking your IT Department to add @nysawla.org and nysawla@gmail.com to their Safe Senders list.

Administration Guidelines, including sample tasks for scoring.
Secure Presentational/Interpersonal Speaking Tasks Sourcebook
These password-protected booklets contain both secure and practice items for the Presentational and Interpersonal Speaking sections of the FLACS exam. Only current NYSAWLA members receive password information to these booklets.

FLACS Interpersonal Speaking Task booklet – password protected

FLACS Presentational Speaking Task booklet – password protected
Part 4 Presentational Speaking / Expressive Signing Guidelines
Revised 2/24/2025

The Presentational Writing / Expressive Signing section assesses students’ ability to communicate in a structured and coherent manner. Spoken language students will complete two writing tasks, while ASL students will complete two See-to-Sign tasks. For FLACS A spoken languages, the Read-to-Write task has been replaced with the Visually Supported Writing task, while the FLACS B examination remains unchanged from 2024. The guidelines booklet includes task descriptions, scoring criteria, and rubrics for evaluation. The new rubrics do not require a conversion.

Part 4 Presentational Writing / Expressive Signing Guidelines
Interpersonal and Presentational Speaking Reporting Form
Revised 2/24/2025

The Interpersonal and Presentational Speaking (Part 1) reporting form is designed for teachers to record student scores for this section. This form may be used for both spoken languages and ASL. Teachers should submit the original to their department administrator and keep a copy for their records. Both Word and PDF versions of the student answer booklet are available. The Word format allows districts to customize and merge student information for preprinted forms, while the PDF ensures accurate and consistent printing.

FLACS A Interpersonal and Presentational Speaking Form: WORD / PDF

FLACS B Interpersonal and Presentational Speaking Form: WORD / PDF
Answer Documents
Revised 2/24/2025: Both Word and PDF versions of the student answer booklet are available. The Word format allows districts to customize and merge student information for preprinted forms, while the PDF ensures accurate and consistent printing.

FLACS Checkpoint A Examination Student Booklets:

American Sign Language Student Booklet: WORD / PDF

Chinese, French, German, Italian and Spanish Student Booklet: WORD / PDF

FLACS Checkpoint B Examination Student Booklet:

Chinese, French, German, Italian and Spanish Student Booklet: WORD / PDF
Recording Guidelines for Audio/Listening
Districts will be responsible for creating their own audio recordings of the Interpretive Listening section of the exam. Scripts for all exams will be shared well in advance of the start of testing in order to give districts time to prepare. Below are suggested guidelines for making a recording of the interpretive listening section.

Checkpoint A Recording Guidelines

Checkpoint B Recording Guidelines
General Proctor Directions
General test administration directions for proctors.

Sample ASL Proctor Instructions

ADDITIONAL FLACS EXAM INFO

MAKEUP EXAMS

FLACS exams, in their entirety, or select components of current or past exams, cannot be used as a makeup exam. Districts may decide on an alternative assessment as a makeup or students may continue on with their language studies next year and take the FLACS exam next June.

EXAM SCORING

We understand that each district has unique issues and needs concerning language learning in their schools. NYSAWLA permits districts to conduct their own item analysis as they score their exams, and determine whether to give credit to individual items that may be causing issues for students in their own district. NYSAWLA suggests, based on best practices, that at least 50% of the students need to get the item wrong before determining whether credit should be awarded.

We hope that this alleviates any serious issues you may have with items on exams.

FLACS Exam Outline for Spoken Languages

Descriptions and point values effective Summer 2025

FLACS Checkpoint A

no changes from June 2025

Part 1: Presentational and Interpersonal Speaking (40 points)

1 Presentational Task (10 points)
2 Interpersonal Tasks (15 points each, 30 points total)

Part 2: Interpretive Listening (20 points)

2A: 4 items – Passages in the Target Language, questions in English (8 points)
2B: 2 items – Passages in the Target Language, questions in the Target Language (4 points)
2C: 2 passages in the Target Language with 2 questions each, in English (8 points)

Part 3: Interpretive Reading (20 points)

3A: 6 items – Short readings/ads in the Target Language, multiple-choice questions in English (12 points)
3B: 4 items – Short readings/ads in the Target Language, multiple-choice questions in the Target Language (8 points)

Part 4: Presentational Writing (20 points)

4A: Writing Prompt Selection – One writing prompt (mandatory) with suggested details provided. (10 points)
4B: Visually Supported Selection – Choose ONE of two visually supported writing prompts with suggested details provided. (10 points)

FLACS Checkpoint B

Please note changes to Parts 1 and 3

Part 1: Presentational and Interpersonal Speaking (40 points)**

1 Presentational Task (10 points)
2 Interpersonal Tasks (15 points each, 30 points total)

Part 2: Interpretive Listening (20 points)

2A: 5 items – Passages in the Target Language, questions in English (10 points)
2B: 5 items – Passages in the Target Language, questions in the Target Language (10 points)

Part 3: Interpretive Reading (20 points)**

3A: 4 items – Short readings/ads in the Target Language, multiple-choice questions in the Target Language (8 points)
3B: 6 items – 2 Medium-length readings in the Target Language, 3 multiple-choice questions in the English per reading. (12 points)

Part 4: Presentational Writing (20 points)

4A: Read-to-Write – Students analyze two documents to develop a response on a given topic, with suggested details provided (10 points).
4B: Writing Prompt Selection – Students choose between two writing prompts, with suggested details provided (10 points).

FLACS Exam Outline for American Sign Language

Descriptions and point values effective Summer 2025

ASL – FLACS Checkpoint A

no changes from June 2025

Part 1: Expressive Skills (Interpersonal and Presentational) (40 points)

1 Presentational Task (10 points)
2 Interpersonal Tasks (15 points each, 30 points total)

Part 2: Receptive Skills (Interpretive) (20 points)

2A: 4 passages in American Sign Language (ASL), with one written question each (8 points total)
2B: 6 passages in American Sign Language (ASL), with one signed question each (12 points total)

Part 3: Comprehension (Interpretive) (20 points)

10 Multiple-Choice Video Comprehension Questions focused on NYS themes and topics, incorporating elements of culture, history, and syntax/structure relevant to Checkpoint A.

Part 4: Expressive Skills (Presentational) (20 points)

Two See-to-Sign Items – Students use a combination of visual materials and a short video prompt to develop and record a signed response about a given topic. Suggested details are provided. (10 points each)

ASL – FLACS Checkpoint B

New for 25-26

Part 1: Expressive Skills (Interpersonal and Presentational) (40 points)

1 Presentational Task (10 points)
2 Interpersonal Tasks (15 points each, 30 points total)

Part 2: Receptive Skills (Interpretive) (20 points)

2A: 4 passages in American Sign Language (ASL), with one written question each (8 points total)
2B: 6 passages in American Sign Language (ASL), with one signed question each (12 points total)

Part 3: Comprehension (Interpretive) (20 points)

10 Multiple-Choice Video Comprehension Questions focused on NYS themes and topics, incorporating elements of culture, history, and syntax/structure relevant to Checkpoint B.

Part 4: Expressive Skills (Presentational) (20 points)

Two See-to-Sign Items – Students use a combination of visual materials and a short video prompt to develop and record a signed response about a given topic. Suggested details are provided. (10 points each)

FLACS Exam Portal

Countdown to FLACS 2026

Checkpoint A & B Rubrics

25-26 Edition – Now Available!

Important Documents

FLACS Checkpoint A Examination Student Booklets:

FLACS Checkpoint B Examination Student Booklet:

ADDITIONAL FLACS EXAM INFO

FLACS Exam Outline for Spoken Languages

FLACS Checkpoint A

Part 1: Presentational and Interpersonal Speaking (40 points)

Part 2: Interpretive Listening (20 points)

Part 3: Interpretive Reading (20 points)

Part 4: Presentational Writing (20 points)

FLACS Checkpoint B

Part 1: Presentational and Interpersonal Speaking (40 points)**

Part 2: Interpretive Listening (20 points)

Part 3: Interpretive Reading (20 points)**

Part 4: Presentational Writing (20 points)

FLACS Exam Outline for American Sign Language

ASL – FLACS Checkpoint A

Part 1: Expressive Skills (Interpersonal and Presentational) (40 points)

Part 2: Receptive Skills (Interpretive) (20 points)

Part 3: Comprehension (Interpretive) (20 points)

Part 4: Expressive Skills (Presentational) (20 points)

ASL – FLACS Checkpoint B

Part 1: Expressive Skills (Interpersonal and Presentational) (40 points)

Part 2: Receptive Skills (Interpretive) (20 points)

Part 3: Comprehension (Interpretive) (20 points)

Part 4: Expressive Skills (Presentational) (20 points)

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