ELP Assessment Update [November 1, 2022]
As we prepare for annual ELP testing in the early (pre-) spring months of January through March, OSPI is working to provide the support you need for a successful testing season. Thank you all for the work you do to support the staff and students in our system.
December 9: Deadline to ensure student data is accurate in CEDARS for WIDA testing.
January 4: WIDA AMS Test Setup opens. (Students from the December file will populate on this day).
January 18: Materials Arrive
January 18-March 17: Additional Materials Ordering Window
January 30: Testing begins
WIDA is in the process of overhauling the WIDA Alternate ACCESS assessment. As a final step in this process, WIDA is collecting data from student tests to ensure the test they develop is reliable, valid, and appropriate for the students taking the Alternate ACCESS. To ensure the highest quality tests, students who take the Alternate ACCESS this spring will also need to complete the Alternate ACCESS Field Test. Due to the small number of students in this population, all students who complete the Alternate ACCESS will also need to complete the Alternate ACCESS Field Test.
Important Field Test Dates:
February 7: Field Test materials will arrive for all students who were pre-registered for the Alternate ACCESS by December 9.
February 14: Field Test testing window opens.
April 17: Field Test testing window closes
Field Test Basics:
- The field test must be given after the operation Alternate ACCESS assessment.
- Training for the field test administration is embedded in the Alternate ACCESS Field Test administrator training.
- The field test will take approximately the same amount of time as the operational Alternate ACCESS (approximately 20 minutes per domain).
- Materials for the field test will not be used for operational testing nor will materials for operational testing be used for field testing. Please keep materials separate.
- Students will not receive a score for the Field Test.
We at OSPI understand the added burden of extra testing on the students in this population and on the educators serving them. We have talked with WIDA about future field test design and considering the burden on teachers and students during an already busy testing season. This year, OSPI is prioritizing participation in the WIDA Alternate ACCESS and Alternate ACCESS field test. We are advocating for a test that measures a broader range of language development. WIDA will be using data gleaned from the Field Test to ensure validity, establish proficiency, and in other ways develop the most effective and accurate measure of language that they can. We are grateful for your help in making this happen.
OSPI is developing a truncated training for test administers who completed testing administration training for Online ACCESS last year. The training will be a refresher course in test administration and include Washington-specific information around testing policies and practices.
OSPI recommends beginning test administrator training for the annual WIDA assessments on or after December 1. We anticipate the new truncated training will be available at that time.
The Select Assessments Office at OSPI maintains websites related specifically to ELP testing. The English Language Proficiency Assessments page includes general ELP assessment information, resource documents, ELP Assessment Updates, and links to assessment-specific pages.
The ELP Annual Assessments page provides a variety of task-specific FAQ documents around different functions in WIDA AMS, links to sample score reports and interpretive guides. This page is also where current exit criteria are displayed.
The Alternate English Language Proficiency Assessment page provides test window and testing materials information as well as Alternate ACCESS Field Test updates. Resources located on this page includes a link to guidance for determining whether a student is eligible to participate in the alternate assessment, And Alternate ACCESS for ELLs Interpretive Guide, and a Disability Crosswalk.
Lunch with Leslie is an opportunity on Mondays at noon for districts to hear updates from OSPI, ask questions about WIDA assessments, or find out how other districts are approaching testing processes. This is a casual opportunity for collaboration and information sharing and any district staff involved with ELP assessments is welcome to attend. Your colleagues involved in WIDA Alternate ACCESS testing are especially encouraged to join on February 6.
- October 31, noon (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83177816071)
- Key Topic: WIDA Alternate ACCESS Field Test
- November 7, noon (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86423722886)
- Key Topic: WIDA AMS User Accounts and Permissions
- November 14, no session this week
- November 21, noon (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86190307650)
- Key Topic: Resolving Technical Issues During Testing
- November 28, noon (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89397873292)
- Key Topic: Progress Monitoring
- December 5, no session this week
- December 12, noon (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89119801717)
- Key Topic: Student Management in WIDA AMS
- December 19, noon (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83144450162)
- Open Q & A only. No key topics on this day.
- December 26, no session this week
- January 3 (Tuesday), noon (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82724950605)
- Open Q & A only, No key topics on this day.
- January 9, noon (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82787705700)
- January 17 (Tuesday) noon (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81945725132)
- Key Topic: Receiving/Storing Materials, Ordering Additional Materials, and All Things Materials.
- January 23, noon (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89810259904)
- Key Topic: Bubbles and Labels and Booklets, Oh My!
- January 30, noon (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89517818366)
- Open Q & A (Testing window opens)
- February 6, noon (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89354848707)
- Key Topic WIDA Alt ACCESS Field Test
WIDA offers Webinars through the WIDA Secure Portal. These webinars provide a look at a specific component of WIDA testing. They are recorded and typically available for review a few days after the live session. These sessions are not Washington-specific and may include WIDA suggestions or policies that are not aligned to Washington’s testing practices; however, they are useful and OSPI staff is available to answer questions that might arise during these webinars.
November 8. 11:00-noon. Pre-Testing: Technology Coordinator Support for Test Administrators. Link
November 15. 11:00 - noon. Kindergarten ACCESS for ELLs for New Test Administrators. Link
November 17. 11:00 – noon. Managing Students in WIDA AMS. Link
November 22. 11:00 – noon. Alternate ACCESS for ELLs for New Test Administrators. Link (This is not the required test administrator training).
December 1. 11:00 – noon. Alternate ACCESS for ELLs Field Test. Link
Please reach out to the OSPI Assessment team if we can support your testing experience and preparation in any way.
ELPAssessments@k12.wa.us (general ELP assessment questions)
Leslie.huff@k12.wa.us (ELP assessment policy questions)
wida@datarecognitioncorp.com (WIDA AMS)
help@wida.us (Secure Portal)
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