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WIDA's comprehensive suite of assessments is built on a foundation of strong research and grounded in the WIDA English Language Development (ELD) Standards Framework. This suite of tools – WIDA ACCESS, WIDA Screener, WIDA MODEL – developed in collaboration with education thought leaders and partners such as the Center for Applied Linguistics, are used across the nation and around the world.

For more information about the assessments offered within your state, territory or agency, visit your member/state page.

  • More than 2 million students complete ACCESS testing each year
  • WIDA is the leader in assessing English language learners with disabilities
  • WIDA offers multimodal assessment delivery options

Assessments That Meet Your Needs

As an educator, you know it’s imperative to check in on your students’ language development – early on and as they progress. Understanding their progress helps inform your instruction in ways that meet their needs. Testing measures student learning against a standard or goal. In the case of WIDA assessments, test results describe student performance in terms of Proficiency Level Descriptors.

WIDA assessments can be categorized into four purposes: identification, placement, progress and achievement. Some can serve more than one purpose.

Assessment Purposes

Identification

Test scores can support decisions about whether a student is an English learner (EL) and would benefit from English language support services. Identification assessments are typically given at the start of the school year or to new students.

Placement

Test scores can support decisions about placing students into appropriate classes for instruction. Scores that inform these placement decisions can come from assessments designed primarily for other purposes. Placement assessments are typically given prior to a period of instruction at any point within a school year.

Progress

Test scores can support decisions about instructional planning and show the progress students have made. In some cases, progress tests can be predictive of summative test results. Progress assessments are typically given at a set point in the school year or at the end of a period of instruction.

Achievement

Test scores can be used for accountability purposes and as benchmarks against which educators can measure future performance. Scores can also be used as one of multiple measures to make reclassification decisions about whether a student can exit English language support services. Student achievement is often measured with a summative assessment that is typically given at a set point in the school year, or at the end of a period of instruction.