New Jersey

Requirements and Resources

See below for state-specific information and resources related to multilingual learner 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 Identification and Placement Guidance

State Testing Requirements

• ACCESS for ELLs is administered online in New Jersey, except for the Kindergarten and Alternate ACCESS assessments, which remain paper-based.
• If there is a reason a district needs to consider the paper version of ACCESS on a student-by-student basis (i.e., low computer literacy for students) the district can order the paper version through WIDA Assessment Management System (WIDA AMS).
• Students in Grades 4-5 keyboard their Writing domain responses by default.
• If a new student enters the district two weeks or less prior to the test window closing, the student does not need to be tested. Additional questions can be directed to the NJ DOE ELL mailbox
• Entrance criteria for new students and state-specific guidance can be found on the NJ DOE website ACCESS 2.0 page.

Test Preparation and Training

• NJ ACCESS District Test Coordinators must conduct annual training for all school test coordinators and teachers administering the ACCESS and WIDA Alternate ACCESS, including turnkeying training put out by the NJDOE in the NJ-specific ACCESS District Test Coordinator Training Manual when the updated version is released.  
• To be an ACCESS and/or an Alternate ACCESS test administrator, educators must meet the following requirements:
  • ACCESS for ELLs Test Administrators:
    • Are certified New Jersey educators with a long-term district contract (per diem and short-term substitute teachers are not eligible to be test administrators)
    • Have received training and professional development (PD) on WIDA User and Training Manuals, as well as annual training from their DTC on NJ-specific policies
    • Have passed relevant (paper and/or online) ACCESS test administrator training quizzes every school/administration year (Required starting with the 2021-2022 administration).
    • Test Administrators who are already certified to administer the Speaking test for WIDA Screener are not required to certify separately.
  • WIDA Alternate ACCESS Test Administrators:
    • Are certified New Jersey educators with a long-term district contract (per diem and short-term substitute teachers are not eligible to be test administrators)
    • Work with the students taking the Alternate ACCESS daily
    • Have received training and PD on WIDA User and Training Manuals, as well as annual training from their DTC on NJ-specific policies
    • Have passed the relevant ACCESS test administrator training quizzes every school/administration year (Required starting with the 2021-2022 administration).
  • The annual certification requirement aligns the test administrator training requirements with all other statewide assessment programs, which require yearly certification, and also aligns to the NJDOE Office of Assessments’ federally peer reviewed standards for assessment administration and security.
  • Proof of certification can be printed out and submitted to the School or District Test Coordinator, or District Test Coordinators may view proof of certification with the Certification Report tool in the WIDA Secure Portal.
  • District and School Test Coordinators should maintain evidence of test administrator required certification and recertification. Evidence may be requested by the State during monitoring visits.
  • Assessment training courses can be found on the WIDA Secure Portal. Contact your District Test Coordinator if you do not have an account.

New Jersey State Specific Resources

• New Jersey State Specific Directions
• Language Codes
• New Jersey ACCESS/Alt ACCESS Assessment Security Agreement
• New Jersey ACCESS/Alt ACCESS for ELLs Security Breach and Irregularity Report Form
• New Jersey Sample District Security Plan
• New Jersey ACCESS and Alternate ACCESS for ELLs District Test Coordinator Training, 2023-2024
• NJ ACCESS Materials Receipt and Return Chain-of-Custody Form
• NJ ACCESS Daily Chain-of-Custody Form
• NJ ACCESS Initial Inventory of Materials and Final Return of Materials Form
• NJ ACCESS Unique Accommodations Request Form
• NJ ACCESS and Alternate ACCESS for ELLs Homebound Test Administration Procedures

Reporting Resources

• ACCESS for ELLs Parent/Guardian Letters 
  • This letter is meant to accompany ACCESS for ELLs score reports (ISRs) as an explanation for parents and guardians. It is available in the same languages as the Individual Student Report.
• ACCESS for ELLs: Understanding Your Child's Scores
  • This flyer is meant to accompany ACCESS for ELLs score reports (ISRs) to help parents understand what scores mean and how they are used. It is available in several languages.
• WIDA Alternate ACCESS: Understanding Your Child's Scores
  • This flyer is meant to accompany Alternate ACCESS for ELLs score reports (ISRs) to help parents understand what scores mean and how they are used. It is available in several languages.
• Directions for ACCESS and Alternate ACCESS for ELLs Translated Student Reports 
• ACCESS for ELLs Interpretive Guide for Score Reports
• WIDA Alternate ACCESS Interpretive Guide for Score Reports