Washington
Member of the WIDA Consortium since 2021.
Assessments
Washington uses WIDA assessments for placement and annual testing. The WIDA Screener is used to identify students eligible for English Language Development (ELD) services, and the WIDA ACCESS is administered to all Multilingual Learners (MLs) during the annual testing window and is used to determine continued eligibility for ELD services.
Testing Dates
| 12/4/26 | Pre-Identification Deadline |
|---|---|
| 12/31/26 - 3/19/27 | WIDA AMS Test Setup Available for Registrations |
| 1/19/27 - 1/20/27 | Districts Receive Test Materials |
| 1/25/27 - 3/19/27 | Test Window |
| 1/19/27 - 3/12/27 | Additional Test Material Ordering Window in WIDA AMS |
| 3/26/27 | Deadline for Shipping Completed Test Materials to DRC - Postmark date |
| 4/21/27 - 4/29/27 | Pre-Reporting Data Validation – LEAs in WIDA AMS |
| 5/20/27 | Districts Receive ACCESS and Alternate ACCESS Reports and Data - Posted in WIDA AMS |
| 6/14/27 - 6/15/27 | Districts Receive Printed ACCESS and Alternate ACCESS Reports |
| 6/11/27 - 6/25/27 | Post-Reporting Data Validation – LEAs in WIDA AMS |
| 6/25/27 | ACCESS Late Return 2 File Available – Posted in WIDA AMS (if applicable) |
| 7/9/27 | Updated ACCESS and Alternate ACCESS Data - Posted in WIDA AMS for SEA and Districts |
| 8/6/27 | ACCESS Data Corrections 1 File Available – Posted in WIDA AMS (if applicable) |
Resources and Requirements
The WIDA ACCESS Checklist and Identification and Placement Guidance outline state-specific information and resources related to ELP assessments. For more information about ELP assessments in Washington, visit the OSPI ELP Assessments website: English Language Proficiency Assessments.
WIDA ACCESS Online Checklist Identification and Placement Guidance
- State Testing Guidance
State law requires that students eligible to screen for English Language Development (ELD) services are administered the ELP annual assessment within ten school days of their first day of school attendance. For placement assessments, all students screen on grade level, with the WIDA Screener for Kindergarten is administered to kindergarten students and all other grade levels taking the WIDA Screener Online unless there is a documented need to take a different screener form. Visit the OSPI ELP Assessments website for more state testing guidance on ELP placement assessments: English Language Proficiency Placement Assessments.
State testing guidance for annual testing echoes placement assessments. All Multilingual Learners (MLs) must take either the WIDA Kindergarten ACCESS or the WIDA ACCESS Online for grades 1-12 unless the student requires an accommodation for a different test form. These accommodations must be documented in an IEP or 504 plan. Visit the OSPI ELP Assessments website for more information on ELP annual assessments: English Language Proficiency Annual Assessments. Additional information about ELP assessments in Washington can be found here: English Language Proficiency Assessment Resources.
- Test Preparation and Training
Guidance for test preparation and training in Washington can be found on OSPI’s English Language Proficiency Assessment Resources website. This includes user management, student management, materials management, test administration management, and records management.
Standards and Instructional Support
OSPI provides additional resources to support the implementation of the WIDA ELD Standards Framework, 2020. These resources can be found on OSPI’s WIDA Standards, Assessments, and Professional Learning website.
Professional Learning
WIDA Core Learning Collection
All educators in the WIDA Consortium have complete access to the self-paced workshops, on-demand videos and resources in the Core Learning Collection. Titles include:
Self-Paced Workshops
- Desarollando el español: las expectativas del lenguaje
- Developing Language for Learning in Mathematics
- Engaging Multilingual Learners in Science: Making Sense of Phenomena
- Evaluaciones del desarrollo del lenguaje a nivel de salón
- 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
- Supporting Multilingual Learners With Disabilities in Language and Communication
- Teaching Multilingual Learners Social Studies through Multiple Perspectives
- The WIDA ELD Standards Framework: A Collaborative Approach
On-Demand Videos
- Exploring WIDA ACCESS for Kindergarten
- Exploring WIDA ACCESS Online 1–12
- Introduction to the Marco DALE
- Introduction to the WIDA English Language Development Standards Framework
- Understanding WIDA ACCESS Score Reports for Instruction
- Understanding WIDA Alternate ACCESS Score Reports
- WIDA Standards Frameworks for Bilingual Educators
Find all the Core Learning Collection offerings in the WIDA Secure Portal. Contact the WIDA Client Services Center at help@wida.wisc.edu or (866) 276-7735 to create a new WIDA Secure Portal account.