Module 2: Accountability and Assessment

ACCESS for ELLs stands for Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners.  It is a large-scale test addressing the English language Development (ELD) standards, which form part of the core of the WIDA Consortium's approach to instructing and testing English language learners. ELLs are tested in the four domains of language: Listening, Reading, Writing & Speaking.

ACCESS for ELLs includes the following grade-level clusters: Pre-K – K, 1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-8, and 9-12.  There are three tiers: A, B, and C. While the tiers overlap, each tier assesses a different range of language proficiency. Therefore, to ensure the best possible testing experience for each student and the most meaningful results, it is necessary to place each student into the tier that best matches his or her proficiency level.

The selection of a student’s tier is best made by his or her teachers, based on the information they have about the student’s language proficiency. Criteria may include the student’s progress in the classroom as well as test results from past administrations of ACCESS for ELLs.

ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 is designed to:

• Provide teachers with information they can subsequently use to enhance instruction and learning in programs for their English language learners

• Generate information to assist in determining whether ELLs have attained the language proficiency needed to participate meaningfully in content area classrooms without program support

• Serve as one of multiple measures used to determine whether or not students are prepared to exit English language support programs

• Provide districts with information to help them evaluate the effectiveness of ESOL and dual language programs

• Meet and exceed federal requirements for monitoring and reporting of ELLs' progress toward English language proficiency

• Help students and families understand students’ current level of English language proficiency along the developmental continuum

Students take the Listening, Reading and Writing sections as a group.  For the Speaking section, students have a one-on-one interview with a test administrator.  An Individual Student Report is available for each student to guide instructional decisions.  For more information about ACCESS 2.0 for ELLs visit the WIDA website at: https://www.wida.us/assessment/ACCESS20.aspx

District Assessments

Grades	Instruments
All Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd & 3rd graders; 4th & 5th grade struggling readers	Benchmark Assessment System (BAS) Running Record
K-3 students enrolled in Spanish dual language classrooms	Sistema de Evaluacion de la Lectura
Grades 1-2	Primary Reading and Mathematics Assessments is part of the Student Progression Plan.
Grades 3 – 10	District Benchmark Assessment, Reading and Mathematics
Grades 3 - 12 ELLs only	Reading and Writing Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement, Second Edition Brief Form (KTEA II - Brief Form)
Grades K - 12 ELLS only	Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing Pre- IDEA Oral Language Proficiency Test - Pre-IPT Fourth Edition (Pre-K ages 3-5) IDEA Oral Language Proficiency Test I (IPT I), Form G (Grades K-6) IDEA Oral Language Proficiency Test II (IPT II), Form E (Grades 6 -12) IDEA Proficiency Reading  & Writing Test (IPT I) Form C (Grades 2-3) IDEA Proficiency Reading  & Writing Test (IPT 2) Form C (Grades 4-6) IDEA Proficiency Reading & Writing Test (IPT 2) Form C (Grades 4-6) IDEA Proficiency Reading  & Writing Test (IPT 3) Form C (Grades 7-12)