WIDA and ELPA21 Screener Updates

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

OSPI Header

ELP Assessment Updates


WIDA Alternate ACCESS


 WIDA Alternate ACCESS for ELLs TA Trainings

OSPI will offer three webinar-based training opportunities for TAs who will be administering the WIDA Alternate ACCESS test this spring. These trainings will be focused on the test administration. The trainings will be webinar-based and will require registration to attend. Please register at the link provided to receive materials for the ensure we are able to meet the demand.

March 5: 7:00 – 9:30 a.m. (https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zk_n9QUcQnajDaDzxHE0og)

March 5: Noon – 2:30 p.m. (https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_OcEycZ88RdamQXrQqwty_Q)

March 6: 4:00 – 6:30 p.m. (https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_9-dDaUp9QgSJDr7OhD6Tqw)

March 7: 1:30 – 4:00 p.m. https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_IrC6uf8GQZixhZXsqwXiyg

Additional trainings will be scheduled for the weeks of March 12 and 19.

New Alternate ACCESS Resource Page

OSPI has created a new resource page for WIDA Alternate ACCESS test administration. The page can be accessed through the ELPA21 page or this link: http://www.k12.wa.us/ELPA21/AlternateACCESS.aspx. Resources on this page include the TAM, an FAQ document, the WIDA-AMS User Guide and more.

Additional Materials Order Process

Additional materials can be ordered by DACs through the WIDA-AMS site.. Specific instructions for ordering materials can be found beginning on page 52 of the WIDA AMS User Guide. https://www.wida.us/assessment/access%202.0/documents/WIDAAMSUserGuide.pdf

Non-Disclosure Agreement

All test administrators will need to sign the Non-Disclosure Agreement before administering the WIDA Alternate ACCESS for ELLs. This document is available at http://www.k12.wa.us/ELPA21/AlternateACCESS.aspx. District assessment coordinators will need to collect and keep these signed agreements annually.


    ELPA21 Screener


    2018-19 Screener Updates and Kindergarten Screening

    In an effort to support districts in planning for kindergarten English language screening for 2018-19, OSPI is offering a comparison of the ELPA21 screener for this year and the revised screener for next year. The revised screener will be available in August. Our intent is to provide detailed information to inform district decision-making.

    Step 1: Step 1 of the screener will be significantly shorter next year. The current version includes an average of 16 questions. Next year’s version will include approximately 8 questions. This section will continue to be administered 1:1 without exception.

    Step 2: Step two, in the new version, will be split into two sections, 2a and 2b. 2a will consist of approximately 5 speaking questions. These questions will be scored by the TA as the student tests. These questions will require 1:1 test administration. Section 2b will include select response questions from the other three language domains. Step 2 is approximately the same length next year as this year.

    Step 3: Step 3 will remain approximately the same length as it is this year. However, students whose test responses in step 2 indicate that they will not score proficient will not enter Step 3.

    1:1 Administration: In the new screener version, Step 1 and Step 2 section A will require 1:1 administration. Similar to this year, the TA will decide if continued 1:1 administration is necessary for Step 2 section b and Step 3.

    Test Completion: In the current year, all students complete all steps of the screener. In the next version of the screener, all students complete Step 1 and both sections of Step 2. If students are not on a path to reach proficient status, they will exit the test session at the end of Step 2. Only students who may be proficient will enter Step 3 of the screener.

    Overall Test Duration: Due to the abbreviated Step 1 and the early decision at the end of Step 2, many students will have a testing experience will take significantly less time than the current version. Those who take all three steps of the test will have a shorter experience than this year, but it will not be as significant a cut in the time.

    Scoring: Section 2a is comprised of approximately speaking items. TAs will be scoring these items as the student tests.  The student’s testing experience is momentarily stopped while the TA enters the scores for 2a. (Training and more information will be provided prior to the screener opening in August).  The remainder of Step 2 (2b) is scored by machine. Step 3 has hand scoring items that are scored centrally through the vendor.

    Turnaround Time: This year, our vendor committed to a 7 day turnaround. In reality, the vast majority of screeners were returned within 4 days. Our vendor continues to commit to a 7 day turnaround for all tests needing hand scoring. However, tests that are ended after Step 2 will receive scores within 24 hours.

    It is our intention in providing this information to allow districts planning for kindergarten screening to have the most current information to make an informed decision. In August, the screener will open no later than August 13. If you have any questions, please contact Leslie Huff (leslie.huff@k12.wa.us) in the Select Assessments Office.

    ELPA21 Screener: May Kindergarten Roundup (Repeated from previous communication)

    For districts that administer ELPA21 screeners to potential English Learners during any kindergarten registration activities in spring 2018 (for students starting school in autumn of 2018), use of temporary IDs will likely be necessary. As a reminder: it is not critical that a student have a permanent SSID to take the screener, nor is it critical that screeners taken under temporary ID be migrated in TIDE/ORS to the student’s permanent record (refer to the next item regarding Temporary IDs).

    (Optional): If you prefer to make sure that students taking the screener have their scores attached to their permanent SSID in AIR’s platform, that SSID must be present in TIDE prior to sitting for the screener. This can be done by:

    1)      Generating/retrieving an SSID for a student and leveraging WAMS to move a record to TIDE.

    2)      Generating an SSID for the student via CEDARS (SSID Issuance: “Screen Entry” or “Bulk Upload), ALSO generating a temporary ID record for the student in TIDE, and PRIOR TO THE STUDENT SITTING FOR THE SCREENER, copying and pasting the SSID over the temporary ID on the record. Should you choose this option, always copy and paste the SSID rather than typing to avoid typos.

    ELPA21 Screener: Temporary IDs (2017-18 SY) (Repeated from previous communication)

    There are roughly 5,300 records in TIDE with temporary IDs that were created for ELPA21 screeners. The results of those screeners (still associated with temporary IDs) have not been merged into the relevant students’ complete TIDE record originating from CEDARS. This is because TIDE programming is limited such that it cannot automatically reconcile a case where a student’s record is created after the result of a student's  test is generated. In other words, if a student tests on the ELPA21 screener using a temporary ID, then the same student has a record created in TIDE with her/her permanent SSID, the system thinks the test score cannot possibly belong to that student because the student was not in TIDE when they sat for the test. 

    Migrating these screener scores within TIDE/ORS only provides for the screener score to be  associated to the student’s larger ORS profile. Since the vendor’s proposed solution would require significant time and effort from district staff (roughly 2 minutes per student record), the decision has been made to not move those scores within the platform.  Keep in mind: a district’s obligation relative to screener scores is to retrieve them from ORS whether attached to a temp ID record or complete student record and report those scores to CEDARS. While leaving screener results attached to temporary records in IDE is a bit messier than moving them and attaching them to a student’s permanent SSID, districts have no obligation to engage in that cleanup within TIDE/ORS. 

    AIR is developing functionality that is expected to replace the use of temporary IDs. This functionality is tentatively schedule to be available near the start of the 2018-19 school year. The goal of this enhancement is to simplify for our districts the administrative burden of screener administration by continuing to allow students to take the ELPA21 screener (and only the screener) prior to having had an SSID created for them and sent to TIDE, but also simplifying the after-testing activities related to the data management. OSPI will provide more information and guidance as it becomes available.


    Contact Us

    If you have any questions regarding the information in this communication or any English language proficiency assessment issue, please contact Leslie Huff (leslie.huff@k12.wa.us) at OSPI.