English Language Proficiency Assessments

Zoom at Noon

Join us Mondays to discuss WIDA assessments and the testing processes. This is an opportunity for district staff involved with ELP assessments to collaborate and share information. 

Resources

WIDA Quick Start Guide

OSPI has created a WIDA Quick Start Guide to help districts better understand WIDA systems and assessments.

Title III of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires states to annually assess the English language proficiency of students receiving English language development (ELD) services at school. Washington utilizes the WIDA Consortium for this purpose, both their array of assessments and their ELD standards that the assessments are based in. These standards correspond to Washington's content standards across content areas, while the WIDA assessments measure English proficiency in the four domains of listening, reading, writing, and speaking. The test engine used to deliver the WIDA assessments is managed through Data Recognition Corporation’s (DRC) Assessment Management Systems (WIDA AMS). This system includes embedded usability and accessibility tools and supports as well as accommodations features.

Washington joined the WIDA Consortium in July 2021 and WIDA assessments used in Washington include the WIDA Screener, the WIDA ACCESS, and the WIDA Alternate ACCESS.

For additional information regarding the WIDA consortium, please visit the consortium's website.

ELP Annual Assessment Testing Window

January 27 to March 21, 2025

The ELP Screener

The WIDA Screener is used to determine initial eligibility for ELD services. All students whose families include any language other than English in their response to questions #2 and #3 on the Home Language Survey (HLS) upon initial enrollment in a Washington school will screen on one of three WIDA Screener assessments:

The WIDA Screener which includes three testing options. All students whose families include any language other than English in their response to questions #2 and #3 on the Home Language Survey (HLS) upon enrollment in a Washington school will screen on one of these three WIDA Screener assessments:

  • WIDA Kindergarten Screener: This is a paper-based, one-on-one test. All incoming kindergarten students who are potentially eligible for ELD services must take this test within 10 days of attending kindergarten in Washington.
  • WIDA Online Screener: Students in grades 1-12 will automatically take the online WIDA Screener unless they have an accommodation for the paper screener.
  • WIDA Paper Screener: Students with accommodations take the WIDA Paper Screener.

ELP Annual Assessments

The WIDA ACCESS assessment is an annual English language proficiency assessment given online to all Multilingual Learners (MLs) who receive English language development (ELD) services. The annual assessment measures each student’s English language proficiency in the four domains of reading, listening, writing, and speaking. Results from this test determine eligibility for continued ELD services. This test is typically administered in February and March each year.

The WIDA Kindergarten ACCESS is a paper-based test administered annually to MLs in kindergarten who receive ELD services. Results from this test determine continued eligibility for ELD services. This test is typically administered in February and March each year

The ELP Alternate Assessment

The WIDA Alternate ACCESS is a paper-based annual assessment of English language proficiency for Multilingual Learners (MLs) with the most significant cognitive disabilities. This assessment measures the four language domains of reading, listening, writing, and speaking. IEP teams decide if WIDA ACCESS or WIDA Alternate ACCESS is the appropriate assessment path for the student.

Resources

ELP Assessment Updates

2023-24 School Year
2022-23 School Year
2021-22 School Year