Georgia

Member of the WIDA Consortium since 2005.

Assessments

Georgia uses the WIDA Screener for Kindergarten and WIDA Screener Online Grade 1-12 to identify English learners (ELs). The WIDA ACCESS and Alternate ACCESS assessments are administered to all identified ELs during the annual testing window, typically mid-January through early March.

Testing Dates

10/5/23-11/21/23Test Materials Ordering Available  - LEAs in WIDA AMS
10/5/23-11/21/23LEAs Load Pre-ID/Student Import File into WIDA AMS
12/4/23-3/1/24WIDA AMS Test Setup Available for Registrations
1/5/24Districts Receive Test Materials 
1/5/24-2/23/24Additional Test Material Ordering Window in WIDA AMS
1/10/24-3/1/24Test Window
3/6/24Deadline for Shipping Completed Test Materials to DRC
3/28/24-4/10/24Pre-Reporting Data Validation – LEAs in WIDA AMS
4/26/24ACCESS Reports and Data Files Available - Online in WIDA AMS
5/6/24-5/17/24Post-Reporting Data Validation – LEAs in WIDA AMS
5/10/24ACCESS Reports Available in District – Printed
6/4/24

Updated Data Posted in WIDA AMS 

9/11/24WIDA Alternate ACCESS Reports and Data Files Available – Online in WIDA AMS
9/25/24WIDA Alternate ACCESS Reports Available in District - Printed

Requirements and Resources

See below for state-specific information and resources related to EL assessment, including your state’s ACCESS for ELLs Checklist, where you can find each step in the ACCESS testing process from beginning to end. For additional information, see the Georgia ACCESS for ELLs page.

ACCESS for ELLs Online Checklist ACCESS for ELLs Paper ChecklistIdentification and Placement Guidance

 

Georgia Specific Directions

Georgia State Specific Directions

Standards and Instructional Support

As each school system scales up implementation of the WIDA English Language Development (ELD) Standards Framework, 2020 Edition, several WIDA Self-Paced workshops are essential for building teachers’ and leaders’ knowledge, skills, and dispositions to provide standards-based language instruction for English learners. In addition, Georgia’s SuitCASE platform, the central repository for the digital version of the state’s academic content standards and WIDA’s language development standards, provides teachers with language-to-content standards’ associations that can be used to design language embedded content lessons. Teachers can also access these critical associations by clicking on specific grade-level content unit standards in the GaDOE Inspire platform. Teachers can then peruse a variety of resources, tools, curriculum maps, and lessons with supports for ELs.

Professional Learning

WIDA Self-Paced Workshops:

Starting September 1, 2023, all Georgia educators have access to nine self-paced workshops that offer relevant, practical content to build capacity to teach English learners (ELs). See the description of each workshop in the WIDA Self-Paced Workshop flyer posted on the ESOL Language Program webpage. Workshop titles include: 

  • Developing Language for Learning in Mathematics
  • Engaging Multilingual Learners in Science: Making Sense of Phenomena
  • Exploring the WIDA PreK-3 Essential Actions
  • Home Languages in the Classroom
  • Making Language Visible in the Classroom
  • Newcomers: Promoting Success through Strengthening Practice
  • Reframing Education for Long-term English Learners
  • Social Studies: Engaging Multilingual Learners through Inquiry
  • The WIDA ELD Standards Framework: A Collaborative Approach

Additionally, the following micro-offering is available to K-12 educators interested in learning together in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs):

  • Equity-Focused Professional Learning Communities: A Resource Guide and Study Guides

All WIDA professional learning opportunities are available in the WIDA Secure Portal eLearning webpage. To obtain a WIDA Secure Portal account, contact the System Testing Coordinator (STC) or ESOL Coordinator in your local school system.

Contacts

EL Language Programs Help Desk 
ELPrograms@doe.k12.ga.us

Mary Nesbit-McBride
Assessment Specialist
(470) 579-6345
mnesbit@doe.k12.ga.us

Allison Scott, Ed.S.
Director of Assessment Administration
(470) 579-5395
allison.scott@doe.k12.ga.us

WIDA Client Services Center 
Contact us for questions about training materials, test administration procedures, classroom resources, or for problems with your WIDA Secure Portal account.

help@wida.us
(866) 276-7735

Logging In

WIDA Secure Portal 
Use the WIDA Secure Portal to access test training manuals and resources, as well as Online Professional Learning modules.

  • To obtain a new login, contact your System Test Coordinator.
  • New System Test Coordinators should contact Mary Nesbit-McBride at mnesbit@doe.k12.ga.us to create an account.
  • For assistance with your account, contact the WIDA Client Services Center at help@wida.us or call (866) 276-7735.

WIDA Assessment Management System (WIDA AMS) 
WIDA AMS is managed by our partner company Data Recognition Corporation (DRC). You can order ACCESS materials, manage your student and test information, and find technology resources and testing software via WIDA AMS.

  • To obtain a new login, contact your System Test Coordinator.
  • New System Test Coordinators should contact Mary Nesbit-McBride at mnesbit@doe.k12.ga.us to create an account.
  • For assistance accessing your account, contact DRC Customer Service at wida@datarecognitioncorp.com or call (855) 787-9615.