Question of the Week
Q: What prompted the WIDA Alternate Standard Setting, and what are the new exit criteria for WIDA Alternate ACCESS?
A: WIDA developed a new Alternate ACCESS assessment that includes newly designed items. Because the test changed, a standard setting was required to establish new cut scores aligned to the updated assessment.
Standard setting is a formal process in which trained educator panelists review assessment content and student performance expectations to recommend cut scores. Kentucky educators were selected to serve on these panels and contributed expertise to the process.
Cut scores indicate the level of performance a student must demonstrate to meet each proficiency level. States use cut scores to determine the proficiency level a student must achieve on the WIDA Alternate ACCESS for accountability and exit decisions.
After the cut scores were finalized, Kentucky convened educators to review the outcomes and establish updated exit criteria for the WIDA Alternate ACCESS. Beginning in the 2025–2026 school year, the exit criteria for WIDA Alternate ACCESS will be an overall Proficiency Level (PL) 3.
For questions, please contact Chris Williams.
WIDA Professional Learning Webinars
WIDA has four new WIDA Webinars scheduled for 2026. These are FREE professional learning opportunities that span a wide range of topics related to multilingual learners. Register to attend live or be notified when the recording is posted.
For questions about the WIDA webinars, please contact WIDA Client Services Center.
Modified WIDA and DRC Customer Service Hours of Operation
During the final two weeks of December, WIDA Client Services and Data Recognition Corporation (DRC) Customer Service will be available to assist educators during the following days and times:
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WIDA Client Services Center will be open on Dec. 22-23 and Dec. 29-30 from 8 a.m-5 p.m. CT.
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DRC Customer Service will be open on Dec. 22-24 and Dec. 29-31 from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. CT.
WIDA Client Services will be closed on Dec. 24 and 31, and both customer service offices will be closed Dec. 25-26 and Jan.1. WIDA and DRC will return to regular hours of operation on Friday, Jan. 2.
Spring 2026 SAT Junior State Administration – Technical Readiness Webinar
Bluebook is the application students will use to take the SAT. Technology staff should review device requirements and download instructions in advance.
To help schools prepare, College Board will host a Technical Readiness Webinar on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, from 10–11:15 a.m. ET. This session will walk through key setup and troubleshooting steps. DACs are encouraged to register and share the link with technology staff.
For any questions, please contact Christen Roseberry.
Spring 2026 SAT Junior State Administration – Submit College Board Accommodations and EL Supports
To ensure that all eligible students receive accommodations or English Language (EL) Supports on the Kentucky SAT Junior State Administration this spring, requests for present students should be submitted to SSD Online by Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. SSD Online will not close to new requests for recently enrolled students, transfers and learning plan updates/changes after the deadline.
The presentation deck and a link to the recording of the KY Accommodations and Supports Webinar from November are posted on the Kentucky College Board webpage in the Training Section.
For any questions, please contact Christen Roseberry.
Spring 2026 SAT Junior State Administration – Resources for Educators, Students and Families
College Board has a great resource for educators called Question of the Day. It’s a fun, free way to build student knowledge in advance of the SAT Junior State Administration. With Question of the Day, students answer questions in Reading and Writing or Math, created by the same team behind the SAT. This is an excellent ‘bell ringer’ activity, a fun and easy way for families to all get involved in test preparations and a quick and easy way for students to become familiar with the types of questions they may encounter on test day. Visit SAT Question of the Day to get started!
For any questions, please contact Christen Roseberry.
December DAC Webcast Highlights
The Office of Assessment and Accountability, Division of Assessment and Accountability Support (DAAS), hosted its live monthly DAC Webcast on Thursday, Dec. 11 at 11 a.m. ET. Director Shara Savage, along with Christen Roseberry, Krista Mullins and Chris Williams, shared timely updates on assessment and accountability, including:
- Kentucky Alternate Assessment Updates
- College Admissions Exam – SAT Reminders
- WIDA ACCESS Assessments Updates
- Upcoming Events
The recording and presentation materials are now available on the KDE Media Portal and the KDE Meetings and Trainings page. Future broadcasts are scheduled for the second Thursday of each month at 11 a.m. ET.
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