Question of the Week
Q: When will districts and schools begin using the WIDA Alternate Screener?
A: District and schools will use the WIDA Alternate Screener beginning July 1, 2026. Districts and schools will continue to use the WIDA Screener and the WIDA Screener for Kindergarten for identifying all potential English Learners (ELs) in the 2025-2026 school year.
The Office of Assessment and Accountability (OAA) will be conducting a standard setting process on the Alternate ACCESS exit criteria this fall.
Please contact Chris Williams for any questions on the WIDA Screeners.
New District Assessment Coordinator Seminar
New and recently hired District Assessment Coordinators (DACs) and Building Assessment Coordinators (BACs) are invited to attend the Kentucky Association of Assessment Coordinators’ (KAAC) New DAC Seminar. It will be held on Thursday, July 31, beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET at 300 Sower Blvd. in Frankfort where the Kentucky Department of Education offices are located.
The workshop will provide information that every new DAC needs to know, focusing on the role of assessment and accountability in schools and districts. DACs will have time to develop an understanding of accountability in Kentucky, as well as network with other DACs and KDE staff.
The meeting will be facilitated by KAAC board members focused on making sure each new DAC has a smooth transition into this essential job. The workshop features networking time to meet other DACs and KDE staff. DACs and BACs of any experience level are invited to attend the New DAC Seminar. Please complete the New DAC Seminar Form to register.
When:
July 31, 9 a.m. ET
Where:
KDE Building
300 Sower Blvd.
Frankfort, KY
How to Attend: Registration Link
Please contact Bethany Jones for any questions about the New DAC Seminar.
2025 Scott Trimble Workshop - Call for Presenters
The 2025 Scott Trimble Workshop will be held on October 27-28. Schools or districts interested in presenting at the 2025 Scott Trimble Workshop should complete the Proposal Form to be considered as presenters. We are very excited to learn from our great districts across the state!
To be a Presenter: Registration Form
Please contact Bethany Jones for any questions about Scott Trimble Workshops.
Educators Apply to Review WIDA ACCESS Test Items as a Standards Expert
WIDA and the test development partners at the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) are looking for educators to serve as Standards Experts for new WIDA ACCESS test items in Aug. and Sept. 2025. This is a chance for educators to be a part of the test development process:
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Activity format: Virtual
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Anticipated time commitment: 3-6 hours (asynchronous, can complete work over multiple days)
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Level of experience needed: Any educator (Classroom teachers, Content area teachers, English Learner (EL) teachers, Special education teachers and Instructional coaches/specialists) who has had experience with students in grades 1-12 in a WIDA member state during the previous two years.
Visit the CAL recruitment page for more information and apply by Tuesday, July 2 at 5:00 p.m. ET For questions, please contact Victoria Burges.
WIDA Professional Learning Self-Paced Workshops Completion
Have educators been meaning to try a WIDA Self-Paced Workshop on the WIDA Secure Portal? Or maybe started one, but didn’t get a chance to finish it? Don’t worry, because educators have until August 31 to access the following self-paced offerings and print the certificate of completion to the District Assessment Coordinators (DACs):
- Developing Language for Learning in Mathematics
- Engaging Multilingual Learners in Science: Making Sense of Phenomena
- Exploring the WIDA PreK-3 Essential Actions
- Let's Play! Multilingual Children's Joyful Learning in PreK-3
- Making Language Visible in the Classroom
- Newcomers: Promoting Success Through Strengthening Practice
- Reading Comprehension Across Content Areas with Multilingual Learners
- Reframing Education of Long-Term English Learners
- Teaching Multilingual Learners Social Studies Through Multiple Perspectives
- WIDA ELD Standards Framework: A Collaborative Approach
- WIDA Español: Desarollando el español: Las expectativas del lenguaje
- WIDA Español: Evaluaciones del desarrollo del lenguaje a nivel de salón - Classroom assessment for language development
So, whether enjoying the backyard, prepping for the next school year in the classroom or sitting in a favorite coffee shop, educators have the next few months to engage with this year’s professional learning offerings! Visit the WIDA Self-Paced Workshops webpage to view workshop descriptions, estimated time to complete each course and more.
For questions, please contact the WIDA Client Services Center or phone (866) 276-7735.
WIDA Webinars Recording on AI and the WIDA ELD Standards
The WIDA Webinar Aligning Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Multilingual Learners (ML): Integrating the WIDA English Language Development (ELD) Standards Framework into Prompts recording is available. Check out the recording to learn how to use AI effectively to promote content-based language learning for ML students.
For questions, please contact the WIDA Client Services Center or phone (866) 276-7735.
Assessment Scores in Infinite Campus
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) strives to publish student results data in Infinite Campus (IC) as it becomes available. KDE will publish 2024-2025 scores for KYOTE beginning Wednesday, June 25.
Please email KDE data services inbox with any questions.
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