The WIDA ACCESS is the annual assessment Washington began using in spring of 2022. It is an online assessment given to all students in grades 1 to 12 who are eligible for English language development (ELD) services. Students in Kindergarten will take the WIDA Kindergarten ACCESS test as their annual ELP assessment. Both of these assessments measures students’ English language proficiency, both knowledge and skills, in four language domains (reading, listening, writing, and speaking). 

Students can score between a level 1 and level 6 in each of these language domains. 

2023 Annual Testing Window

January 30 to March 24

WIDA Exit Criteria

OSPI has established the following criteria for students exiting the English language development (ELD) program

The workgroup determined that grade level proficiency is best represented by a 4.7 overall score in grades 2-12 and a 4.0 in Kindergarten and grade 1.

• Students in Kindergarten and first grade who score at least a 4.0 will exit ELD services.
• Students in grades 2-12 who score at least 4.7 overall will exit ELD services.

We recognize that the annual scores for exiting ELD services are not identical to the screener eligibility criteria established in 2021 on the Screener. The screener is a much shorter test that does not offer the same level of detail in understanding a student's language development. For this reason, the slightly higher expectation on the less detailed test is intentional. Both criteria will be reviewed in the future, along with test results and other data, to ensure appropriate identification. 

WIDA is in the process of updating the Alternate ACCESS. The new test will be field-tested in 2023 and operational in 2024. OSPI plans to establish exit criteria for the Alternate ACCESS when the revised test is available. 

Resources

Additional resources and information will be coming as it is developed.

• WIDA District Contact List
• IEP-WIDA Accommodations Crosswalk
• WIDA ACCESS FAQ
• WIDA Screener vs. ACCESS
• WIDA AMS Student Management FAQ
• WIDA Annual: Test Session Management FAQ
• WIDA Access Website
• Training Guidance Requirements
• Score Interpretive Guide
• Sample Individual Score Report

Migrant & Bilingual Education

• Parent Cover Letter (annual assessment)
• Parent Notification: (Transitioned out of ELD program)