Hawaii
Member of the WIDA Consortium since 2009.
Assessments
Hawaii uses WIDA Screener (for Grades K-12) to identify English Learners (ELs). ACCESS for ELLs is given to all ELs during the annual testing window, which typically takes place from mid-January through late February.
Testing Dates
| 9/11/24 | WIDA Alternate ACCESS Reports and Data Files Available – Online in WIDA AMS |
|---|---|
| 10/1/24 | WIDA Alternate ACCESS Reports Available in District - Printed |
| 11/15/24 | SEA Loads Pre-ID/Student Import File into WIDA AMS |
| 12/6/24 - 2/28/25 | WIDA AMS Test Setup Available for Registrations |
| 1/3/25 | Districts Receive Test Materials |
| 1/8/25 | SEA Loads Pre-ID/Student Import File in WIDA AMS (2nd Import) |
| 1/13/25 - 2/28/25 | Test Window |
| 1/6/25 - 2/21/25 | Additional Test Material Ordering Window in WIDA AMS |
| 3/7/25 | Deadline for Shipping Completed Test Materials to DRC - Postmark date |
| 3/25/25 - 4/1/25 | Pre-Reporting Data Validation by SEA |
| 4/28/25 | Districts Receive Reports and Data - Posted in WIDA AMS |
| 5/9/25 | Printed Reports Received in Districts |
| 5/12/25 - 5/16/25 | Post-Reporting Data Validation by SEA |
| 6/4/25 | Updated ACCESS and Alternate ACCESS Data - Posted in WIDA AMS |
Requirements and Resources
See below for state-specific information and resources related to EL assessment, including your state’s ACCESS for ELLs Checklist, where you can find each step in the ACCESS testing process from beginning to end.
ACCESS for ELLs Online Checklist ACCESS for ELLs Paper Checklist
- State Testing Requirements
All Hawaii schools will be administering ACCESS for ELLs Online for Grades 1-12 and/or Kindergarten ACCESS for ELLs.
Collection of ACCESS for ELLs Online Writing Domain Responses
- Kindergarten students will be taking a paper-based adaptive test.
- Grade 1-3 students will respond to the Writing domain via Paper/Pencil booklets.
- Grade 4-12 students will respond to the Writing domain online via keyboarding.
Hawaii State Policy regarding implementation of WIDA ACCESS for ELLs Online (or Kindergarten ACCESS for ELLs) will require students to take all four domains.
Students in Grades 4-12, who are unable to take the Writing domain online and need to switch to ACCESS for ELLs Paper, will need to contact the Assessment Section at (808) 307-3636, as this will be approved on a case-by-case basis. For students who are physically unable to take all four domains due to a disability refer to the Test Administration Manual, checklist, and Accessibility and Accommodations Supplement.
Note: Students who do not complete all domains and where there is no documented disability, e.g., IEP or 504 plan, will be included in the HIDOE accountability system as “not meeting growth targets.”
Roles and Responsibilities for ACCESS Testing
- Technology Coordinator – responsible for all technology associated with testing and system setup.
- Test Coordinator (aka School Test and/or EL Coordinator) – responsible for the overall coordination or test administration and reporting activities.
- Test Administrator – responsible for administering ACCESS for ELLs.
- Complex Area EL Resource Teachers – Responsible for providing technical assistance and support to EL staff with the ACCESS for ELLs assessment, including the Kindergarten ACCESS for ELLs and Alternate ACCESS. Responsibility also includes ordering of additional ACCESS for ELLs materials during the test window (beyond the state ACCESS for ELLs test order and overage), and supporting schools with testing forms, and processes, as needed.
- Test Preparation and Training
All training materials for ACCESS for ELLs will be available through web-based modules and online resources. Teachers will need to review the Kindergarten, Online Administration Grades 1-12, or Paper Administration Grades 1-12 (only when completing all domains on paper) training modules as applicable. Log in using your personal WIDA Secure Portal account. If you cannot access the portal to create a personal login, contact your Complex Area EL Resource Teacher or WIDA Client Services for assistance.
Please note the following depending on the testing mode:
- Online: ALL TC/EL Coordinators participating in ACCESS for ELLs Online will be trained via in-person trainings at scheduled sites in the first quarter of the school year, with follow-up trainings in December.
- Paper: For Kindergarten ACCESS, or when administering all domains on paper, ALL TC/EL Coordinators and Test Administrators must pass the appropriate ACCESS Quizzes prior to test administration. Complex Areas may be offering additional training on paper administration and to develop speaking interrater reliability.
For access to the ACCESS for ELLs Test Administrator Training Course in the WIDA Secure Portal, please contact your Complex Area Resource Teacher or the WIDA Client Services Center.
- In order to give the test, you must take the Test Administrator Training Quizzes with passing scores of at least 80%. Log In to the WIDA Secure Portal to take the quizzes.
- You must retake the training quizzes even if you passed them in a previous year – annual recertification is required to administer ACCESS.
For additional information, reference the Hawaii State-Specific ELP Assessment Manual.
- Manuals, Guides and Test Materials
- Hawaii State-Specific ELP Assessment Manual
- Complex Area EL Resource Teachers - HIDOE Complex Area EL Contact List
- See the Resource Library for a list of translated Parent/Guardian Letters to Accompany Score Reports.
View Hawaii-specific Forms Related to Student, Materials and ACCESS Test Management
Standards and Instructional Support
The Hawaii State Board of Education (BOE) adopted the WIDA English Language Development (ELD) Standards on May 21, 2009 (BOE ELD Standards). The Hawaii State Department of Education (Department) English Learner (EL) BOE Policy 105-16 (Section ii, p. 12), vision, mission, and current program initiatives, directly align to the adopted WIDA ELD Standards and mission to advance academic language development and achievement for ELs seen throughout the standards framework. Complex areas (CA) and Hawaii State Public Charter Schools (PCS) are accountable for understanding and operationalizing the policies and procedures associated with the ELD Standards and for ensuring that these standards are communicated and implemented.
The Office of Student Support Services (OSSS), Student Support Section, is implementing a multi-year plan which includes state-wide standards training on the WIDA ELD Standards Framework, 2020 Edition.
ELD Standards Training
Teacher Leaders, Planning with the WIDA ELD Standards Framework
A Trainer of Trainer model for professional development will be implemented within the tri-level system to train the CA and PCS EL Leads. The expectation thereafter being that EL Leads (and others who are supporting these efforts) employ resources to provide on-going training and support for all school administrators, instructional leads, and teachers.
- Training opportunities will be announced via an interdepartmental memorandum.
WIDA ELD Standards Framework, A Collaborative Approach (self-paced online eWorkshop)
This workshop was purchased by the OSSS EL program and is available to all Department educators at no cost. Educators may request an account for the WIDA Secure Portal to engage in this workshop through your respective CA or PCS EL Lead. This training can be completed as a professional learning community (if multiple educators are interested) or on an individual basis.
- Participants will engage in six (6) online modules individually (total of four (4) hours of content).
- This workshop qualifies for four (4) hours towards the Department’s Sheltered Instruction Qualification (SIQ) requirement.
Planning with the WIDA ELD Standards Framework
A WIDA facilitated eWorkshop is available for purchase and will provide additional practice and support in planning with the ELD standards. This workshop must be purchased and organized by PCS, CAs, or schools through the Wisconsin Center for Education Products and Services at, WIDA Workshops for Schools and Districts.
- Upcoming training opportunities will be announced via an interdepartmental memorandum.
ELD Standards Resources:
- A free copy of the WIDA ELD Standards Framework, 2020 Edition booklet, is available at: WIDA English Language Development Standards Framework, 2020 Edition Kindergarten - Grade 12.
- For additional information about the WIDA ELD Standards, please visit: ELD Standards Framework.
Professional Learning
WIDA’s Self-Paced Workshops are available to all educators in Hawaii in the WIDA Secure Portal. WIDA Self-Paced Workshops cover a range of topics intended for a variety of audiences, from K-12 classroom teachers to English language acquisition educators to district and school administrators. Please view the WIDA Self-Paced Workshop flyer for a list of workshops, full descriptions, hours to complete, and intended audiences.
A Completion Certification can be printed and/or downloaded once a workshop is completed. The number of hours that qualify towards the Department’s SIQ varies by workshop.
To participate in eLearning, complete the following:
- Review the workshop descriptions on the following WIDA Self-Paced Workshops flyer (page 2). The SIQ hours are listed by course. Choose the workshop(s) that best meet your needs.
- Contact the WIDA Client Services Center (WCSC) at help@wida.us or 1-866-276-7735 to set up your account. Share your Gmail (the one with your employee identification number@k12.hi.us, PTTs use name@k12.hi.us), provide your school name, and your complex area name or let them know you are from “Hawaii Charter Schools”.
- Log into the WIDA Secure Portal, and click on the “Professional Learning” icon to find workshops. Click on “Course Details”, then “Enroll”.
- Once you complete the workshop, save your certificate and upload a copy into the WIDA Self-Paced Workshop Certificate Upload Google form.
- The OSSS English Learner team will input teachers’ names and verify course completion in Learnsoft.
- For navigation questions, contact the WIDA Client Services Center at help@wida.us.