The LaPEL Project aims to lower the high cost of proficiency assessments, to help programs with limited financial resources place learners accurately, and, in this way, improve the rate of language development in the classroom.

This project has two sub-projects.

The first sub project investigated the use of vocabulary knowledge as a proxy for proficiency level. This sub-project has been completed. For results, see the article published in Languages:

Lozano-Argüelles, C., & Gatti, A. (2025). Beyond L2 Learners: Evaluating LexTALE-ESP as a Proficiency Measure for Heritage Language Learners of Spanish. Languages, 10(9), 223. https://doi.org/10.3390/languages10090223. 

The second sub-project uses AI tools to assign a proficiency rating to a writing sample for placement purposes. This project is still ongoing.

This project is co-directed by Dr. Cristina Lozano Argüelles (CUNY John Jay College) and ILETC’s Director Dr. Alberta Gatti; assisted by ILETC Associate Director Dr. Syelle Graves (CUNY Graduate Center).

The LaPEL project was initially funded by a U.S. Department of Education IFLE (International and Foreign Language Education) grant, awarded in 2023, and discontinued in 2025.

Announcement 2025

In September 2025, the U.S. DOE cut awarded funding for many IFLE grantees, including the LaPEL project. As a result, some of the project objectives planned for the originally-funded third year (2025–2026) of the current cycle might not be completed as originally planned. 

Announcement 2023

iletc.commons.gc.cuny.edu/2023/09/20/iletc-receives-u-s-department-of-education-grant-for-their-language-placement-for-equitable-learning-lapel-project 

The contents of this project were developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.