SD English Language Proficiency Assessment
(ACCESS 2.0)
South Dakota is a part WIDA (World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment), a consortium of states dedicated to the design and implementation of high standards and educational opportunities for English learners. WIDA provides South Dakota with language proficiency assessments for grades K-12.
The WIDA Screener for Kindergarten and Grades 1-12 Online Screener are English language proficiency assessments given to incoming students in Grades KG-12 to assist educators with the identification of students as English learners (EL). The purpose of these assessments is to help educators make decisions about whether a student is deemed eligible for EL services.
The WIDA Screener for Kindergarten is a paper-based assessment that is administered one-on-one to Kindergarten assessment. The WIDA Screener Online is flexible, on-demand, and administered online.
ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 - stands for Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners. This large-scale test addresses the academic English language proficiency (ELP) standards at the core of the WIDA Consortium's approach to instructing and evaluating the progress of English learners. ACCESS for ELLs is taken annually by identified English learners to measure their English proficiency. The South Dakota Department of Education requires ELs in Grades 1-12 be administered the online version except in cases where online testing is not allowed. There are many benefits to the online testing, increased student engagement through the more dynamic testing experience, built-in accommodations, and accessibility features appropriate, to name a few. With the online version, multiple grades can be administered and finally, increased ease for TAs, who will no longer need to administer and score the Speaking test one-on-one. Kindergarten ACCESS for ELLs continues to be paper-based and Alternate ACCESS for ELLs will remain the same. ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 paper-based assessment will be available for districts that are not allowed online testing. The paper-based version will also be available as an accommodation.
Testing Vendor- Data Recognition Corporation will serve as the operational test vendor for ACCESS for ELLs 2.0, both online and paper.
Grade Level Clusters
- For more information on ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 please visit: https://www.wida.us/assessment/ACCESS20.aspx#about
WIDA provides a variety of resources to help schools communicate with families of English learners.
Contact the Assessment Staff with any questions.