Resources/Recursos

Send this flyer home with students along with the ACCESS for ELLs Individual Student Report. This flyer explains each piece of score information included in the report. Use this guide, available in several languages, to help parents understand what scores mean and how they are used.

Released July 2020

Send this handout, available in multiple languages, home with students as an introduction to ACCESS when testing is scheduled or as a reminder before scores are shared. This flyer explains what ACCESS is and why student take this kind of assessment. Use this resource to help parents understand annual language proficiency testing.

Released July 2020

This report describes a study that examined to what extent scores on WIDA Screener predict scores on ACCESS for ELLs. Researchers found that Screener scores are strongly predictive of ACCESS scores, even when a variety of individual factors are accounted for.

Published February 2020 
Authors: David MacGregor, Narek Sarakyan

Released February 2020

In this Focus Bulletin, we aim to help readers better understand how WIDA MODEL test scores may be used to support instructional planning decisions for multilingual learners and their teachers. We describe the rich resources available from WIDA to help educators understand what the test scores mean. We also explain how these resources may be used, along with MODEL test scores to help inform where multilingual learners have opportunities to further develop their English language skills.

Published February 2022
Authors: Mark Chapman, Heather Elliott, Jennifer Feldmann

Released February 2020

Use the WIDA Writing Rubric to understand the scores students earn on ACCESS for ELLs (Online and Paper), analyze student performance in the classroom, and plan ways to scaffold language learning.

Note: Do not use this rubric to score WIDA assessments. Find relevant scoring tools in the appropriate WIDA assessment training course. 

Released January 2020

Use the WIDA Speaking Rubric to understand the scores students earn on ACCESS for ELLs (Online and Paper), analyze student performance in the classroom, and plan ways to scaffold language learning.

Note: Do not use this rubric to score WIDA assessments. Find relevant scoring tools in the appropriate WIDA assessment training course.

Released January 2020

The illustrated models and procedures can be applied to calculate overall composite scores to identify an indicator of English language proficiency, based on composite scores for English learners with 504 or individualized education plans who are missing one or more domain scores on the Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners assessment for state monitoring, achievement and accountability determinations.

Released May 2019

The analysis in this report illustrates models and procedures that can be used to assign a missing domain score in order to calculate an overall composite score. These methods only apply to assessments taken by English learners whose IEPs or 504 plans require they not be tested in one or more domains.

Released March 2019

These lesson plans (with accompanying worksheets) guide grades 6-12 students in understanding language proficiency, determining their own strengths, and setting goals for language development.

Released December 2018

These lesson plans (with accompanying worksheets) guide grades K-5 students in understanding language proficiency, determining their own strengths, and setting goals for language development.

Released December 2018

This paper examine how 18 K–12 educators from 13 states and 12 parents from two states interpret and use score reports from the WIDA ACCESS for ELLs. Educators frequently referred to the proficiency level index of the four language domains of listening, speaking, reading, and writing, and the composite domains to interpret student performance, to make school-level decisions about programming and lesson planning, and to inform district-level budgeting and professional development. Parents found the score report to be helpful, but rarely took additional actions to use its information.

Released November 2016

Regardless of the growth model, aggregate test-score-based models of student growth require large and longitudinally connected samples of student data. When sample sizes are small it becomes impossible to reliably estimate and disentangle district, school and teacher effects from student growth data.

Published June 2015 
Author: Narek Sahakyan

Released June 2015

The purpose of this WIDA Focus Bulletin is to provide guidance to teachers of English language arts (ELA) who are implementing the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and working to respond to the specific needs of ELLs. In their treatment of academic language (or the language of school), the CCSS represent a departure from existing content standards.

Published November 2013
Authors: Daniella Molle, Mariana Castro, Julia Cortada, Leslie Grimm

Released November 2013

The goal of the analyses presented here is to identify a procedure for creating alternate composite scores on English language proficiency assessments without using all four domain test scores (i.e., listening, speaking, reading and writing).

Published April 2013 
Author: H. Gary Cook

Released April 2013