WIDA ACCESS 2.0 Scores Explained

ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 is an English language proficiency assessment for Grades K–12. The test measures the English language development of students identified as English language

learners.

ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 reports the following eight scores:

• Listening

• Speaking

• Reading

• Writing

• Oral Language

• Literacy

• Comprehension

• Overall

Scores are reported as Proficiency Level scores and Scale Scores.

Key Terms to Know

• English language learners are students who are eligible to receive support at school with the English language.
• Language development is a process that takes time. Students move along this process at different rates.
• Language proficiency is a measurement of where students are in the process of language development.
• Tier refers to the difficulty level of the test assigned to a student. Tiers are designed for specific levels of language proficiency. Students are assigned to a tier that is appropriate for his/her current level of English language proficiency.
  

What is the Individual Student Report?

The Individual Student Report shows your child's scores on the ACCESS forELLs 2.0 assessment. This report is for families and educators.

The top of the report (see picture below) includes your child’s name, date of birth, grade level, test tier, school and district name, state, and the district and state identification numbers.

The report shows the eight scores your child could receive on the test. If your child took all four sections of the test, he/she will receive all eight scores. NA, or not available, indicates no score was reported.

There are four Language Domain scores and four Composite Scores.

Language Domain scores are reported for Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing. These scores reflect the four sections of the test.

Composite Scores are combinations of your child’s Language Domain scores. The four Composite Scores are Oral Language, Literacy, Comprehension, and the Overall score.

Proficiency Level scores are reported as numbers that range from

1.0 – 6.0, for example 4.0 or 2.2. These scores correspond to the six WIDA EnglishLanguage Proficiency Levels. A score of 1.0 can be thought of as a “beginner” score, while a 6.0 can be thought of as an “advanced” score in regards to English proficiency.The graph on the report is shaded to represent your child’s Proficiency Level score. The table at the bottom of the report provides examples of what students at your child’s proficiency level can do with English.

Scale Scores are reported as numbers that range from 100 –600, for example 356 or

220. These scores reflect your child’s grade level and difficulty level of the test items that he/she successfully completed.Scale scores are helpful to see the progress your child makes in English language development from year to year. The graph on the report shows your child’s Scale Score for each of the eight scores, and it also shows the Confidence Band for each of his/her Scale Scores.

Confidence Bands are the shaded area around each of your child’s Scale Scores. This shows the possible range for yourchild’s score with a 95% probability of accuracy. In other words, if your child took the same test repeatedly, there is a 95%chance that his/her scores would be within the shaded range.

We encourage families to look at all of the scores reported for their child. Here are some suggestions for how to interpret, or make sense of, your child’s scores:

• Look at the Language Domain scores. Look at his/her ProficiencyLevel scores for Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing. Which scores are closer to 6.0? Which scores are closer to 1.0?

• Look at the Composite Scores. Look at his/her Proficiency Level scores for Oral Language, Literacy, Comprehension, and the Overall Score. Which scores are closer to 6.0? Which scores are closer to 1.0?

•Compare this year’s scores with last year’s scores, if available. If your child took ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 last year, compare his/her scores from one year to the next. Is there a difference in his/her Proficiency Level scores? Is there a difference in his/her Scale Scores?

Scores from ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 can be used in many ways. Parents can use the scores to advocate for their child.

Teachers use the scores to plan instruction and assessments. Districts use the scores to evaluate their language support programs, to monitor student progress in acquiring English, and to determine if a student is eligible to exit an English language support program. Scores are also used to meet federal and state accountability requirements.

We encourage families to discuss the scores with their child’steacher(s). Here are some questions to ask:

• What scores does he/she need to exit the English language supportprogram?

• Will my child take this test every year?

• How are the scores shared with his/her teachers?

• What type of English language support do you provide my child?

• What would you like to know about how my child uses language at home?

• Why did my child receive a score of NA?

• What does a score of NA mean?

If you have questions about your child’s ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 scores, please contact your child’s school.

If you would like a pdf version of the above, please visit the WIDA website. There are several language options to choose from.

If you have any questions, please contact your child's English Language Development (EL/ESL) teacher at Novi Community School District. We are happy to hear from you and assist you in any way we can.