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Student Assessment
Federal and state laws require that English learner (EL) students be assessed annually to measure their proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking English, as well as the progress they are making in learning English. In fulfillment of these laws, EL students are required to participate in WIDA ACCESS tests. WIDA ACCESS tests are administered annually in January-February.
EL students are also required to participate in the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests for their grade.
Participation Requirements for EL Students, including EL students with disabilities, in MCAS
Participation Guidelines for WIDA Alternate ACCESS 2024-2025
Instructions for Creating WIDA and WIDA AMS Personal Accounts
Massachusetts State Page on the WIDA Website
Materials and Resources Available on the WIDA Website
WIDA English Language Development (ELD) Standards Framework
WIDA Assessments
About the WIDA Screeners
WIDA Screener for Kindergarten — Cut Scores for English Proficiency
WIDA Alternate Screener — Guidance and Cut Scores for English Proficiency
Alternate ACCESS Annual Technical Report 2023-2024
Paper ACCESS Annual Technical Report 2023-2024
Online ACCESS Annual Technical Report 2023-2024
Massachusetts ACCESS for ELLs Administration Manual 2024-2025
WIDA Accessibility and Accommodations Manual 2024-2025
WIDA AMS Supplement — Submit Incomplete Domain
Instructions for Student Transfers During Testing
Guidance to Students Prior to Taking the Online Speaking Test
ACCESS for ELLs Interpretive Guide for Score Reports 2025
WIDA Alternate ACCESS Interpretive Guide for Score Reports 2025
DESE ACCESS Score Imputations
Guide to Understanding the Title III Reporting Elements for English Learners in Massachusetts for 2017 and Beyond
Service Now Form: Tier Override Request
Service Now Form: Test Regeneration Request
Service Now Form: Request Permission to Test a Student in an Alternate Setting (WIDA ACCESS)
Service Now Form: WIDA ACCESS Irregularity Reporting
Service Now Form: Test Discrepancies — Request a Scoring Appeal or Test Booklet Search
Last Updated: September 10, 2025