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District
  1. Departments
  2. Multilingual Education and Student Supports
  3. Multilingual Education Program
  4. English Language Proficiency Assessment

English Language Proficiency Assessment

  • English Language Proficiency Screener

    Washington uses the WIDA Screener assessments to determine the English Language Proficiency (ELP) of students who have been identified as potential ML students based on the Home Language Survey. Kindergarten students are screened using the WIDA Screener for Kindergarten and students in grades 1-12 are screened using the WIDA Online Screener.

    Transfer Students

    Transfer students may complete a new HLS as part of the enrollment process. If there is a discrepancy between the new HLS and the HLS completed at the sending district, program eligibility determinations should be made based on the HLS that indicates a language other than English.

    In-State Transfer Students

    For students transferring from another Washington school district who are already identified as an ML student receiving services within the last 12 months, no assessment is necessary. ML services will continue.

    For students who may qualify based on the HLS, but do not have a screener from their previous district, Mukilteo ML teachers will contact the sending district to determine if the student completed the WIDA Screener. If no response is received within 9 days, the student should be given a new WIDA Screener placement test.

    If an eligible ML student has not been tested within the 2 most recent years with the annual WIDA ACCESS assessment, Mukilteo may choose to administer an assessment to determine current English language proficiency to inform placement.

    Out-of-State Transfer Students

    Students new to Washington (no in-state enrollment for 12 months or longer), who meet the criteria on the HLS, must take the WIDA Screener to determine eligibility unless the student has out-of-state WIDA ACCESS scores from within the previous 12 months. See the flowchart on the following page for additional clarification.

    Washington does not accept WIDA Screener scores from out of state.

    A flowchart that describes the process for determining if a student is eligible for ML services.

    Annual Assessment

    Multilingual Learners, who have not attained English language proficiency, shall be assessed during state-wide testing in a valid, reliable manner and provided appropriate accommodations to yield accurate data regarding student knowledge and ability in academic content areas.

    ESSA 1111 (2) (G) requires districts to assess the ELP of all ML students on an annual basis. In Washington, the WIDA Kindergarten ACCESS for ELLs and ACCESS for ELLs Online (grades 1-12) is given to all MLs during the annual testing window.

    The ACCESS assesses the student’s language in four domains: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

    Any student with an ML identification must take the ACCESS test. An ML student will participate in the annual ACCESS test until meeting the state exit criteria.

    The Alternate ACCESS is a paper-based test individually administered to MLs in grades 1-12 with significant cognitive disabilities. Each student’s IEP team determines which assessment the student should take, and each student’s IEP or 504 team determines if accommodations are required.