Washington
Member of the WIDA Consortium since 2021.
Assessments
Washington uses WIDA Screener to identify students eligible for English language development (ELD) services. ACCESS for ELLs is given to all students eligible for ELD services during the annual testing window, which takes place from late January through late March.
Washington uses the WIDA Screener for Kindergarten for students enrolled in kindergarten. Students in Grades 1-12 are screened using the WIDA Screener Online unless a paper accommodation is required by an IEP or 504 plan. Paper screeners can be obtained through an emailed request to ELPAssessments@k12.wa.us. All screener assessments are administered on grade level.
Testing Dates
| 1/19/24-1/22/24 | Districts Receive Test Materials |
|---|---|
| 1/19/24-3/15/24 | Additional Test Material Ordering Window in WIDA AMS |
| 1/29/24-3/22/24 | Test Window |
| 3/29/24 | Deadline for Shipping Completed Test Materials to DRC |
| 4/24/24-5/2/24 | Pre-Reporting Data Validation – LEAs in AMS |
| 5/20/24 | ACCESS Reports and Data Files Available - Online in WIDA AMS |
| 6/10/24 | ACCESS Reports Available in District - Printed |
| 6/10/24-6/24/24 | Post-Reporting Data Validation – LEAs in AMS |
| 7/8/24 | Updated ACCESS Data Posted to WIDA AMS |
| 9/20/24 | WIDA Alternate ACCESS Reports and Data Files Available - Online in WIDA AMS |
| 10/18/24-10/21/24 | WIDA Alternate ACCESS Reports Available in District - Printed |
Resources and Requirements
See the sections below for state-specific information and resources related to EL assessments, 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 Identification and Placement Guidance
- State Testing Guidance
Washington’s multilingual learners who qualify for ELD services in grades 1–12 will take ACCESS for ELLs Online. OSPI requires multilingual students to take the online version of the ACCESS for ELLs except in cases where the paper, large print, or braille versions are needed as an accommodation. If there is a reason a district will need to consider the paper version (i.e., district lacks the necessary technology infrastructure for a successful administration), a district must submit a request through their district assessment coordinator.
Note: Kindergarten ACCESS for ELLs and the Alternate ACCESS for ELLs will remain paper-based.
Washington’s 4th and 5th grade students will keyboard their responses to the Writing domain test.
Students grades 4 -12 needing to handwrite responses for the Writing domain test will need a 504 or IEP accommodation.
- Test Preparation and Training
- Administrators of the paper-based test should note that if they are administering and scoring Speaking, they will need to complete the Speaking scoring training and quiz(zes) unless they completed this training at the needed grade level for WIDA Screener.
- To access the Test Administrator Training Course, please contact your district assessment coordinator (DAC) for help setting up your account.
- You must pass the certification quiz in the training course for the test you will administer.
- You do not need to show proof to your DAC that you passed your quizzes – DACs have access to your training history in the WIDA Secure Portal.
Standards and Instructional Support
Information regarding OSPI’s implementation the WIDA ELD Standards Framework, 2020 edition can be found on OSPI’s WIDA Standards, Assessments, and Professional Learning website.
Professional Learning
All K-12 Washington State public school educators have access to the WIDA Self-Paced Workshops linked below through August 31, 2023. To earn free clock hours, register for each workshop through pdEnroller. Access the workshops through the WIDA Secure Portal, by logging in and selecting the Professional Learning path. Select the course, click on the Course Details page and enroll. Once you have completed the workshop, complete the survey in pdEnroller. Please note: Clock hours will be processed by the 15th of the month following workshop completion.
Self-Paced WIDA Workshops with Free Clock Hours
- The WIDA Standards Framework: A Collaborative Approach (pdenroller.org)
- Making Language Visible in the Classroom (pdenroller.org)
- Engaging Multilingual Learners in Science: Making Sense of Phenomena (pdenroller.org)
- Developing Language for Learning in Mathematics (pdenroller.org)
- Social Studies: Engaging Multilingual Learners through Inquiry (pdenroller.org)
- Home Languages in the Classroom (pdenroller.org)
- Reframing Education for Long-Term English Learners (pdenroller.org)
- NEW! Newcomers: Promoting Success through Strengthening Practice (pdenroller.org)
- NEW! Exploring the WIDA PreK-3 Essential Actions (pdenroller.org)
For questions, contact Virginia Morales at virginia.morales@k12.wa.us