New Hampshire
Member of the WIDA Consortium since 2004.
Assessments
New Hampshire has approved the use of the WIDA Screener Online for students in grades 1-12 and the WIDA Screener for Kindergarten to help determine eligibility of English learners (ELs).
ACCESS for ELLs is administered to all identified ELs during the annual testing window, which typically runs for eight weeks, beginning at the end of January through March.
Testing Dates
| 9/18/24 | WIDA Alternate ACCESS Reports and Data Files Available – Online in WIDA AMS |
|---|---|
| 10/7/24 | WIDA Alternate ACCESS Reports Available in District - Printed |
| 1/9/25 - 3/21/25 | WIDA AMS Test Setup Available for Registrations |
| 1/15/25 | Districts Receive Test Materials |
| 1/27/25 - 3/21/25 | Test Window |
| 1/15/25 - 3/14/25 | Additional Test Material Ordering Window in WIDA AMS |
| 3/25/25 | Deadline for Shipping Completed Test Materials to DRC - Postmark date |
| 5/13/25 | Districts Receive Reports and Data - Posted in WIDA AMS |
| 5/28/25 | Printed Reports Received in Districts |
| 6/10/25 | Updated ACCESS and Alternate ACCESS Data Posted in WIDA AMS |
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 Online Checklist ACCESS for ELLs Paper Checklist Identification and Placement Guidance
- State Testing Requirements
- All students identified as English Learners on or before March 7, 2025 are required to complete the ACCESS for ELLs Online test during the 2024-25 test administration window.
- New Hampshire requires all schools to administer the ACCESS for ELLs Online assessment in Grades 1-12.
- The ACCESS for ELLs Paper assessment is available for: (1) Identified SLIFE (Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education); (2) newcomers (1st year); and/or (3) Students whose IEPs or 504 plans require paper administration of state assessments. LEAs may order a paper-based ACCESS for ELLs test on a student-by-student basis during the ordering process. The decision must be based on the student’s individual needs.
- Students in Grades 1-3 continue to view the Writing prompt and handwrite their responses for the Writing domain in a physical response booklet. This is still considered the online assessment. Note: DRC will not display any paper based domains in the student registration.
- Students in Grades 4-5 keyboard their Writing responses on the test platform.
- DRC sends Writing test booklets for Grades 1-3 with the initial materials order based on the student counts entered into WIDA AMS. Additional response booklets can be ordered, if necessary, during the Additional Materials Ordering Window.
- Kindergarten ACCESS and WIDA Alternate ACCESS tests remain paper-based.
- Only students who are or are likely to be eligible for the State Alternate Assessment (DLM) are eligible for the WIDA Alternate ACCESS assessment.
- Test Preparation and Training
Test Administrator Preparation and Training Info:
- WIDA Screener, ACCESS, and WIDA Alternate ACCESS training courses and certification quizzes are available in the WIDA Secure Portal. Contact your District Test Coordinator or WIDA Client Services Center if you require assistance with your WIDA Secure Portal account.
- To be certified to administer WIDA Screener, ACCESS, and WIDA Alternate ACCESS, log in to the WIDA Secure Portal. Select the Assessment Training path and find the course details page for the test you are administering. Enroll in the course and view the appropriate training modules and materials for your role. Pass the certification quiz for that assessment.
- Educators are required to certify annually, prior to administration.
Test Administrator Qualifications Info:
WIDA Screener
- NHED strongly encourages the WIDA Screener to be administered by educators who hold a NH ESOL license. However, due to the critical shortage of licensed ESOL educators in New Hampshire, any NH certified educator will be allowed to administer the WIDA Screener Online. It will continue to be required that the WIDA Screener Online be scored by a licensed ESOL educator and that the WIDA Screener for Kindergarten and WIDA Screener Paper be administered and scored by a licensed ESOL educator.
- To qualify as a Test Administrator, teachers must: (1) hold certification in NH; AND (2) complete the WIDA online training available through the WIDA Secure Portal with a quiz score of 80% or higher for any WIDA screener used during initial identification. WIDA TA Certifications are considered valid if completed during the current academic year.
Student and Test Management for WIDA Screener Online takes place in the WIDA Assessment Management System (AMS). Contact your District Test Coordinator or DRC Customer Service if you require assistance with your WIDA AMS account.
ACCESS for ELLs and WIDA Alternate ACCESS
- Due to the critical shortage of licensed ESOL educators in NH, any NH certified educator is authorized to administer the ACCESS for ELLs Online assessment for Grades 1-12 after successful completion of the WIDA Test Administrator certification.
- To administer ACCESS for ELLs Paper for Grades 1-12, Kindergarten ACCESS, or Alternate ACCESS, Test Administrators must hold NH ESOL certification.
- All educators identified as WIDA Test Administrators (TAs), MUST have a valid TA certificate at the time of testing. WIDA TA Certifications are considered valid if completed during the current academic year.
- Proof of certification can be found in the WIDA Secure Portal. Contact your District Test Coordinator to find out whether physical proof must be submitted locally. The state does not collect physical proof of completion, but will be monitoring satisfactory and timely completion through the WIDA Secure Portal.
- Test Administrators for Alternate ACCESS must also be familiar with the EL student, including the student’s communication style, IEP, and all approved accommodations.
- Paraprofessionals and personal care aides are NOT eligible to administer ACCESS for ELLs or WIDA Alternate ACCESS.
- Exit and Reclassification of ELs
New Hampshire Exit Criteria and Reclassification of English Language Learners
- Additional Resources
Standards and Instructional Support
The NH Department of Education began to implement the revised WIDA English Language Development (ELD) Standards Framework, 2020 Edition during the 2021-2022 school year.
- To download the 2020 Edition or supporting resources, visit the WIDA ELD Standards Framework webpage
- To order printed booklets, visit the WIDA Store
Professional Learning
Facilitated Workshop & Webinar
NHED is excited to offer two different facilitated workshops/webinars this fall 2024. Educators and administrators are welcome to join one of the facilitated professional learning offerings.
The workshop, Considerations when Educating Bilingual Learners with Identified Learning Disabilities, includes self-paced learning modules (available 9/30/24 thru 12/20/24) and a facilitated webinar scheduled for 12/4/24 3:30-4:30pm ET.
The webinars, When Language and Disability Meet: Planning Instruction to Support Multilingual Learners Who Are Dually Identified, includes two facilitated webinars scheduled for October 9, 2024 3:30-5pm ET and October 23, 2024 3:30-5pm ET. Participants should plan to attend both sessions.
Registration is open now!!! If you’re interested attending one of the facilitated professional learning offerings or would like more information, please contact Janna Jobel at Janna.M.Jobel@doe.nh.gov
Self-Paced Workshops:
New Hampshire offers a WIDA professional learning option for all educators in our state interested in improving instruction and outcomes for English Learners: on-demand Self-paced Workshops. For full descriptions and intended audiences, visit WIDA's Self-Paced Workshop page. You can choose to complete as many of these workshops as you want, when you want, at your own pace in the WIDA Secure Portal.
- Developing Language for Learning in Mathematics
- Engaging Multilingual Learners in Science: Making Sense of Phenomena
- Exploring the WIDA PreK-3 Essential Actions
- Let’s Play! Multilingual Children’s Joyful Learning in PreK-3 (NEW)
- Making Language Visible in the Classroom
- Newcomers: Promoting Success through Strengthening Practice
- Reading Comprehension Across Content Areas with Multilingual Learners (NEW)
- Reframing Education for Long-term English Learners
- Teaching Multilingual Learners Social Studies through Multiple Perspectives (UPDATED)
- The WIDA ELD Standards Framework: A Collaborative Approach
- WIDA Español: Desarollando el español: las expectativas del lenguaje (NEW)
- WIDA Español: Evaluaciones del desarrollo del lenguaje a nivel de salón (NEW)
If you are a classroom teacher, specialist, instructional coach, or school leader who does not already have a WIDA Secure Portal account and you would like to participate or get more information, contact your District Test Coordinator to set up an account.