ACCESS for ELLs

ELL Assessment Update: ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 and Preparing to Order ACCESS for ELLs Test Materials

To:	Principals, District ELL Program Directors, ACCESS for ELLs Test Coordinators, and ACCESS for ELLs Technology Coordinators
From:	Dan Wiener, Administrator of Inclusive Assessment
Date:	October 15, 2015

Greetings! We are providing you with information on the upcoming ordering of ACCESS for ELLs test materials for your school, as well as other important updates.

Updated ELL Assessment Publications Now Available

An important new Department publication is now available for Massachusetts principals, entitled the Principal's Pre-Administration Manual: ACCESS for ELLs Tasks to be Completed in Fall 2015

, which provides an overview of tasks to be completed between now and the time of ACCESS Data Validation next spring.

Preparing to Order ACCESS for ELLs Test Materials

During the week of October 19, Data Recognition Corporation (DRC), the ACCESS for ELLs test contractor, will send an email to each ACCESS test coordinator to remind them of the upcoming materials ordering window. ACCESS test coordinators will have already received their login and password information for the WIDA Assessment Management System (AMS) by email, and must have completed the Test Materials Ordering training module prior to ordering test materials. ACCESS test coordinators must order test materials for their school between October 26 and November 13. Important Note: ACCESS test coordinators who have already received login and password information can and should create accounts for other individuals who will assist or replace them in that role. The WIDA AMS Test Setup training module provides information on creating accounts. While the online (computer-based) test does not include test tiers, paper tests must be ordered by grade cluster and test tier (A, B, or C) for each ELL student. Therefore, it will be important to determine beforehand the number of students to be tested in each grade cluster and tier. Instructions for assigning students to appropriate test tiers are provided in the recently-posted Department publication Principal's Pre-Administration Manual for ACCESS for ELLs: Tasks to be Completed in Fall 2015

and in the Requirements for the Participation of ELL Students in ACCESS for ELLs, MCAS, and PARCC (2015-2016 Update). The W-APT screener may also be used to determine the test tier, particularly for students who have recently entered the school. For those administering the online test, DRC will automatically send paper-based Writing test booklets in a variety of tiers for all students in grades 1-3, with 10 percent overage. Additionally, although keyboarding will be the default testing format for grades 4-12 in Massachusetts, DRC will also provide each school with a small quantity of paper-based Writing test booklets for students in grades 4-12 for students who may need to handwrite their responses. If you have selected to deliver the test online, materials should only be ordered for the format that has been selected. Do not order additional paper tests as well. Save the dates! Important training for ACCESS for ELLs Technology Coordinators in Massachusetts schools and districts (provided by DRC technology staff) Technology Coordinator Training for schools and districts in which students are taking the online ACCESS:

Date	Training	Purpose
Wednesday November 4, 2015 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Join WebEx meeting Meeting number: 809 822 762 Meeting password: Drc2015 Join by phone 1-855-244-8681 or 1-650-479-3207 Access code: 809 822 762	Online (computer-based) ACCESS for ELLs technology overview for School and District Technology Coordinators (Webinars)	To provide Technology Coordinators with information and assistance in administering online ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 tests, and to answer any questions
Thursday November 5, 2015 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm Join WebEx meeting Meeting number: 802 959 416 Meeting password: Drc2015 Join by phone 1-855-244-8681 or 1-650-479-3207 Access code: 802 959 416

Information regarding the ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 technology specifications and requirements is available on the WIDA website.

WIDA Training Modules

WIDA training modules and checklists are now available for Test Coordinators, Test Administrators, and Technology Coordinators. Test Coordinators and Test Administrators can access the training modules and checklists through their WIDA personal accounts. Technology Coordinators can access the training modules and checklists through the WIDA Assessment Management System. Information regarding training requirements for these roles can be found in the Principal's Pre-Administration Manual for ACCESS for ELLs: Tasks to be Completed in Fall 2015

and in the Requirements for the Participation of ELL Students in ACCESS for ELLs, MCAS, and PARCC (2015-2016 Update). (Note: Please disregard the training module entitled, WIDA Assessment Management System Pre-ID Upload, since the Department will provide student-level information to DRC in order to generate student "Pre-ID" labels, based on the information in the October 2015 SIMS report.) Recorded WIDA Webinars and Department Training Materials The recent WIDA Webinars for Test Coordinators, Test Administrators, and Technology Coordinators have been recorded and are now available for viewing by those who wish to receive training from WIDA staff. Additionally, the PowerPoint from the Department's recent face-to-face training sessions for Test Coordinators can be found on the Massachusetts state page on the WIDA website, under the Professional Development tab.

Updating Contact Information

The process for updating school and district contact information for ACCESS testing will be similar to the process used for updating contacts for the PARCC assessments. Test Coordinators will be prompted to update their school's contact information when ordering materials through the WIDA Assessment Management System. However, please remember to ensure that updated contact information is also reflected in the Department's Profiles, through your District Directory Administrator. Please contact Alexis Glick in Student Assessment Services with any questions about ACCESS for ELLs testing at ACCESS@doe.mass.edu or by phone at 781-338-3625. Thank you for your attention to this important information.

Last Updated: October 22, 2015