WIDA: English Language Development Standards and Assessment
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), requires state education agencies to establish and implement standardized, statewide entrance and exit procedures for English learners (Section 3113). In accordance with federal regulations, all states are required to:
- identify the languages other than English present in their student population;
- assess the language proficiency of students in order to place them in the appropriate language development program; and
- administer an annual assessment of English proficiency, which includes measuring a student’s oral language, reading, and writing skills in English.
The purpose of the English Language Proficiency Assessments is to determine a student's level of English proficiency. WIDA ACCESS is the English Language Proficiency Assessment administered in Indiana. The W-APT placement test (kindergarten) and the WIDA Screener (grades 1-12) function as a screener that is used for both initial and English Language (EL) program placement of students who are identified as Limited English Proficient (LEP). The annual assessment, ACCESS and Alternate Access, is administered to determine a student's current level of English proficiency. The annual assessment is also used for accountability purposes.
