Maryland
Member of the WIDA Consortium since 2011.
Assessments
Maryland uses WIDA Screener for Kindergarten and WIDA Screener (for Grades 1-12) to identify English learners (ELs). ACCESS for ELLs and WIDA Alternate ACCESS are given to ELs during the annual testing window, which typically takes place from early January through the end of February.
Testing Dates
| 9/16/24 | WIDA Alternate ACCESS Reports and Data Files Available – Online in WIDA AMS |
|---|---|
| 10/3/24 | WIDA Alternate ACCESS Reports Available in District - Printed |
| 12/9/24 - 3/4/25 | WIDA AMS Test Setup Available for Registrations |
| 1/2/25 - 1/6/25 | Districts Receive Test Materials |
| 1/8/25 - 3/6/25 | Test Window |
| 2/19/25 - 3/4/25 | Makeup Window (For ACCESS Online only: makeup window will close on 3/6/25) |
| 1/2/25 - 2/25/25 | Additional Test Material Ordering Window in WIDA AMS |
| 3/6/25 | Deadline for Shipping Completed Test Materials to DRC - Postmark date |
| 5/9/25 | Districts Receive Reports and Data - Posted in WIDA AMS |
| 5/16/25 | Post-Reporting Data Validation – Data File to SEA |
| 5/23/25 | Post-Reporting Data Validation – DRC Receives Data File from SEA |
| 5/23/25 | Printed Reports Received in Districts |
| 6/11/25 | Updated ACCESS and Alternate ACCESS Data - Posted in WIDA AMS |
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 testing process from beginning to end.
ACCESS for ELLs Online Checklist ACCESS for ELLs Paper Checklist
- State Testing Requirements
- ACCESS for ELLs Online is administered for English learners (ELs) in Grades 1-12. ELs in Grades 1-3 continue to take the Writing domain in paper booklets.
- Kindergarten and WIDA Alternate ACCESS remain paper-based assessments.
- ELs with special needs may take ACCESS for ELLs Paper if indicated in their IEP or 504 Plan.
- ELs in Grades 4-5 keyboard their Writing responses. For newly arrived ELs and/or ELs who have considerable difficulty in keyboarding, local school systems may order handwriting response booklets in the additional materials ordering window. (Handwriting response booklets for Grades 4-12 will not be sent to schools/local school systems with the initial shipment.)
- ELs with the most significant cognitive disabilities in grades K-12 take WIDA Alternate ACCESS.
- Test Preparation and Training
- The online training courses for ACCESS for ELLs can be found in the WIDA Secure Portal. The ESOL Office in your county will need to set up an account for you.
- All Test Administrators must take the applicable training courses and pass the included certification quiz in the WIDA Secure Portal in order to administer ACCESS for ELLs.
- Check with your ESOL Coordinator to find out whether you must recertify for ACCESS for ELLs. If administering ACCESS for ELLs Paper, you must certify on the Speaking scoring training each year.
- Your Local Accountability Coordinator (LAC) will be able to view past training history, but check with your ESOL Coordinator to find out whether you must turn in physical proof of your certification each year.
The EL/Title III Office in the Maryland State Department of Education will offer training and the information will be shared directly with the LACs and ESOL Coordinators
- English Learners with Disabilities
ACCESS for ELLs accommodations are available ONLY for ELs with disabilities when they are listed in an approved IEP and 504 Plan. Please refer to the Maryland Content Tests vs ACCESS for ELLs for ELSWD Crosswalk for additional information.
The Unique Accommodations Request Form (Maryland Assessment, Accessibility, & Accommodations Policy Manual: Appendix F) should be completed in rare or unique situations when a request is made for an English learner (EL) with a disability to receive an accommodation that is not part of Maryland's approved list of accommodations for ACCESS for ELLs.
- State Entry and Exit Criteria
See Maryland's EL Entry and Exit Criteria for minimum scores for placement and exit from EL services.
- Maryland Spoiled Test Booklet Procedures
Standards and Instructional Support
In the spring of 2021, the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) rolled out the updated standards resource documents and training that accompany the WIDA English Language Development (ELD) Framework, 2020 Edition.
- To download the 2020 Edition of ELD Framework, visit the WIDA ELD Standards Framework website
For more information about the ELD Standards and implementation, please visit MSDE English Learners: English Language Development Standards website.
Professional Learning
All Maryland public school K-12 educators have free unlimited access to WIDA's Self-Paced Workshops that offer relevant, practical content that will build capacity in supporting multilingual learners. Workshop titles include:
- Developing Language for Learning in Mathematics
- Exploring the WIDA PreK-3 Essential Actions
- Engaging Multilingual Learners in Science: Making Sense of Phenomena
- 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
- Teaching Multilingual Learners Social Studies through Multiple Perspectives
- The WIDA ELD Standards Framework: A Collaborative Approach
- WIDA Español: Desarollando el español: las expectativas del lenguaje
- WIDA Español: Evaluaciones del desarrollo del lenguaje a nivel de salón - Classroom assessment for language development
- Equity-focused Professional Learning Communities: A Resource Guide and Study Guides
- Leading for Equity: Classroom Walkthrough
- School Improvement Planning for Multilingual Learners
All Self-Paced Workshops are accessible via the WIDA Secure Portal. To obtain a WIDA Secure Portal account, contact the ELD/ESOL/EL/ML office in your local education agency to obtain a WIDA Secure Portal log-in.