ACCESS for ELLs

EL Assessment Update: ACCESS for ELLs Important Reminders

Thank you for contributing to the successful administration of the ACCESS testing. Included in this update are important announcements and reminders regarding ACCESS for ELLs data validation and reporting of ACCESS and WIDA Alternate ACCESS test results.

1. ACCESS Pre-Reporting Data Validation: March 25–April 1

The pre-reporting data validation window provides an opportunity for schools to correct any demographic errors for students who participated in the 2024 ACCESS test administration. This window will be the only opportunity to correct the information listed below before ACCESS results are released in WIDA AMS on April 26. School test coordinators should review and (if needed) correct the following information between March 25 and April 1:

• First and last names (look for incorrect spelling, hyphens, or multiple names for the same student)
• SASID (ensure that district ID or incorrect numbers are not listed in place of the state-assigned student ID)
• School
• Birthdate
• Enrolled grade
• Accommodations (correct any missing or incorrect accommodations)
• Test results/"Do Not Score" codes (correct any codes or remove codes incorrectly applied)

Also, please ensure that any changes were corrected in your March SIMS report. If data were not changed in the March SIMS report, please email access@mass.gov .

2. 2024 ACCESS for ELLs Data Validation Office Hours Webinar

DESE has scheduled the following webinar for ACCESS for ELLs test coordinators, EL program directors, and principals to receive important information and ask questions about data validation for the 2024 ACCESS test.

• ACCESS for ELLs Data Validation Office Hours Webinar — March 20, 2024, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Register here.

Upon completing registration, you will receive an email from Alchemer with the link to the webinar. If you do not receive the email, please check your spam folder. Email access@mass.gov with questions about registration.

3. ACCESS Score Reports Available in WIDA AMS: April 26

District- and school-level reports for ACCESS will be available in WIDA AMS on April 26, including the leave

following:

• District Frequency Distribution Reports — Number of students and percentage of total tested at each proficiency level for each language domain and for four composite proficiency levels by grade within the district.
• School Frequency Distribution Reports — Number of students and percentage of total tested at each proficiency level for each language domain and for four composite proficiency levels by grade within a school.
• School Roster Reports — Scale scores and language proficiency levels for each language domain and for four composite proficiency levels by grade, student, and grade-level cluster within a school.
• Individual Student Reports — Individual student scale scores and language proficiency levels for each language domain and for four composite proficiency levels. A PDF file is provided with multiple student reports, available in Spanish or English.
• Student Response Files — District — Individual student test data, including various test scores for the district.

WIDA Alternate ACCESS reports will be available in WIDA AMS on September 17, 2024.

4. Check for Late Returns of ACCESS Test Materials

Test coordinators should review school files and materials to confirm whether all test materials were returned to DRC on March 1 as required. Please see the reminder email DRC sent to test coordinators on March 5 describing which materials were required to be returned to DRC and how to return materials after the March 1 deadline.

Contact Student Assessment Services with any questions about ACCESS for ELLs testing by email at access@mass.gov or by phone at 781-338-3625.

Thank you for your attention to this information.