Expect ACCESS Test Now in Infinite Campus
The Expect ACCESS Test Report is now available in Infinite Campus to all Public School Units (PSUs). This report outlines key information to support your planning for the 2026 ACCESS administration.
You will see a column: WIDA AMS Status. This column will show the status of the student record in WIDA AMS:
- “In Pre-ID” means a student is in WIDA AMS and should have materials.
- “January 8” means the student is in WIDA AMS, but will not receive materials from this file upload.
- “No” means that a student is not in WIDA AMS or in materials ordering - Test Coordinators may need to order materials for students uploaded on January 8 or who are not captured in either upload, whose test session(s) require paper or additional materials.
PSUs should use this report to:
- Verify ELs expected to take the ACCESS test;
- Verify ELs enrolled in the Pre-ID file and the January 8th files in WIDA AMS; and
- Track students who withdraw before the close of the testing window.
If you do not see a student on the current report who should be listed, ensure the student has a current EL record for the 25-26 school year.
The Expect ACCESS Test report is located in your data validation reports. Important Reminder: Please do not add any students to WIDA AMS until after January 8th. Allow NCDPI to complete the second data upload into WIDA AMS to ensure student records are accurately matched during data validation.
The Expect ACCESS Test report is dynamic and will update as more students are identified as ELs. Please continue to monitor it throughout the testing window to ensure all your students are tested.
Please email susan.walz@dpi.nc.gov if you have any questions about your student data.
Scheduling Notes
As you begin scheduling, we encourage PSUs to review the following considerations to help all students perform at their best:
Be mindful of Ramadan (begins February 17, 2026) - Students observing Ramadan may be fasting, which can impact stamina and focus. Whenever possible, please schedule these students earlier in the window (January 12th - February 16th) to support fair testing conditions.
Schedule ACCESS tests as you would schedule EOG/EOC tests - ACCESS is a standardized, high-stakes assessment. Plan sessions with the same level of structure and intentionality as other statewide tests, including protected testing time and clearly defined schedules for each domain.
Morning testing leads to stronger performance - Students generally perform best when assessments occur in the morning, when energy and attention levels are highest. This is particularly important for students who require extended testing time.
Create optimal conditions for the Speaking domain test - Speaking sessions require a quiet environment with minimal interruptions. Provide students with adequate space to generate responses while maintaining active monitoring requirements for test administrators. Avoid scheduling them near high-traffic or high-noise areas when possible.
Plan make-up sessions early and often - Build weekly make-up opportunities into the schedule to avoid last-week bottlenecks and help ensure that all students are tested within the assessment window.
Coordinate with EC - Verify Tier T designations, documented accommodations, and roster accuracy prior to testing. Ensuring correct information will support accurate records in WIDA AMS.
We appreciate your continued efforts to prepare students and staff for a successful ACCESS administration. Thank you for your leadership and commitment to supporting Multilingual Learners across North Carolina.
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