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.
Resources To Share With Families

All family handouts are translated into the 16 most popular languages in the WIDA Consortium.
Before ACCESS Testing
Help families of students learn what to expect with ACCESS or Alternate ACCESS by sharing informative handouts:
After ACCESS Testing
Help families of students make sense of the ACCESS or Alternate ACCESS Individual Student Reports by sharing informative score report handouts:
- ACCESS for ELLs: Understanding Your Child's Scores
- WIDA Alternate ACCESS: Understanding Your Child's Scores
Find other family resources on the Family Engagement page.
Related Pages

Preparing for ACCESS
An overview of what’s involved in preparing to administer WIDA ACCESS, as well as suggestions to help you get your students ready for testing.

Accessibility and Accommodations
Guidance for supporting students with disabilities taking WIDA ACCESS. Helpful for test administrators and IEP teams.

ACCESS Scores and Reports
An overview of how WIDA ACCESS tests are scored and how scores can be used. Helpful for test administrators, EL educators, and school, district and state administrators.

Building a WIDA Assessment
Discover what it takes to make a high quality assessment and learn how you can get involved.