On December 1, 1995, the United States Department of Education published new rules and regulations governing the "ability to benefit" provisions for federal financial aid. These new regulations are contained in the Federal Register Vol. 60, No. 231. These regulations substantially change the way colleges and publishers of assessment tests will administer and report tests approved for determining student eligibility (non-high school graduates) who apply for federal financial aid.

On Sept. 5, 2000, the Secretary of the United States Department of Education approved CELSA as an English as a Second Language (ESL) Ability to Benefit Test (ATB).

This approval is required in order for the CELSA test to qualify as an approved test so that a student who has neither a high school diploma nor its equivalent may be eligible for student financial assistance authorized by Title IV of the Higher Education ACT of 1965, as amended (HEA). The Secretary's approval is provided under 34 CFR 668.145 of the Student Assistance General provisions regulations.

The approval of the CELSA test is for tests that are used for postsecondary programs that are:

  • Taught in English and have an ESL component, and the student is enrolled in that program and the ESL component; or
  • Students enrolled in an ESL program.
    Note:
  • If the student is enrolled in a program conducted entirely in his or her native language,
    the student must take a test approved under 34 CFR sections 668.146 and 668.148(a)(2),
    or 668.149(b)