Idaho
Member of the WIDA Consortium since 2015.
Assessments
Idaho employs the WIDA Screener for Kindergarten to kindergarten and first-semester grade-one students, and the WIDA Screener to secondsemester grade 1-12 students as one part of Idaho’s English learner (EL) identification process.
ACCESS for ELLs is given annually to all identified ELs who have an EL status of ‘L1’, ‘LE’, or ‘EW’ reflected within Idaho’s English Learner Management System (ELMS). The annual test window typically opens in late January and runs through early March. The Alternate ACCESS for ELLs is given concurrently with the ACCESS for ELLs administration, and is only administered to students who have met the Idaho Alternate Assessment Participation Criteria.
For a comprehensive overview of the Idaho English Language Proficiency Assessment, visit the English Language Proficiency Assessment webpage on the Idaho State Department of Education website.
Testing Dates
| 11/15/23 | Districts Verify/Modify WIDA AMS Pre-ID File in ELMS |
|---|---|
| 11/30/23 | Idaho SDE submits Pre-ID/Student Import File to WIDA AMS |
| 12/1/23 | Test Materials Ordering Via Pre-ID/Student Import File (SEA) in WIDA AMS |
| 1/2/24-3/8/24 | WIDA AMS Test Setup Available for Registrations |
| 1/12/24-1/17/24 | Districts Receive Test Materials |
| 1/19/24-3/1/24 | Additional Test Material Ordering Window in WIDA AMS |
| 1/29/24-3/8/24 | ACCESS for ELLs Test Window |
| 3/15/24 | Deadline for Shipping Completed Test Materials to DRC |
| 3/29/24-4/4/24 | Pre-Reporting Data Validation – LEAs in WIDA AMS |
| 5/8/24 | Reports and Data Files Available - Online in WIDA AMS |
| 5/23/24-5/28/24 | Reports Available in District – Printed |
| 5/24/24-6/7/24 | ACCESS Participation Rate Appeals Window |
| 6/14/24 | Updated Data Posted to WIDA AMS |
| 9/16/24 | WIDA Alternate ACCESS Reports and Data Files Available – Online in WIDA AMS |
| 10/3/24 | WIDA Alternate ACCESS Reports Available in District - Printed |
Requirements and Resources
See below for more information around state-specific information and resources related to the annual English language proficiency assessment and English learner identification.
ACCESS for ELLs Checklist Identification and Placement Guidance
- State Testing Requirements
English Language Proficiency Assessment - Screener
- Districts are required to administer either WIDA Screener for Kindergarten or WIDA Screener (second-semester grade 1-12) to potential EL students as to determine eligibility into English language support services. This must be completed within 30 calendar days of enrollment.
- Districts must log into ELMS to verify whether a student has previously been identified as an EL prior to administering WIDA Screener for Kindergarten or WIDA Screener.
- Districts are required to submit screener scores from WIDA Screener for Kindergarten or WIDA Screener into ELMS following the completion of the screener assessment.
English Language Proficiency Assessment - Summative
- English learners in grades 1-12 are required to complete all sections of ACCESS for ELLs annually.
- Kindergarten EL students will complete the paper-based Kindergarten ACCESS for ELLs.
- English learners in grades 1-12 who meet the Idaho Alternate Assessment Participation Criteria are required to complete the paper-based WIDA Alternate ACCESS annually.
- The WIDA Accessibility and Accommodations Manual must be reviewed prior to administering an English language proficiency assessment as to ensure the appropriate supports and/or accommodations are provided.
- Districts are required to administer either WIDA Screener for Kindergarten or WIDA Screener (second-semester grade 1-12) to potential EL students as to determine eligibility into English language support services. This must be completed within 30 calendar days of enrollment.
- Test Preparation and Training
English Language Proficiency Screener: WIDA Screener/ WIDA Screener for Kindergarten
- Test administrators (TAs) must become certified to proctor WIDA Screener for Kindergarten and/or WIDA Screener each year. Training and certification quizzes are accessible via the WIDA Secure Portal.
- Prior to administering a WIDA English language proficiency screener, districts must use Idaho’s English Learner Management System to verify that a child does not already have an EL status.
English Language Proficiency Assessment: ACCESS for ELLs
- Test administrators are required to re-certify to administer ACCESS for ELLs each year.
- Test administrators must complete all grade-level and domain specific ACCESS for ELLs trainings and certification quizzes prior to proctoring: ACCESS for ELLs, Kindergarten ACCESS for ELLs, or WIDA Alternate ACCESS. Test administrators must attain a score of 80% or higher on each quiz to become certified.
Professional Learning
Beginning September 1, 2023, all Idaho K-12 educators will have free access to the following Self-Paced Workshops:
- The WIDA ELD Standards Framework: A Collaborative Approach
- Newcomers: Promoting Success through Strengthening Practice
- Developing Language for Learning in Mathematics
- Engaging Multilingual Learners in Science: Making Sense of Phenomena
- Exploring the WIDA Pre-K-3 Essential Actions
- Home Languages in the Classroom
- Making Language Visible in the Classroom
- Reframing Education for Long-term English Learners
- Social Studies: Engaging Multilingual Learners through Inquiry
The Self-Paced Workshops are accessible via the WIDA Secure Portal. To obtain a WIDA Secure Portal account, contact your district’s ACCESS Test Coordinator or contact WIDA Client Support Services directly at help@wida.us / (866) 276-7735.
Northwest Nazarene University Professional Development Credit Now Available!
Utilizing the free WIDA Self-Paced Workshops, the self-paced course “EDEL52329 - Engaging Multilingual Learners Through an Asset-Based Lens” is offered through Northwest Nazarene University to provide all Idaho educators with the necessary knowledge and skills to enhance equity in their classrooms through content-driven language instruction. The course offers a robust foundation for promoting language development and academic success for all student populations.
Participants may enroll in the course between September 1, 2023 through February 1, 2024. Register today and become more knowledgeable in how to support all students.