ACCESS Standard Setting 2026

For the last few years, WIDA has been revising ACCESS and Kindergarten ACCESS to incorporate the WIDA ELD Standards Framework, 2020 Edition. We’ve also been fully redesigning Kindergarten ACCESS.

As part of our work to revise ACCESS, we need to ensure that student scores still give an accurate picture of a student’s English language development. This process happens during a standard setting event after the first annual administration of the revised assessments.

The ACCESS Standard Setting 2026 event takes place July 27– 31, 2026, in Boston, Massachusetts.

What is standard setting?

Standard setting is when a group of select, trained educator panelists help determine proficiency level scores and set cut scores for an assessment.

ACCESS proficiency level scores are reported on a scale of 1-6 and give a grade-level interpretation of WIDA’s 100-600 scale score. Educators use proficiency levels to talk about a student’s strengths and growth areas. States use proficiency levels to help determine if a student should continue to receive English language support.

Educators who participate in standard setting will help determine the cut score that separates one proficiency level from another. Essentially, what scale score and what level of performance does a student need to achieve to receive a proficiency level of 3 versus 2 at their grade level?

Who participates in standard setting?

Panelists: Educators representing a diverse range of perspectives from all over the WIDA Consortium participate as panelists

Observers: State Education Agency (SEA) representatives are there to observe the process

TAC members: WIDA’s Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) oversees the process

Event staff: Staff from Data Recognition Corporation (DRC), the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) and WIDA participate as trainers, facilitators and event support

Become an ACCESS Standard Setting 2026 Panelist

Panelist roles and responsibilities

Before the Event

All panelists are required to complete pre-event training. This includes

  • Viewing a standard setting training video (1 hour) that explains the process of developing threshold level descriptors
  • Completing a quiz on content that was covered in the training video
  • Attending a virtual tutorial (30 minutes) that introduces the online platform that will be used during the in-person event

If necessary, get permission from your school and/or district leadership to participate in the standard setting event. If you need to provide your leadership with a letter from WIDA about your participation in the event, reach out to Jena Sebald at jsebald@wisc.edu.

During the Event

All 130 panelists will gather at a hotel in Boston and spend the first day learning about the specific methodologies they will use to conduct the standard setting.

For the remaining time, panelists will work in small groups to conduct the standard setting. Panelists will be divided into 13 groups representing various grade levels. Some groups will cover the Listening and Reading domains, and some will cover the Speaking and Writing domains. A group focused on kindergarten will cover all four domains.

After the Event

Panelists will complete a post-event survey.

Panelist qualifications

  • Experience teaching or directly supporting the instruction of English Learners in U.S. K-12 public schools in the past three years is required
  • Familiarity with the WIDA ELD Standards Framework is required
  • Experience administering ACCESS Online, ACCESS Paper or Kindergarten ACCESS is preferred
  • Experience working with English learners who have individualized education plans is preferred
  • We want the demographic makeup of English learners in your state to be reflected in the educators we select to participate.

Panelist benefits

Each panelist will receive $1,200 for participating in the ACCESS Standard Setting 2026. WIDA will cover panelist travel and lodging expenses and will offer per diem for any meals outside of the event.

Submit your panelist application

Apply to be an ACCESS Standard Setting 2026 panelist by filling out the standard setting panelist survey by September 12, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. CT. WIDA will begin to reach out to selected panelists in October 2025.