Montana

Requirements and Resources

See below for state-specific information and resources related to ELL assessment, 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

• Montana uses ACCESS for ELLs Online. Alternate and Kindergarten ACCESS are paper-based assessments.
• Students in Grades 4-5 keyboard their responses to the Writing test, but districts may change to a handwriting response mode if more appropriate for their students.
• ACCESS training courses are available through the WIDA Secure Portal. System Test Coordinators create accounts for Test Administrators to access these training courses.

Test Preparation and Training

• ACCESS for ELLs training materials can be found on the WIDA Secure Portal. Contact your System Test Coordinator if you do not have an account on the Secure Portal.
• Kindergarten W-APT and WIDA Screener training and test materials can be accessed through the WIDA Secure Portal. Contact your System Test Coordinator if you need additional permissions to view these materials.
• To be certified to administer WIDA assessments, including ACCESS, you must complete the applicable training modules and receive a passing score of 80% or higher on the relevant quiz(zes).
• You may view your current certifications on your Training Certificate page in the WIDA Secure Portal. Contact your System Test Coordinator to find out whether a physical copy is needed for their records.
• Test Administrators must take the certification quizzes and recertify every two years or any time an assessment changes. OPI recommends that Test Administrators always review the training materials prior to administration, especially for components where the TA will be scoring the responses.

Manuals, Guides and Test Materials

• Montana’s ELP Guidance for School Districts – This guide contains state-specific information regarding identification and placement, ELL programs and services, ELL assessments in Montana, and state reporting requirements.

Provisional Policies related to COVID-19

Provisional EL Identification Procedures During Periods of Remote Learning – This document provides step-by-step guidance for schools to identify ELs during remote learning.

Due to travel restrictions and changing demands in response to COVID-19, Montana OPI is not requiring recertification for Test Administrators for the 2020-2021 school year. New Test Administrators must still complete certification through the WIDA Secure Portal.

WIDA and OPI recommend that experienced Test Administrators administer the new Remote Screener. All Test Administrators should view the Remote Screener webinars and training videos available in the WIDA Secure Portal and must coordinate with their System Test Coordinators prior to administration to ensure that students and families receive the necessary materials for remote screening.