Wisconsin
Founding member of the WIDA Consortium since 2003.
Assessments
Wisconsin uses WIDA Screener for Kindergarten or WIDA MODEL to identify English learners (ELs) for Kindergarten and WIDA Screener for grades 1-12. ACCESS for ELLs is given to all ELs during the annual testing window, which typically lasts from early December through early February.
Find tips for testing at What to know: WIDA assessments in 2024-25 school year.
Testing Dates
| 9/8/25 | SEA Provides Site Changes to DRC |
|---|---|
| 9/26/25 | WIDA AMS Available for Existing and New DACs |
| 9/26/25 - 10/23/25 | Non-Public School Upload Pre-ID/Student Import File into WIDA AMS (LEAs/DACs) |
| 10/9/25 | Preliminary Pre-ID/Student Import File (SEA) Loaded in WIDA AMS |
| 10/13/25 - 10/23/25 | Districts Review Public and Private School Students and Alternate ACCESS Settings in WIDA AMS (LEAs/DACs) |
| 10/23/25 | Final Pre-ID/Student Import File (SEA) Loaded in WIDA AMS |
| 10/30/25 - 1/30/26 | WIDA AMS Test Setup Available for Registrations |
| 11/21/25 - 11/24/25 | Districts Receive Test Materials |
| 12/1/25 - 1/30/26 | Test Window |
| 11/21/25 - 2/3/26 | Additional Test Material Ordering Window in WIDA AMS |
| 2/18/26 - 2/26/26 | Pre-Reporting Data Validation – LEAs in WIDA AMS |
| 2/24/26 | Less than 4 Domain (LT4D) Reporting - DRC Receives Data File from SEA |
| 4/27/26 | ACCESS and Alternate ACCESS Data Available to SEA - Posted in WIDA AMS |
| 4/27/26 | Districts Receive ACCESS and Alternate ACCESS Reports and Data - Posted in WIDA AMS |
| 5/11/26 - 5/12/26 | Districts Receive Printed Reports |
| 5/12/26 - 5/27/26 | Post-Reporting Data Validation – LEAs in WIDA AMS |
| 6/10/26 | Updated ACCESS and Alternate ACCESS Data - Posted in WIDA AMS for SEA and Districts |
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.
- State Testing Requirements
- Students in Grades 1-12 will take the online version of ACCESS.
- Students in Grades 1-3 will view the Writing domain prompts and write their responses in a physical response booklet. You do not need to order these booklets separately.
- Students in Grades 4-12 will complete all domains on the computer. If a student does not have sufficient keyboarding skills to respond to the Writing domain, Writing response booklets for Grades 4-12 may be ordered during the Additional Materials Ordering Window.
- Schools may administer the paper-based version to students with an IEP or 504 Plan when the student’s accommodations cannot be met through the online assessment. If paper-based tests for Grades 1-12 are needed, they can be ordered during the Additional Materials Ordering Window.
- Kindergarten ACCESS and Alternate ACCESS remain paper-based assessments.
- Test Preparation and Training
- ACCESS training courses are located in the WIDA Secure Portal. Contact your District Assessment Coordinator (DAC) or WIDA Client Services if you do not have an account. If you do not know who your DAC is, you can find this information on the DPI website.
- WIDA Screener for Kindergarten and WIDA Screener training and test materials are found in the WIDA Secure Portal. Contact your DAC or WIDA Client Services if your account does not have the necessary permissions.
- Student and test management, testing software, and materials ordering are done in the WIDA Assessment Management System (AMS). If you do not have a WIDA AMS account, contact your DAC.
- To be certified to administer ACCESS, Test Administrators must complete the applicable training course and pass the certification quiz with an 80% or higher.
- Test Administrators are required to pass the applicable certification quizzes annually. Educators who are scoring Speaking only need to complete the training course for Speaking scoring once annually, as the training for scoring the Screener and ACCESS is identical.
Professional Learning
Self-Paced Workshops are available for all Wisconsin educators in the WIDA Secure Portal starting September 1. DPI also offers WIDA professional learning opportunities directly to school districts and CESAs.