English Language Proficiency Assessments

English Proficiency Banner

The annual assessment of English language proficiency (ELP) for all students identified as multilingual learners (MLs) in grades Kindergarten – 12 is required by federal law within the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015. Maine utilizes the WIDA ACCESS Online (grades 1-12) and the WIDA ACCESS for Kindergarten as the annual ELP assessment. For a very small percentage of multilingual learners with the most significant cognitive disabilities, who have been found eligible for participation in alternate assessment via the IEP Team process using state guidance resources, that assessment is the WIDA Alternate ACCESS (grades K-12). 

 
WIDA ACCESS Online / WIDA ACCESS for Kindergarten
  • Test Design & Standards
    WIDA ACCESS and WIDA ACCESS for Kindergarten are aligned to the WIDA English Language Development (ELD)Standards 2020 Edition. Maine adopted the WIDA ELD Standards Framework, 2020 Edition in spring 2021 as a critical companion to the state educational standards.
  • Assessment Training

    Test administrators participating in the required Test Administrator Training courses are a critical component in ensuring a valid and reliable administration of the assessment for all Maine students. In Maine, WIDA ACCESS Test Administrators are not required to carry an ESOL/660 endorsement. Test Administrators do need to meet the following criteria:

    • Participation and completion of the required WIDA training course (see below)
    • Knowledge of the student’s Individual Language Acquisition Plan (ILAP), including familiarity with documented accommodations for instruction/assessment
       
    WIDA ACCESS for Kindergarten WIDA Access Online
    WIDA ACCESS for Kindergarten: Administration and Scoring WIDA ACCESS Online: Administration
    Certification date must occur on/after September 29th, 2025 Certification required
    Re-certification required annually beginning SY 2025-2026 Re-certification will be required annually beginning SY 2026-2027

    To obtain a new WIDA Secure Portal account, Maine educators can contact their local SAU Director/Coordinator of Multilingual Programs: Contact Search Dashboard
  • Accessibility & Accommodations

    Accommodations are changes to procedures that support equitable access for students with disabilities without lowering expectations or changing the measurement. Accommodations can be applied to the presentation, scheduling, response and setting, and should be selected by the full IEP Team (including ML educator) based on how the student is regularly accessing instruction and learning.

    • For information about accommodations in assessment format, please see Special Forms below.
    • For more information about accessibility features, including accommodations, on the ACCESS suite of assessments: Accessibility and Accommodations Manual
       
  • Scoring & Reporting

    WIDA ACCESS Online and WIDA ACCESS for Kindergarten data provide reporting resources at the state, SAU, school and student levels. To explore reporting resources, including WIDA ACCESS Proficiency Level Descriptors, visit the WIDA website and select Resources > Scores and Reports.

    • For Maine DOE professional learning on this topic, please visit the Event Calendar at: Event Calendar | Department of Education
    • For recorded WIDA webinars on this topic, please log in to the WIDA Secure Portal > Webinars at: WIDA (login required)
  • Additional Resources

    To view the Maine State Page/WIDA Consortium, please visit: Maine

    For more information on identification, services and resources for multilingual learners and their families, please visit: Multilingual Learners
WIDA Alternate ACCESS
  • Test Design & Standards

    WIDA Alternate ACCESS is aligned to the WIDA English Language Development (ELD) Standards 2020 Edition. The WIDA Alternate Can DO Descriptors serve as an additional resource exemplifying what students can do at various levels of English proficiency, and are reduced in depth, breadth and complexity for the 1% population of students.

    Maine adopted the WIDA ELD Standards Framework, 2020 Edition in spring 2021 as a critical companion to the state educational standards.

  • Required Assessment Training

    Test administrators participating in the required Test Administrator Training courses are a critical component in ensuring a valid and reliable administration of the assessment for all Maine students. In Maine, WIDA ACCESS Test Administrators are not required to carry an ESOL/660 endorsement. Test Administrators do need to meet the following criteria:

    • Participation and completion of the required WIDA training course (see below)
    • Knowledge of the student’s Individual Language Acquisition Plan (ILAP) and IEP, including familiarity with documented accommodations for instruction/assessment
       
    WIDA Alternate ACCESS
    WIDA Alternate ACCESS: Administration & Scoring
    Certification must be on or after July 1, 2024
    Re-certification will be required annually beginning SY 2026-2027


    To obtain a new WIDA Secure Portal account, Maine educators can contact their local SAU Director/Coordinator of Multilingual Programs: Contact Search Dashboard

  • Accessibility & Accommodations

    Accommodations are changes to procedures that support equitable access for students with disabilities without lowering expectations or changing the measurement. Accommodations can be applied to the presentation, scheduling, response and setting, and should be selected by the full IEP Team (including ML educator) based on how the student is regularly accessing instruction and learning.

    • For information about accommodations in assessment format, please see Special Forms below.
    • For more information about accessibility features, including accommodations, on the ACCESS suite of assessments: Accessibility and Accommodations Manual
       
  • Scoring & Reporting

    WIDA Alternate ACCESS data produce reporting resources at the state, SAU, school and student levels. To explore reporting resources, visit the WIDA website and select Resources > Alternate ACCESS > Scores and Reports.

    For information about the Alternate Proficiency Level Descriptors, please visit the WIDA Secure Portal (login required) and select Resources > Alternate ACCESS > Scores and Reports.

    • For Maine DOE professional learning on this topic, please visit the Event Calendar
    • For recorded WIDA webinars on this topic, please log in to the WIDA Secure Portal > Webinars at: WIDA (login required)
  • Additional Resources

    Maine’s resources for IEP Teams determining eligibility for a student’s participation in alternate assessment participation can found here: Multi-State Alternate Assessment (MSAA)

 

Contact

Mechelle Ganglfinger
ELP Assessment Coordinator
Phone: 207-242-4244
Email: Mechelle.Ganglfinger@maine.gov