About ACCESS for ELLs 2.0
ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 is a secure large-scale English language proficiency assessment administered to Kindergarten through 12th grade students who have been identified as English language learners (ELLs). It is given annually in WIDA Consortium member states to monitor students' progress in acquiring academic English. ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 is only available to Consortium member states.
ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 is aligned with the WIDA English Language Development Standards and assesses each of the four language domains of Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing. The assessment is available in both paper-based and online formats for Grades 1-12, while Kindergarten and Alternate ACCESS for ELLs are paper-based tests.
Purpose and Use of ACCESS for ELLs 2.0
1. Helps students and families understand students’ current level of English language proficiency along the developmental continuum.
2. Serves as one of multiple measures used to determine whether students are prepared to exit English language support programs.
3. Generates information that assists in determining whether ELLs have attained the language proficiency needed to participate meaningfully in content area classrooms without program support.
4. Provides teachers with information they can subsequently use to enhance instruction and learning in programs for their English language learners.
5. Provides districts with information that will help them evaluate the effectiveness of their ESL/bilingual programs.
6. Meets, and exceeds, federal requirements for the monitoring and reporting of ELLs' progress toward English language proficiency.
Source: WIDA