ACCESS for ELLs

ACCESS for ELL Assessment Update: Preparation for Test Administration

To:	Principals and District English Language Learner (ELL) Program Directors
From:	Dan Wiener, Administrator of Inclusive Assessment Paulette Watson, ACCESS for ELLs Program Coordinator
Date:	December 23, 2013

Season's Greetings! We are writing to provide reminders of important information related to the upcoming ACCESS for ELLs test administration.

Delivery of ACCESS for ELLs Test Materials

Materials are scheduled to arrive on January 3rd in schools that ordered test materials on or before November 30, 2013. Please prepare for test administration between January 9 and February 12 by doing the following:

Assign test administrators and students to testing spaces.
Ensure that a sufficient number of test administrators have been trained and certified/re-certified for this school year to administer the group-administered components (Listening, Reading, and Writing tests), the Speaking test, the Kindergarten test, and/or the Alternate ACCESS for ELLs tests, depending on which tests they will administer. Information about test administrator certification and how you can monitor the training and certification process is available in the Principal's Pre-Administration Manual for ACCESS for ELLs: Tasks to be Completed in Fall 2013.
Make adequate arrangements to provide accommodations to ELL students with disabilities.
Review the ACCESS for ELLs Test Administration Manual (TAM), the Massachusetts Supplement to the TAM, and the Alternate ACCESS for ELLs TAM available on the ESE website at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/access/.

The Massachusetts Supplement to the TAM

This document is included in the shipment of test materials and contains information specific to Massachusetts that may differ from information in the TAM intended for all WIDA states. Information in the Supplement supersedes the information in the TAM. The Supplement includes specific instructions for completing test booklets for ELL students with and without student ID labels, test accommodations for ELL students with disabilities, and students who may not be required to take one or more sections of the test.

Ordering Additional Test Materials

Principals may order additional test materials until January 31. Materials may be ordered by calling MetriTech, the testing contractor, at 800-747-4868, or by using the Additional Materials Order Form that will be sent with materials on January 3.

Practice Tests for the Listening Test

Please be aware that a small number of Practice Audio Files are available online for the purpose of preparing students to take the new, media-delivered Listening test. Practice Audio Files are available on the MetriTech website at www.metritech.com/wida/listening/login.aspx.
A password is not required. If you have questions, please contact Paulette Watson at pwatson@doe.mass.edu or 781-338-3625. Thank you for your attention to this important information.

Last Updated: December 23, 2013