News

At the 2025 WIDA Annual Conference, we asked educators to share their top tips for engaging multilingual newcomers in the classroom. Many educators recommend being a model for multilingual learners, using visual aids and embracing what students already can do.

A new report examining WIDA ACCESS Online scores from 2018 to 2025 offers a cautiously hopeful update: After years of pandemic-related decline, average English language proficiency has stopped falling and, for the first time since 2020, ticked upward.

WIDA researcher Delis Cuéllar has been recognized with the Dr. Jamal Abedi Best Paper Award from the American Educational Research Association (AERA). Cuéllar received the award during the AERA Annual Meeting held in April 2026 in Los Angeles, California.

Collaboration opens doors to innovation, enhanced instructional practices and opportunities for multilingual learners. That belief is at the heart of the 2026 WIDA Annual Conference, now open for registration.

We asked WIDA Fellows how English language development specialists can best develop a collaborative relationship with content-area teachers in the classroom. They emphasized structured co-planning and co-teaching strategies, creating consistent and accessible materials and staying flexible as the teaching partnership evolves.

The MODEL Online platform is updated on a rolling basis. This year, significant enhancements are coming in July to align with the new academic year. Read on to learn about the upcoming enhancements.

Learn how the upcoming standard setting event impacts 2026 WIDA ACCESS scores.

Multilingual learners with disabilities and their caregivers have legal and civil rights. Educators must understand these rights so they can advocate for and support students who need language and disability services and ensure that all learners have access to rigorous instruction and meaningful educational opportunities.

How do you connect with families to help students grow? We asked educators this question at the 2025 WIDA Annual Conference, and their responses centered around prioritizing inclusivity, holding events to welcome the community and supporting family success alongside student success. 

WIDA is pleased to announce that Nichole Austion has been named the organization’s new Chief Communications and Marketing Officer. She joins WIDA from the National Math and Science Initiative where she was Vice President of Marketing Communications.