Vermont
Member of the WIDA Consortium since 2004.
Assessments
Vermont uses WIDA Screener for Kindergarten, WIDA MODEL for Kindergarten, and WIDA Screener (Grades 1-12) to identify English language learners (ELLs). ACCESS for ELLs is given to all ELLs during the annual testing window, which lasts from early January through early March.
Testing Dates
| 9/13/24 | WIDA Alternate ACCESS Reports and Data Files Available - Online in WIDA AMS |
|---|---|
| 10/1/24 | WIDA Alternate ACCESS Reports Available in District - Printed |
| 10/24/24-11/14/24 | Test Materials Ordering in WIDA AMS - LEAs |
| 10/24/24-11/14/24 | LEAs Load Pre-ID/Student Import File into WIDA AMS |
| 12/10/24-3/14/25 | WIDA AMS Test Setup Available for Registrations |
| 1/2/25-1/3/25 | Districts Receive Test Materials |
| 1/2/25-3/7/25 | Additional Test Material Ordering Window in WIDA AMS |
| 1/6/25-3/14/25 | Test Window |
| 3/18/25 | Deadline for Shipping Completed Test Materials to DRC - Postmark date |
| 5/1/25 | Districts Receive Reports and Data - Posted in WIDA AMS |
| 5/16/25 - 5/19/25 | Printed Reports Received in Districts |
| 6/12/25 | 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 Checklist Identification and Placement Guidance
- State Testing Requirements
- Students in Grades 1-12 take ACCESS for ELLs Online. Paper-based assessments in Grades 1-12 require pre-approval from the State. Contact Stephanie Vogel at stephanie.vogel@vermont.gov for more information.
- Students in Grades 1-3 continue to view the Writing prompt and write their responses in a physical response booklet. This is still considered the online assessment.
- Students in Grades 4-5 keyboard their Writing responses on the test platform.
- Kindergarten ACCESS and Alternate ACCESS tests remain paper-based.
- 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.
- Test Preparation and Training
- ACCESS training courses and certification quizzes are available in the WIDA Secure Portal. Contact WIDA Client Services for a WIDA Secure Portal account.
- WIDA Screener for Kindergarten and WIDA Screener training and test materials are available in the WIDA Secure Portal. If you need access to training and test materials, contact WIDA Client Services to create a portal account.
- Student and Test Session Management, Testing Software, and Materials Ordering are done through the WIDA Assessment Management System (AMS). If you do not have a WIDA AMS account, contact your DTC.
- To be certified to administer 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.
- Manuals, Guides and Test Materials
WIDA AMS Supplement: Submit Incomplete Domain - In order to begin the Speaking and Writing domains in ACCESS, students must first take Listening and Reading. If a student is unable to complete the Listening or Reading domain (e.g., due to a disability), districts can submit an incomplete domain to continue to the Speaking and Writing domains. Instructions for this process can be found in the above supplement.
- Supplemental Documents
Vermont Materials Management Guidelines - ACCESS for ELLs 2024-2025
Standards and Instructional Support
Please find resources and guidance related to our State Standards, including Coordinated Curriculum, Content Areas, Proficiency-Based Learning, Flexible Pathways, Assessments, Adult Education and Lexile and Quantile Frameworks at the Student Learning page of the Agency of Education Website.
Multilingual English Learner Office Hours
This year the AOE is offering open office hours every other week to answer questions and share information about ML-EL programs. These meetings happen every other Wednesday from 3:30 – 4:15 pm, beginning September 18th. You can access the meetings at this link:
Meeting ID: 253 102 890 587
Passcode: 8kWuMg
If you would like a calendar invitation to all the scheduled meetings, email stephanie.vogel@vermont.gov.
Professional Learning
Facilitated Workshop
In October 2024, AOE is offering a facilitated workshop, Expanding Reading Instruction with Multilingual Learners.
This series of two webinars and online resources provides ideas for expanding reading instruction to make it more effective more multilingual learners. The dates of the workshop are October 22nd and October 29th. Participants should plan to attend both sessions.
If you’re interested and would like more information, please contact Stephanie Vogel at stephanie.vogel@vermont.gov.
Self-Paced Workshops
Vermont 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 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: Exploring the Key Language Uses
- 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 - Classroom assessment for language development (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 the WIDA Client Services Center to set up an account.