WIDA ACCESS

A suite of secure, large-scale, summative English language proficiency assessments

WIDA ACCESS is the collective name for WIDA's suite of summative English language proficiency assessments. WIDA ACCESS is given annually to English learners in kindergarten through grade 12 in WIDA Consortium member states to monitor students' progress in learning academic English. WIDA ACCESS tests include

WIDA ACCESS for Kindergarten
WIDA ACCESS Online (grades 1-12)
WIDA ACCESS Paper (grades 1-12)
WIDA Alternate ACCESS (grades K-12)

Students who are identified as English learners with the most significant cognitive disabilities typically use WIDA Alternate ACCESS.

Why ACCESS?

It meets U.S. federal requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) for monitoring and reporting ELLs’ progress toward English language proficiency
It is anchored in the WIDA English Language Development Standards Framework
It is a flexible suite of tests because we know that no single test is suitable for all students
It assesses the four language domains of Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing
It is available to WIDA Consortium member states as a primary benefit of membership

Benefits of ACCESS Results

Educators use WIDA ACCESS results, along with other WIDA resources, to make decisions about students' English academic language and to facilitate their language development.

Test scores can be used:

For accountability purposes
As benchmarks against which educators can measure future performance
As a measure to make reclassification decisions about whether a student can exit English language support services
To support decisions about placing students into appropriate classes or groups for instruction, instructional planning
To show the progress students have made

Get to Know the WIDA ACCESS Assessments

WIDA ACCESS for Kindergarten

Kindergarten ACCESS is a paper-based test individually administered to kindergarten students in an interactive format.

Features

The test is designed to give students an engaging, developmentally appropriate testing experience that reflects what students do in the classroom.
Kindergarten ACCESS has several formats to support students with disabilities, including large print and low vision options.
The test administrator scores all domains.
Students are tested until they reach their performance ceiling for a given part.

Scores

Scored tests are sent to WIDA's test delivery partner for processing into score reports.
Kindergarten ACCESS scores and score reports are provided in the same formats as those for ACCESS Online and Paper.

WIDA ACCESS Online

ACCESS Online is a computer-based, adaptive test that responds to student performance and may be administered in group or individual settings. This assessment is given annually to students in grades 1-12.

Features

The online test platform routes students to easier or more challenging content based on their performance.
The online format promotes increased student engagement.
Built-in accessibility and accommodation features support individual students' needs.
ACCESS Online can be administered to groups of students in various grades and at different proficiency levels at the same time.

Scores

The online test engine automatically scores Listening and Reading during administration.
Our test delivery partner scores the Speaking and Writing domains in winter and spring.

WIDA ACCESS Paper

ACCESS Paper is a paper-based, semi-adaptive test that may be administered in group or individual settings.

Features

ACCESS Paper is available for situations where a student is unable to test online, for example due to learning support needs outlined in an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan.
ACCESS Paper has several formats to support students with disabilities, including large print and braille.
This assessment is administered to groups of students in a single tier and grade-level cluster.
By using a tiered test structure, students are tested until they reach theor performance ceiling for a given part.

Scores

States send test booklets to our test delivery partner, which scores the Listening, Reading and Writing domains.
Test administrators score the Speaking domain in the test booklet and send to our test delivery partner, which captures the scores for reporting.

WIDA Alternate ACCESS

Alternate ACCESS is a large-print, paper-based test individually administered to students in grades K-12 who are identified as English learners with the most significant cognitive disabilities.

Features

The test is designed to be flexible to best meet the needs of multilingual learners with the most significant cognitive disabilities.
Each individually administered domain test of Alternate ACCESS is semi-adaptive, giving students multiple chances to show what they can do and stop when appropriate.
All domains are scored by the test administrator.

Scores

Test administrators score all domains in the test booklet and send them to our test delivery partner, which captures the scores for reporting.
Alternate ACCESS proficiency levels are unique and are tied to the WIDA Alternate Proficiency Level Descriptors.