New Hampshire
Member of the WIDA Consortium since 2004.
Assessments
New Hampshire has approved the use of the WIDA Alternate Screener (Grades K-12), WIDA Screener for Kindergarten, and WIDA Screener Online (Grades 1-12) to identify English learners (ELs). WIDA Screener Paper is appropriate for students with little to no technology experience—due to SLIFE or newcomers (1st year in US)—and/or students with disabilities requiring certain accommodations. LEAs are responsible for providing the paper materials for the WIDA Screener. WIDA Alternate Screener (Grades K-12) is for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities that meet the criteria outlined in NHED’s Decision Making Worksheet.
WIDA ACCESS for Kindergarten and WIDA ACCESS Online (Grades 1-12) is given to all ELs during the annual testing window, which typically runs for eight (8) weeks from late January through March. WIDA ACCESS Paper is appropriate for students with little to no technology experience—due to SLIFE or newcomers (1st year in US)—and/or students with disabilities requiring certain accommodations. WIDA Alternate ACCESS (Grades (K-12) is available for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities that meet the criteria outlined in NHED’s Decision Making Worksheet, but this must be determined by the LEA’s language and IEP teams.
Testing Dates
| 1/8/26 - 3/20/26 | WIDA AMS Test Setup Available for Registrations |
|---|---|
| 1/16/26 | Districts Receive Test Materials |
| 1/26/26 - 3/20/26 | Test Window |
| 1/16/26 - 3/13/26 | Additional Test Material Ordering Window in WIDA AMS |
| 3/24/26 | Deadline for Shipping Completed Test Materials to DRC - Postmark date |
| 5/12/26 | Districts Receive ACCESS and Alternate ACCESS Reports and Data - Posted in WIDA AMS |
| 5/29/26 | Districts Receive Printed ACCESS and Alternate ACCESS Reports |
| 6/10/26 | 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 ELL assessment, including your state’s WIDA ACCESS Checklist, where you can find each step in the ACCESS testing process from beginning to end. WIDA Alternate ACCESS and WIDA ACCESS for Kindergarten information is included in the WIDA ACCESS Online Checklist.
WIDA ACCESS Online Checklist WIDA ACCESS Paper Checklist Identification and Placement Guidance
- State Testing Requirements
- All students identified as English Learners on or before March 6, 2026 are required to complete the WIDA ACCESS Online test during the 2025-26 test administration window.
- New Hampshire requires all schools to administer the WIDA ACCESS Online assessment in Grades 1-12.
- The WIDA ACCESS Paper assessment is available for: (1) Identified SLIFE (Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education); (2) newcomers (1st year); and/or (3) Students whose IEPs or 504 plans require paper administration of state assessments. LEAs may order a paper-based WIDA ACCESS test on a student-by-student basis during the ordering process. The decision must be based on the student’s individual needs.
- Students in Grades 1-3 continue to view the Writing prompt and handwrite their responses for the Writing domain in a physical response booklet. This is still considered the online assessment. Note: DRC will not display any paper based domains in the student registration.
- Students in Grades 4-5 keyboard their Writing responses on the test platform. However, if a newly arrived English Learner and/or an English Learner has considerable difficulty keyboarding, LEAs may order handwriting response booklets during the additional materials ordering window. Handwriting response booklets for grades 4-5 will not be shipped to LEAs with the initial shipment.
- DRC sends Writing test booklets for Grades 1-3 with the initial materials order based on the student counts entered into WIDA AMS. Additional response booklets can be ordered, if necessary, during the Additional Materials Ordering Window.
- WIDA ACCESS for Kindergarten and WIDA Alternate ACCESS tests remain paper-based.
- Only students who are or are likely to be eligible for the State Alternate Assessment (DLM) are eligible for the WIDA Alternate ACCESS assessment. WIDA Alternate ACCESS materials ordering must be approved by NHED after the initial order deadline. Please remember, the WIDA Alternate ACCESS Participation Decision Tree should be used for determining the appropriateness of the WIDA Alternate ACCESS for all grades K-12, and must be documented on the NHED Alternate Assessment Decision Making Worksheet.
- Test Preparation and Training
Test Administrator Preparation and Training Info:
- WIDA Screener, WIDA ACCESS, and WIDA Alternate ACCESS training courses and certification quizzes are available in the WIDA Secure Portal. Contact your District Test Coordinator or WIDA Client Services Center if you require assistance with your WIDA Secure Portal account.
- To be certified to administer WIDA Screener, WIDA ACCESS, and WIDA Alternate ACCESS, log in to the WIDA Secure Portal. Select the Assessment Training path and find the course details page for the test you are administering. Enroll in the course and view the appropriate training modules and materials for your role. Pass the certification quiz for that assessment.
- Educators are required to certify annually, prior to administration.
Test Administrator Qualifications Info:
WIDA Screener
- NHED strongly encourages the WIDA Screener to be administered by educators who hold a NH ESOL license. However, due to the critical shortage of licensed ESOL educators in New Hampshire, any NH certified educator will be allowed to administer the WIDA Screener Online. It will continue to be required that the WIDA Screener Online be scored by a licensed ESOL educator and that the WIDA Screener for Kindergarten, WIDA Paper Screener, and WIDA Alternate Screener be administered and scored by a licensed ESOL educator.
- To qualify as a Test Administrator, teachers must: (1) hold certification in NH; AND (2) complete the WIDA online training available through the WIDA Secure Portal with a quiz score of 80% or higher for any WIDA screener used during initial identification. WIDA TA Certifications are considered valid if completed during the current academic year.
Student and Test Management for WIDA Screener Online takes place in the WIDA Assessment Management System (AMS). Contact your District Test Coordinator or DRC Customer Service if you require assistance with your WIDA AMS account.
WIDA ACCESS and WIDA Alternate ACCESS
- Due to the critical shortage of licensed ESOL educators in NH, any NH certified educator is authorized to administer the WIDA ACCESS Online assessment for Grades 1-12 after successful completion of the WIDA Test Administrator certification.
- To administer WIDA ACCESS Paper for Grades 1-12, WIDA ACCESS for Kindergarten, or WIDA Alternate ACCESS, Test Administrators must hold NH ESOL certification.
- All educators identified as WIDA Test Administrators (TAs), MUST have a valid TA certificate at the time of testing. WIDA TA Certifications are considered valid if completed during the current academic year.
- Proof of certification can be found in the WIDA Secure Portal. Contact your District Test Coordinator to find out whether physical proof must be submitted locally. The state does not collect physical proof of completion, but will be monitoring satisfactory and timely completion through the WIDA Secure Portal.
- Test Administrators for Alternate ACCESS must also be familiar with the EL student, including the student’s communication style, IEP, and all approved accommodations.
- Paraprofessionals and personal care aides are NOT eligible to administer WIDA ACCESS or WIDA Alternate ACCESS.
- Exit and Reclassification of ELs
New Hampshire Exit Criteria and Reclassification of English Language Learners
- Additional Resources
Standards and Instructional Support
The NH Department of Education began to implement the revised WIDA English Language Development (ELD) Standards Framework, 2020 Edition during the 2021-2022 school year.
- To download the 2020 Edition or supporting resources, visit the WIDA ELD Standards Framework webpage
- To order printed booklets, visit the WIDA Store
Professional Learning
Facilitated Workshop & Webinar
NHED is excited to offer two different facilitated workshops/webinars this fall 2025. Educators and administrators are welcome to join one of the facilitated professional learning offerings.
The workshop, Engaging Secondary Newcomers in Content Area Literacy, is an in-person workshop to be held at the Event Center at NHED, 25 Hall St, Concord, NH, 03301 on 10/15/25 8:00-3:30pm ET.
- This workshop is designed for secondary (grades 6-12) English language development specialists and content teachers who aim to create supportive and rigorous learning environments for adolescent newcomers.
The webinars, Bringing Language into Focus: Expectations, Functions & Features, includes two facilitated webinars scheduled for 11/13/25 3:30-5pm ET and 11/20/25 3:30-5pm ET. Participants should plan to attend both sessions.
- This workshop gives K–12 educators an opportunity to take a closer look at the Key Language Uses (genre families) by engaging in a deeper exploration of Language Expectations, Language Functions, and Language Features.
Registration is open now!!! If you’re interested attending one of the professional learning offerings or would like more information, please contact Kelly Ickes at Kelly.a.ickes@doe.nh.gov.
Self-Paced Workshops:
New Hampshire offers a WIDA professional learning option for all educators in our state interested in improving instruction and outcomes for English Learners: on-demand Self-paced Workshops. For full descriptions and intended audiences, visit WIDA's Self-Paced Workshop page. You can choose to complete as many of these workshops as you want, when you want, at your own pace in the WIDA Secure Portal.
- Developing Language for Learning in Mathematics
- Engaging Multilingual Learners in Science: Making Sense of Phenomena
- Exploring the WIDA PreK-3 Essential Actions
- Let’s Play! Multilingual Children’s Joyful Learning in PreK-3
- Making Language Visible in the Classroom
- Newcomers: Promoting Success through Strengthening Practice
- Reading Comprehension Across Content Areas with Multilingual Learners
- Reframing Education for Long-term English Learners
- Teaching Multilingual Learners Social Studies through Multiple Perspectives
- The WIDA ELD Standards Framework: A Collaborative Approach
- WIDA Español: Desarollando el español: las expectativas del lenguaje
- WIDA Español: Evaluaciones del desarrollo del lenguaje a nivel de salón
If you are a classroom teacher, specialist, instructional coach, or school leader who does not already have a WIDA Secure Portal account and you would like to participate or get more information, contact your District Test Coordinator to set up an account.