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Understanding WIDA ACCESS Changes

by Jana Bennett

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Understanding WIDA ACCESS changes and how to ensure success with TELL

In 2016, WIDA raised the bar for language proficiency and increased the difficulty of the ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 assessment.

View the recent webinar presented by Kathy New on how to monitor student progress to ensure your kids are prepared for ACCESS 2.0.

ACCESS was changed to meet language demands for college and career readiness standards, but unfortunately it resulted in fewer students exiting ELL programs last year. In Nevada, for example, they were only able to exit two percent of their ELLs, compared to 12 to 14 percent previously, according to a recent article in Education Week.

We understand that you cannot afford to see any decline in the number of students exiting your programs. If your school cannot graduate enough students, you may lose your ESSA funding. In fact, even if your graduation rates only decrease slightly during the 2017/2018 school year, your funding may be reduced. That, coupled with the cost of keeping more students in your programs longer than expected, and you have a painful financial situation for school districts.

Pearson can help with a cost-effective solution. The very best way to ensure that your kids are ready for ACCESS 2.0 this year is a reliable and engaging online English diagnostic assessment and progress monitoring tool.

The Pearson Test of English Language Learning (TELL™) has been updated to reflect the new higher WIDA standards.

Why use Pearson TELL to help your students prepare for ACCESS 2.0? Here are 4 reasons:

  • Pearson's TELL is the gold standard in English language proficiency assessments (without the gold standard price). Up to three diagnostic assessments and eight progress monitoring assessments ensure that educators have the rich information they need to plan instruction and guide each ELL to success. Click here to read a whitepaper on the science behind TELL.
  • TELL is fully automated - it automatically assesses all four English language skills and provides immediate results so teachers can implement the right interventions at the right time. You won’t need to worry if your kids can pass ACCESS 2.0 this year, you will KNOW they are ready.
  • You can implement TELL without creating an undue burden on teachers and administrators. The assessment and progress monitoring tools are available via an app for Android tablets and iPads. According to Michele Bracken, a Program Specialist in the English Learner Programs Department for the San Bernardino Unified School District, the TELL deployment went smoothly. “
  • Kids actually ENJOY taking the TELL test! Michelle Bracken says that TELL was highly engaging with even the youngest kids. Click here to read the case study.