Multilingual Learning

Overview of ACCCESS for ELLs 2.0

ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 is a English language proficiency assessment administered to Kindergarten through 12th grade students who have been identified as English Language Learners (ELLs). It is given annually to monitor students' progress in acquiring academic English.

In 2015-2016, an online assessment will replace the earlier paper-based assessment, ACCESS for ELLs, although a paper-based assessment will continue to be available as an accommodation for ELL students with disabilities and a support for New-to-Country (in US Schools less than one year) ELL student with an English proficiency level of 2 or below on the WIDA ELD Standards or the equivalent.

The Kindergarten and Alternate ACCESS for ELLs assessments will not change from previous years and remain paper-based.

ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 is aligned with the WIDA English Language Development Standards and assesses each of the four language domains of Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing.

Purpose and Use

ACCESS for ELLs:

• Exceeds the requirements stipulated by the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 and is used to measure and report growth in a manner consistent with the need for fulfilling these requirements.
• Generates results that serve as one criterion to aid in determining when ELLs have attained the language proficiency needed to participate meaningfully in content area classrooms without program support and on state academic content tests without accommodations.
• Provides districts with information that will aid in evaluating the effectiveness of their ESL/bilingual programs.
• Identifies the ELP levels of students with respect to the WIDA ELD Standards' levels 1-6.
• Provides information that can be used to enhance instruction and learning for ELLs.