Hawaii
Member of the WIDA Consortium since 2009.
Assessments
Hawaii uses WIDA Screener (for Grades K-12) to identify English Learners (ELs). WIDA ACCESS is given to all ELs during the annual testing window, which typically takes place from mid-January through late February.
Testing Dates
| 11/14/25 | SEA Loads Pre-ID/Student Import File into WIDA AMS |
|---|---|
| 12/5/25 - 2/27/26 | WIDA AMS Test Setup Available for Registrations |
| 1/5/26 | Districts Receive Test Materials |
| 1/7/26 | SEA Loads Pre-ID/Student Import File into WIDA AMS – 2nd Import |
| 1/12/26 - 2/27/26 | Test Window |
| 1/5/26 - 2/20/26 | Additional Test Material Ordering Window in WIDA AMS |
| 3/6/26 | Deadline for Shipping Completed Test Materials to DRC - Postmark date |
| 4/27/26 | Districts Receive ACCESS and Alternate ACCESS Reports and Data - Posted in WIDA AMS |
| 5/7/26 | Districts Receive Printed ACCESS and Alternate ACCESS Reports |
| 6/9/26 | Updated ACCESS and Alternate ACCESS Data - Posted in WIDA AMS for SEA and Districts |
Requirements and Resources
See below for state-specific information and resources related to EL assessment, including your state’s WIDA ACCESS Checklist, where you can find each step in the ACCESS testing process from beginning to end.
WIDA ACCESS Online Checklist WIDA ACCESS Paper Checklist
- Hawaii State Specific Documents
- 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.
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.