With the recent implementation of Assembly Bill (AB) 705, assessment and placement practices for math and English have taken center stage in many California Community Colleges. However, it is just as important to develop an understanding of how best to assess and place English language learner (ELL) students as well. In February 2019, the Research and Planning Group for California Community College's (RP Group's) Multiple Measures Assessment Project (MMAP) team partnered with the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office (CCCCO) to conduct an overview of the various types of assessments used for English as a Second Language (ESL) courses and programs. In mining the literature to incorporate into this report, the MMAP team reviewed and selected dozens of scholarly articles addressing placement methods for ELL students. This summary presents the latest findings with respect to the following primary strategies used to assess and place ELL students: (1) Writing samples and essays; (2) Guided/Directed self-placement; (3) Questionnaires; (4) The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL); and (5) International Baccalaureate (IB) program transcripts. This report provides an overview of the research on these key strategies, highlighting aspects of each such as what has been found effective, what is challenging, and what community colleges should know if they are seeking to implement one or more of these approaches.