ACCESS Test
ACCESS 2.0 is the next generation English Language Proficiency assessment system. The test will assess the proficiency of English for your child, this test is used for placement and/or exiting along with several other criteria.
WIDA Screener
The WIDA Screener is an English language proficiency assessment given to incoming students in Grades 1–12 to assist educators with the identification of students as English language learners (ELL’s). The purpose of this assessment is to help educators make decisions about whether a student is a candidate for English language support services.
As a flexible, on-demand language proficiency assessment, WIDA Screener can be administered at any time during the school year, depending on the needs of the district, school, teacher, or student.
The WIDA Screener is available as either a paper-based or on-line assessment. Due to COVID Restrictions, the Screener for now is only available on-line for students in grades 1-12! Both WIDA Screener Paper and WIDA Screener On-line assess the four language domains of Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing.
Purpose and Use
The purpose of the screening tests was designed to be used as:
One of several criteria to determine eligibility for language support services
An indicator of a student's language proficiency
An aid to determining appropriate levels and amounts of instructional services
A guide for tier placement on the ACCESS for ELL’s annual assessment.
ACCESS 2.0 FAQ
What is ACCESS 2.0?
ACCESS 2.0 is the next generation English Language Proficiency assessment system. The test will assess the proficiency of English for your child.
Who takes ACCESS 2.0?
ALL identified ELL students will take the ACCESS 2.0 test or the Alternate ACCESS 2.0 (depending on their IEP and/or 504 Plan).
How is the test set up?
Grades 1-12 will take an on-line test. But some students depending on their special needs can take a paper assessment as deemed fit.
Kindergarten students will take the ACCESS test in person via paper and pencil.
The on-line test for ELLs is divided into the following clusters:
Grade 1
Grades 2-3 (grade 3 only completes writing on paper)
Grades 4-5
Grades 6-8
Grades 9-12
The paper test for ELLs is divided into the following clusters:
Kindergarten
Grade 1
Grade 2
Grade 3
Grades 4-5
Grades 6-8
Grades 9-12
What does the on-line test look like?
The on-line test contains similar item types to the original paper-based test, with new features made possible through the use of the on-line lest environment.
Are the on-line assessment items the same as the paper items?
While there is some overlap between the on-line and paper assessment items, the on-line assessment utilizes new features and content made possible through the use of the on-line test environment.
Does ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 include tiers?
The on-line test is an adaptive test, meaning that students progress through the test based on their performance on previous folders and the test engine determines the appropriate items the student sees next.
When will ACCESS 2.0 be administered to my child?
The goal at Elementary #2 is to test all students before Spring Break!
My child just enrolled at Elementary #2 and the ESL Program, will my child still have to take the ACCESS test?
Depends!. If your child enrolls in school before March 31 and was not tested in their previous school district, then YES your child will need to take the ACCESS test. If your child enrolls in school after March 31 or already took the ACCESS test in their previous school/district, then NO your child is not required to take the ACCESS test.
Can I (as the parent) decline the ACCESS State Testing?
As a parent you have the right to decline state testing in writing. A letter must be given to the ESL teacher via the front office and must be signed by the parent stating that you are refusing ACCESS State Testing. Please know that the purpose of the ACCESS State Test is determine your child's English Language Proficiency. The information that is obtained from testing will provide valuable key points to your child's teacher and will help the teacher develop a learning plan that supports your child's learning.
WIDA's Information on ACCESS
ACCESS for ELLs (Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners) is a secure large-scale English language proficiency assessment given to Kindergarten through 12th graders who have been identified as English Language Learners /Multilingual Learners(ELLs/MLLs).
ACCESS for ELLs test items are written from the model performance indicators of WIDA's five English Language Development (ELD) standards:
Social & Instructional Language
Language of Language Arts, Mathematics, Science & Social Studies
Within each grade level cluster (except Kindergarten), ACCESS for ELLs consists of three forms: Tier A (beginning), Tier B (intermediate)/Tier C (advanced). This keeps the test shorter and more appropriately targets each students' range of language skills.
Each form of the test assesses the four language domains of:
Listening & Speaking & Reading & Writing
ACCESS Composite Scores
These composite scores are:
Oral Language (50% Listening + 50% Speaking)
Literacy (50% Reading + 50% Writing)
Comprehension (30% Listening + 70% Reading)
Overall (35% Reading+ 35% Writing + 15% Listening + 15% Speaking).
ACCESS for ELLs Score Purpose
Monitor student progress on an annual basis, Establish when ELLs have attained English language proficiency according to state criteria, Inform classroom instruction and assessment and aid in programmatic decision making.
ACCESS Testing
ACCESS Testing will ALWAYS take place after January 1 of the school year. Reports of the scores will be sent to the district over the summer time. Either the ESL Teacher or the District Office will send a copy of the Individual Score Report to the parent and/or guardian on file.
Alternate ACCESS FAQ
Per Wida (www.wida.us):
Alternate ACCESS for ELLs is a large-scale English language proficiency test for grade 1–12 students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. It is one component of WIDA’s comprehensive, standards-driven system that supports the teaching and learning of English language learners (ELLs). The purpose of Alternate ACCESS for ELLs is to monitor student progress in English language proficiency on a yearly basis and to serve as just one of the many criteria that educators consider as they determine whether English learners have attained an English language proficiency level that will allow them to meaningfully participate in English language classroom instruction.
Alternate ACCESS for ELLs is a standards-referenced test, which means that student performance is compared to English language development standards WIDA has defined. Any student can achieve any score, and students are not ranked against each other or against the expected performance of monolingual English speakers.
Proficiency levels are interpretive scores. In other words, they are based on, but separate from, the student’s earned test score (see the Listening and Reading Scores section for detail). The proficiency level score describes the student’s performance in terms of the six WIDA Alternate English Language Proficiency Levels:
Level 1: Entering
Level 2: Emerging
Level 3: Developing
Level 4: Expanding
Level 5: Bridging
Alternate ACCESS for ELLs Interpretive Guide for Score Reports Grades 1 through 12 Spring (wisc.edu)
ACCESS Proficiency Levels (per WIDA...www.wida.us)
Level 1 Entering: the student knows and uses minimal social language and minimal academic language with visual support. Oral and/or written language that often impede the overall meaning of the communication when presented with oral and/or written material.
Level 2 Emerging: the student knows and uses some social English and general academic language with visual support. Oral or written language that often impede the overall meaning of the communication when presented with oral or written material.
Level 3 Developing: the student knows and uses social English and some specific academic language with visual support. Oral or written language with errors that may impede the overall meaning of the communication when presented with oral or written material.
Level 4 Expanding: the student knows and uses social English and some technical academic language. Oral or written language with minimal errors that do not impede the overall meaning of the communication when presented with oral or written material. (Please be aware that at a score of 4.5 or higher along with multiple measures you may be exited from the program).
Level 5 Bridging: the student knows and uses social and academic language working with grade level material. Oral or written language approaching comparability to that of English proficient peers when presented with grade level material. Basically, the student is near proficient in reading, writing and content area skills. The student requires occasional support.
Level 6 Reaching: the student knows and uses social and academic language at the highest level measured by the test. Oral or written communications in English are comparable to proficient English peers. The student can read, write, speak and comprehend in English.