ACCESS for ELLs

EL Assessment Update: Returning Test Materials and Provisional Report

The ACCESS testing window will close on May 20. As of May 13, about 60,000 English learners had taken the 2021 ACCESS tests. Thank you for your hard work in getting to this point! Below are final reminders to complete the 2020-2021 testing window, and an important announcement regarding reporting.

Reporting Students Who are Not Tested

Schools will have until May 20 to complete ACCESS testing. Please continue your efforts to test as many students as possible prior to the end of the testing window. If there are students who did not or could not participate in testing, please leave their WIDA AMS test sessions as "Not Started." There's no need to mark "ABS" or other Do Not Score codes in WIDA AMS, or on the booklets of students who did not take any test sessions. Student records or booklets that have already been marked with the Do Not Score code "ABS" may be left as marked.

Returning Test Materials

Booklets containing student responses should have either a Pre-ID label (student), or a District/School label with front and back booklet covers bubbled. If additional District/School labels are needed, email access@mass.gov as soon as possible. Booklets that do not have either a Pre-ID label or District/School label affixed will not be scored and cannot be matched to a student. Unused test booklets do not need to have a label placed on them. See the Massachusetts State-Specific Directions and the District and School Test Coordinator Manual for more information. The chart on page 25 of the District and Test Coordinator Manual includes a concise list of which items to return, which to keep at the school, and which to securely destroy.

Conduct an inventory of materials to be shipped to DRC using the Security Checklist that was included in the initial shipment of materials to your school. If there are discrepancies, complete the Accountability Form found under the Materials tab in WIDA AMS listing the discrepancy and secure barcode of the materials not being returned.

Materials should be picked up by UPS no later than May 21, 2021. There is no charge for returning test materials to DRC. Please call DRC Customer Service at 855-787-9615 if a charge is mentioned.

Provisional (Preliminary) Reporting of Results

This year district test coordinators will be provided with "provisional reports," available in WIDA AMS on June 10. Provisional reports will include the results of students for whom all four test domains were scored prior to June 10. Most likely, districts will receive results for only a portion of students who took the tests, with the full electronic results reported as scheduled on August 5, and printed results to follow in September after schools have opened. Provisional reports are not to be shared with parents. These reports are to be used for informational purposes only to gauge the amount of instruction a student may need next year, and whether they may potentially be reclassified as a former EL.

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

Thank you for your attention to this information.