DATE:
Thursday, January 10, 2019
TO:
All Principals
FROM:
Dr. Anthony Godfrey, Associate Superintendent
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability
SUBJECT:
2019 WIDA Testing
The 2019 administration of the WIDA Access 2.0 for students receiving ELL services has begun. Testing will run through March 8, 2019. Because the WIDA assesses English language proficiency, the data gleaned from this assessment will have value for school administrators and teachers as they make instructional decisions to support the learning of EL students. In addition, the results of the WIDA assessment play a factor in the new School Accountability Report Card system.
With this in mind, here are a few helpful hints and reminders for the 2019 WIDA administration:
- The Evaluation, Research & Accountability Department will be sending one (or more) of four teams to your school to administer the WIDA following the schedule attached to this memo.
- When possible, try to schedule a hardwired computer lab for WIDA testing. At times, wireless networks are less than reliable with some test sections like the speaking subtest.
- Try to limit the number of announcements over the intercom during testing.
- When possible, please arrange to have your school technician present on the day of testing in case there are any technology glitches.
- Your Test Coordinator should enter students’ accommodations on the test schedule that has been shared with them via Google Drive. This is the only way for our WIDA testers to know what students should have which accommodations.
- Please work with your ESL teachers/ELL leads to provide students an opportunity to interact with the testing interface and take some practice tests. Sample test items can be found at: https://wbte.drcedirect.com/WIDA/portals/wida.
- Please encourage students to take the test. While state law allows parents to opt students out of the WIDA, the Federal Every Student Succeeds Act does not.
As in the past, WIDA results will be distributed to schools in the spring and will be available on the Data Gateway later in the summer.
