Minnesota

Resources and Requirements

See below for state specific information and resource documents, including your state’s ACCESS for ELLs Checklist, where you can find each step in the ACCESS testing process from beginning to end.

ACCESS for ELLs Checklist Identification and Placement Guidance

State Testing Requirements

English Language Proficiency Screener Testing Information

• Minnesota Standardized English Learner Procedures: Identifying Students as English Learners Using the WIDA Online or Paper Screener
• Use an ELP screener when the Minnesota Language Survey (MNLS) indicates that the student speaks or understands a language other than English.
• If the student is transferring from a Minnesota district or a WIDA state, then only use a screener if the student does not have an ACCESS score from the previous year.
• ACCESS test results for students that were tested in Minnesota are available in MDE Secure Reports using the Student Assessment History Report.

WIDA Screener for Kindergarten

• Use listening and speaking domains in 1st semester of Kindergarten.
• Use all four domains in 2nd semester of Kindergarten and in 1st semester of Grade 1.
• Accommodations are available as required by a student’s IEP or 504 plan.

WIDA Online and Paper Screener

• Use second semester of grade 1 through grade 12.
• Accommodations are available as required by a student’s IEP or 504 plan.

WIDA Alternate Screener

• New for 2025-26: The WIDA Alternate Screener training course will be available July 1. WIDA Alternate Screener should be used in grades K-12 (including Secondary Transition programs) For new multilingual students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. Intended for students who have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).
• May not be used for students who have already taken ACCESS or Alternate ACCESS.
• Note: to determine the appropriate grade-level cluster test, please consult the WIDA Alternate Screener Test Administrator Manual in the Resources section of the WIDA Secure Portal. The WIDA Tell Us About Your Child Survey, Resource Guide, and Family Letter may be helpful if staff are unsure whether a child should take the WIDA Alternate Screener. For more information, see the Identification and Placement Guidance document posted here and the Minnesota’s ELP Screening Page.

ACCESS and Alternate ACCESS

The ACCESS and WIDA Alternate ACCESS are used to measure progress towards proficiency as described by the WIDA English Language Development Standards. Test administration and test security policies are detailed in the Procedures Manual for the Minnesota Statewide Assessments. Refer to Test Administration Considerations for ACCESS in Chapter 8 for administration details specific to Minnesota.

Test Preparation and Training

Each year, Test Administrators are required to be trained before administering the ACCESS or WIDA Alternate ACCESS. The MDE training requirements for each test are detailed in Chapter 7 of the Procedures Manual for the Minnesota Statewide Assessments in the section "Training". For quick reference, view Training Requirements for ACCESS and WIDA Alternate ACCESS.

• WIDA training courses for grades 1–12 ACCESS, Kindergarten ACCESS, and WIDA Alternate ACCESS are available in the WIDA Secure Portal.
• MDE trainings for test security and active monitoring are posted in the Learning Management System.

Requirements for Selecting ACCESS and WIDA Alternate ACCESS Test Administrators

Minnesota guidance on selecting test administrators for the ACCESS and WIDA Alternate ACCESS is described in Chapter 7 of the Procedures Manual for the Minnesota Statewide Assessments in the section “Selecting Test Administrators and Test Monitors.” For quick reference, view Test Administrators for ACCESS and Alternate ACCESS.

For information related to continued EL instruction during the testing window, refer to the MDE English Learner website, which contains Guidance on English Learner Instruction during ACCESS and WIDA Alternate ACCESS Testing.

Manuals, Guides and Test Materials

Minnesota Standardized English Learner Procedures: Identifying Students as English Learners Using the WIDA Online or Paper Screener

• Contains state-specific guidance on identification and placement of ELs in Minnesota, including information about the use of Kindergarten W-APT, WIDA MODEL (for Kindergarten), and WIDA Screener.

Procedures Manual for Minnesota Statewide Assessments

• This manual is Minnesota's main resource for statewide testing policies and procedures, containing information on test administration, test security, and use of results. District Assessment Coordinators are the primary audience but chapters or sections may be referenced and used by any staff involved in testing.

ACCESS/WIDA Alternate ACCESS Irregularities 2024-25

• This document outlines some situations or mis-administrations that may occur during ACCESS and WIDA Alternate ACCESS testing and require action by the district, MDE, or DRC.

Maintaining Rater Reliability in Scoring ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 Paper Speaking Test

• A guidance document that explains what rater reliability is, why it is important, and how it can be achieved.

Rater Reliability Calculator - ACCESS Paper Speaking

• A tool to report rater reliability statistics for raters who administer and score the ACCESS Paper Speaking test.

Using the Rater Reliability Calculator

• A how-to-guide that explains the use of the rater reliability calculator.