Resource Library

This letter, available in many languages, contains general information about ACCESS for ELLs and is meant to accompany ACCESS for ELLs score reports as an explanation for parents and guardians. It is provided in an editable format to allow districts and schools to include additional information regarding test administration dates and state policy.

A checklist for tracking the accommodations a student receives for ACCESS for ELLs Paper.

ACCESS for ELLs Technical Reports provide evidence for the validity and reliability of ACCESS for ELLs and support the intended uses, interpretations and decisions made with the test.

This is the redacted report for the 2020-21 administration of ACCESS for ELLs Paper.

Motivated by findings of a 2018 WIDA report pointing to large overlap between ELs with Individualized Education Program (IEP) designations and those ELs who could be identified as LTELs, this study further focuses on these dual-identified students. Grouping ELs by ever-IEP (i.e., being assigned an IEP at any point in the longitudinal record) and never-IEP status, we compare these two subgroups’ English language growth trajectories across time. Our findings show consistent trends of differential growth and reclassification rates for these two subgroups.

Published November 2021 
Authors: Narek Sahakyan, Glenn Poole

This flyer provides a breakdown of the role school/district-level educators, state-level administrators and WIDA play in using or developing ACCESS Online and Paper test scores, interpreting scores and making decisions based on scores to best serve English learners. Plus, there’s a checklist outlining the positive and intended outcomes of using ACCESS Online and Paper scores, so you’ll always know what it takes to ensure your students have the supports they need.

Interpretive rubrics are analytic scales that describe various aspects of spoken and written language to help educators recognize what speaking and writing sound and look like at various levels of English language proficiency. Use the WIDA Speaking Rubric to understand the scores students earn on ACCESS for ELLs (Online and Paper) and WIDA Screener, analyze student performance in the classroom, and plan ways to scaffold language learning.

Scoring scales isolate key language features described in interpretive rubrics to help local test administrators and centralized raters assign scores to speaking and writing samples. The WIDA Speaking Scoring Scale is developed from the WIDA Speaking Rubric and is used only to score responses to ACCESS for ELLs (Online and Paper) and WIDA Screener test items.

Interpretive rubrics are analytic scales that describe various aspects of spoken and written language to help educators recognize what speaking and writing sound and look like at various levels of English language proficiency. Use the WIDA Writing Rubric to understand the scores students earn on ACCESS for ELLs (Online and Paper) and WIDA Screener, analyze student performance in the classroom, and plan ways to scaffold language learning.

Scoring scales isolate key language features described in interpretive rubrics to help local test administrators and centralized raters assign scores to speaking and writing samples. The WIDA Writing Scoring Scale is developed from the WIDA Writing Rubric and is used only to score responses to ACCESS for ELLs (Online and Paper) and WIDA Screener test items.