ACCESS for ELLs Interpretive Guide for Score Reports Grades K-12. Spring 2024

ACCESS for ELLs

Interpretive Guide

for Score Reports

Grades K-12

SPRING 2024

UNDERSTANDING STUDENT SCORES

Suggested citation:

WIDA. (2024). ACCESS for ELLs Interpretive Guide for Score Reports Grades K-12. Board of Regents of the

University of Wisconsin System.

Contents

ACCESS for ELLs......................................................................................................................... 2

Understanding Scores ........................................................................................................................... 2

ACCESS for ELLs Score Reports ........................................................................................................3

Individual Student Report..................................................................................................................3

Student Roster Report ......................................................................................................................3

Frequency Reports.............................................................................................................................3

Individual Student Scores .....................................................................................................................4

Domain Scores....................................................................................................................................4

Composite Scores .............................................................................................................................. 7

Kindergarten Scores ..........................................................................................................................8

Interpreting Student Scores .................................................................................................................8

Understanding Student Growth...........................................................................................................9

Group Scores........................................................................................................................................ 10

Student Roster Report .................................................................................................................... 10

Frequency Reports........................................................................................................................... 10

Proficiency Level Descriptors…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….12

Reading the ACCESS for ELLs Individual Student Report…………………………………………………….……...18

This document helps educators understand what students’ ACCESS for ELLs scores mean and what to do

with that information. It also introduces some of the tools available to program coordinators and district

administrators interested in reviewing and taking action on group performance on ACCESS for ELLs.

This document presents WIDA recommendations for interpreting and using test scores. State and district

policies on test score use may differ from one another and may also vary from the recommendations

presented in this document.

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015 requires that all students identified as English language

learners (ELs) be assessed annually for English language proficiency. ACCESS for ELLs meets federal

accountability requirements and provides educators with a measure of the English language proficiency

growth of ELs.

ACCESS for ELLs

ACCESS for ELLs is a suite of large-scale English language proficiency tests for K–12 students. It is one

component of WIDA’s comprehensive, standards-driven system that supports the teaching and learning

of English learners. The purpose of ACCESS for ELLs is to monitor student progress in English language

proficiency on a yearly basis and to serve as just one of the many criteria that educators consider as they

determine whether English learners have attained an English language proficiency level that will allow

them to meaningfully participate in English language classroom instruction without additional language

support. Visit wida.wisc.edu/assess/access for details on ACCESS for ELLs.

ACCESS for ELLs is a standards-referenced test, which means that student performance is compared to

English language development standards WIDA has defined. Students are not ranked against each other

or against the expected performance of monolingual English speakers. The WIDA English Language

Development Standards Framework, 2020 Edition will be the basis of future test development. However,

all tests available in the 2023–2024 school year were based on the 2012 standards. Visit

wida.wisc.edu/teach/standards for more details on WIDA standards.

Understanding Scores

Before diving into your students’ score reports, take some time to familiarize yourself with the resources

on the Can Do Descriptors page of the WIDA website. The Can Do Descriptors and the corresponding

WIDA Performance Definitions for Speaking and Writing and Listening and Reading can help you

understand what test scores mean in practical terms. As you examine and discuss the English language

proficiency portrait that each Individual Student Report shows, use WIDA resources to help you move

from scores to concrete recommendations for the services, instructional support, and future assessment

needs of each student.

Consider holding an in-service session for your school or district so that educators can talk through the

WIDA English Language Development Standards Framework, review sample score reports, and discuss

how students’ scores might inform plans for classroom instruction and support.

WIDA offers a variety of professional development resources that can help educators and administrators

fully understand and make the best use of WIDA assessments. Check out the current professional

learning offerings and the webinars available in the WIDA Secure Portal and on the public website.

Use resources like the Model Performance Indicators, included in the 2012 Amplification of the English

Language Development Standards, to identify and describe the language abilities a student already has,

the skills a student can work on, and the instructional supports that might be effective as a student

develops new language abilities. Share the student portraits and plans you develop with your students’

content teachers.

Scores can also help parents or guardians better understand a student’s abilities. Translate scores and

goals into the student’s home language and share them with the student’s caretakers during

conferences, family nights, or home visits so that home can be a place of active language learning. Find

resources for sharing scores on the Family Engagement page of the WIDA website.

ACCESS for ELLs Score Reports

Individual Student Report

Audience: Students, Parents and Guardians, Teachers, School Teams

Detailed report of a single student’s performance, including proficiency level and scale scores for each

language domain and four composite areas. Share with students to set language goals. Share with

parents and guardians as part of discussions around student progress and achievement. Share with the

student’s teachers to inform individualized classroom instruction and assessment.

Student Roster Report

Audience: Teachers, Program Coordinators and Directors, Administrators

Overview report on the performances of a group of students, including proficiency level and scale scores

for each language domain and composite area by school, grade, student, tier, and grade-level cluster.

Share with administrators and teachers to inform classroom instruction and assessment.

Frequency Reports

High-level report for a single grade within a school, district, or state on the number and percentage of

tested students that achieved each proficiency level for each language domain and composite area.

School Frequency Report

Audience: Program

Coordinators and Directors,

Administrators

Share with school and district

staff to inform school-level

programmatic decisions.

District Frequency Report

Audience: Program Coordinators

and Directors, Administrators,

Boards of Education

Share with district staff to inform

district-level programmatic

decisions.

State Frequency Report

Audience: State and District

Program Staff, Policy Makers and

Legislators

Use to prepare reports for

policymakers and legislators and

to inform state- and district-level

programmatic decisions.

Translations of the Individual Student Report are available in

the following languages in WIDA AMS.

Albanian, Amharic, Arabic (MSA), Bengali, Bosnian, Burmese, Chamorro, Chinese (Simplified),

Chinese (Traditional), Chuukese, Dari, French (European), German, Gujarati, Haitian Creole,

Hawaiian, Hindi, Hmong, Ilokano, Italian, Japanese, Karen, Khmer (Cambodian), Korean, Lao,

Malayalam, Mandingo, Marshallese, Nepali, Pashto, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Punjabi,

Romanian, Russian, Samoan, Serbian, Somali, Spanish (International), Swahili, Tagalog, Telugu,

Tongan, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese, Wolof

Translated reports should always accompany—not replace!—official reports in English.

Individual Student Scores

Domain Scores

The Individual Student Report contains detailed information about a student’s performance on each

section of ACCESS for ELLs. It is primarily for students, parents/guardians, and teachers. It provides a

snapshot of how well the student understands and can produce the language needed to access the

academic content presented in an English-medium classroom. The Individual Student Report shows a

proficiency level and a scale score for each of the four language domains. See the annotated example.

Proficiency levels are interpretive scores. Though they are based on scale scores, they are not the same.

(Scale scores are generated using complex statistical formulas that make sure scores are comparable

from year to year. They are explained in more detail on the next page.) The proficiency level score

describes the student’s performance in terms of the six WIDA English Language Proficiency Levels:

The proficiency level score is a whole number followed by a decimal. The whole number reflects the

student’s proficiency level, and the number after the decimal reflects how far the student has progressed

within that level. For example, a student with a score of 3.7 is at proficiency level 3 and is over halfway

toward achieving proficiency level 4. At the bottom of the Individual Student Report there is a description

of what students can typically do using English at the proficiency level achieved for each domain. A

complete list of the proficiency level descriptors is included on pages 12–17 of this document.

Note that ACCESS for ELLs Paper features two separate test forms for each grade-level cluster, an

easier one (Tier A) and a more challenging one (Tier B/C). ACCESS for ELLs Online features adaptive

Listening and Reading tests, meaning students see easier or harder questions based on their

performance. The tier shown on score reports reflects the average difficulty level of the questions the

student answered. The ACCESS for ELLs Online Speaking test is unique in offering a Pre-Tier A level.

This test, intended specifically for newcomer students, doesn’t allow students to earn a proficiency score

above level 1.

Proficiency levels are domain specific. For example, a sixth grader who earns a scale score of 370 in

Listening is at proficiency level 4.3. If that same student earns a scale score of 370 in Reading, they will

have a Reading proficiency level of 3.8.

Proficiency level scores should not be compared across grades. A second grader with a 4.0 in

Listening and a 3.0 in Speaking is demonstrating more developed listening skills than speaking skills.

However, proficiency levels are relevant to the context of a particular grade level. A second grader with a

4.0 in Listening and an eighth grader with a 4.0 in Listening are exposed to very different, grade-level

See ACCESS for ELLs Scores and Reports on the WIDA website for more information.

appropriate content as they test. While their score reports reflect the same proficiency level, the eighth

grader is demonstrating more skill by responding to more challenging content.

It’s also important to consider grade-appropriate expectations when students in different

grades take the same grade-level cluster test. For example, when a sixth grader and an eighth

grader take the grade-level cluster 6–8 test and both earn proficiency level scores of 4.0, this is the

result of the eighth grader earning a higher scale score. The eighth grader must perform better than the

sixth grader to earn the same proficiency level score because the proficiency level is grade specific. Think

of it like this: When students in different grades each receive an “A” on a math test, this does not reflect

an equivalent knowledge of math. The student in the higher grade likely understands math concepts the

student in the lower grade doesn’t.

In summary, use proficiency levels:

 to make comparisons across domains but not across grades.

 with the WIDA Can Do Descriptors to develop a student-specific English language skill

portrait.

 as one of multiple criteria to determine a student’s eligibility for English language

support services.

Scale scores precisely track student growth over time and across grades. Because scale scores take into

account differences in item difficulty, they place all students on a single continuum that stretches from

kindergarten through grade 12. In addition, scale scores allow you to compare student performance

across grades, within each domain, with more granularity than you’ll see with proficiency levels. For

example, using scale scores, you can track how much a student’s listening ability increases from grade 6

to grade 7, or you might compare the speaking skills of your school’s second graders to that of the fifth

graders when evaluating curricula.

Scale scores are not raw scores. A raw score is simply a tally of correct responses. Raw scores are not

reported for ACCESS for ELLs because they do not provide a meaningful measure of student

performance. For example, consider two students taking ACCESS for ELLs Online. As the students move

through the test, their performances determine which questions they see. The student at beginning

proficiency sees easier items, and the higher-proficiency student sees more difficult items. Scale scores

reflect the fact that a student who correctly answers 10 difficult questions demonstrates a higher level of

proficiency than a student who correctly answers 10 less challenging questions.

Scale scores are a means of comparing equivalent knowledge across grades. However, increasing

expectations at higher grades mean that scale scores do not translate to equivalent proficiency levels

across grades. For example, a scale score of 355 in Listening translates to a proficiency level score of 5.2

for grade 3, 4.6 for grade 4, and 4.0 for grade 5.

In summary, use scale scores:

 to make comparisons across grade levels but not across domains. A scale score of 355 in

Listening is not the same as a 355 in Speaking!

 to monitor student growth over time within a domain.

Confidence bands are included on the Individual Student Report. A scale score is reported as a single

point within a confidence band that shows the Standard Error of Measurement (SEM). In other words, the

box beneath the scale score shows the range of scores a student might receive if that student took the

test again and again at a single point in time.

Confidence bands are a reminder that scale scores represent just one point in a range of potential

student performance outcomes. Consider, for example, these scenarios:

1) The student is healthy and well rested. The testing session goes smoothly.

2) The student isn’t feeling well. The testing session goes smoothly.

3) The student is healthy and well rested. The testing session is repeatedly interrupted by loud

noises in the room next door.

Even though the student is the same, has the same proficiency level, and responds to the same test

questions in all three scenarios, they are most likely to achieve the highest score in the first scenario.

Because ACCESS for ELLs is a statistically reliable assessment, the scores in each scenario would be

similar—but probably not exactly the same. The confidence band reflects the expected score variation.

The ACCESS for ELLs Scale Score to Proficiency Level Lookup Tables in the Secure Portal provide cut

scores for all grade levels.

Different methods are used to score the different domain tests of ACCESS for ELLs.

• The multiple-choice items of the Listening and Reading tests are machine scored.

• The constructed response items of the Writing test are scored by trained raters who use the

WIDA Writing Scoring Scale.

• The constructed response items of the Speaking domain are scored locally by certified test

administrators when students take ACCESS for ELLs Paper. Recorded responses are scored

centrally by trained raters when students take ACCESS for ELLs Online. Both test administrators

and centralized raters use the WIDA Speaking Scoring Scale.

More tailored to instructional planning than the scoring scales are the WIDA Speaking and Writing

Rubrics. These rubrics detail the types of spoken and written language expected of students at each

proficiency level. For example, one characteristic of students at Level 2—Emerging is “repetitive

sentence and phrasal patterns and formulaic grammatical structures.” Students at this proficiency level

might benefit from classroom activities that encourage them to practice new phrases and sentence

structures. These documents, from which the scoring scales are derived, provide a practical list of

specific skills that educators can reference as they plan classroom supports.

WIDA rubrics and scoring scales can be found in the Resources section of the WIDA website.

Composite Scores

In addition to proficiency level and scale scores for each language domain, students receive a proficiency

level score and a scale score for different combinations of the language domains. These composite

scores are Oral Language, Literacy, Comprehension, and Overall. Proficiency levels are always calculated

from scale scores. For example, the Reading and Writing scale scores are used to create a Literacy scale

score. In the Individual Student Report below, a 309 in Reading and a 374 in Writing results in a Literacy

scale score of 342. The Literacy scale score is then associated with the Literacy proficiency level.

Composite scores demand careful consideration. Composite scores can helpfully summarize

student skills. However, similar composite scores can detract from critical differences between students.

For example, two students with identical Overall scores might have very different portraits in terms of

their oral language and literacy development. One student might have very strong speaking skills, while

the other might excel at reading. Because a high score in one language domain can inflate a composite

score, a student’s individual performance in each domain is more informative than a single composite

score.

Only students who complete all four domains receive all four composite scores. If a student does not

complete a particular domain, scores for that domain and any associated composite scores will be

missing from the student’s score report.

The letters NA appear on the Individual Student Report when information recorded on a test booklet or

entered in WIDA AMS specifies that a particular domain test should not be scored. When NA appears for

an individual language domain, NA also appears for the composite scores calculated using that domain,

including the Overall score.

Spaces are blank when a test booklet is returned or an online test submitted without any evidence that

the student engaged with the test content of an entire domain test. (Practice items are not scored, so

completing the practice items does not indicate that the student attempted to complete the test.)

Indications that a student engaged with the test content are:

• Listening and Reading: A response is captured or marked for at least one scored item.

• Speaking: A task was scored on a paper score sheet. OR The Record function in the online test

platform was activated for at least one scored item. A human voice need not be detected in the

recording.

• Writing: Markings appear in a Writing response space in the student’s test booklet. OR At least

one visible character (not a space or a return) was entered in the response box in the online test

platform.

For example:

• A student has a Do Not Score code marked for the Reading domain. NA appears for the Reading,

Literacy, Comprehension, and Overall scores.

• A student logged in to the Speaking test, but never clicked the Record button for any scored

items. The Speaking, Oral Language, and Overall score spaces are blank.

• NA appears for the Listening score. The Speaking score space is blank. In this scenario, NA

appears for the Oral Language and Overall scores.

Kindergarten Scores

Kindergarten ACCESS for ELLs is designed with age-appropriate tasks that presume students are still

developing full literacy skills. Because the test does not assess advanced reading and writing skills—as

young learners with typical language development would not be expected to have these skills—

kindergartners cannot earn scale scores above 400, a Reading proficiency level above 5.0, or a Writing

proficiency level above 4.5.

Interpreting Student Scores

• ACCESS for ELLs scores provide information on students’ English proficiency. They do not

measure students’ academic achievement or content knowledge.

• The ACCESS for ELLs assessment and score reports are not designed or intended to provide

any meaningful information about an individual educator’s skills or performance. School- and

district-wide trends are more meaningful as a means to evaluate long-term program impacts

than as a method to evaluate any one individual or draw conclusions about any particular group

of students.

• WIDA recommends using ACCESS for ELLs scores as one of multiple pieces of information that

inform high-stakes reclassification or exit decisions. Schoolwork, in-class assessments, and

educator insights are all valuable evidence that can help you understand a student’s English

language proficiency and development.

Highest possible proficiency levels on Kindergarten ACCESS for ELLs:

Listening: 6.0 Reading: 5.0 Speaking: 6.0 Writing: 4.5

Understanding Student Growth

Both proficiency levels and scale scores can help you understand student growth year over year.

Proficiency levels are a practical way to understand students’ skills, while scale scores offer a more

nuanced measure of how much a student’s language use and control is changing. As you review ACCESS

for ELLs scores and consider student growth, keep the following information in mind:

• A student’s foundation in a home or primary language is a good predictor of English language

development. For example, a student with a strong literacy background in a home language is

likely to acquire literacy in English at a quicker pace than a student with beginning levels of home

language literacy.

• The pace of language development is different for each individual. It is common for younger

students and those at beginner proficiency levels to make progress more quickly than older

students and those at more advanced proficiency levels.

• Students rarely acquire proficiency across domains at the same pace. Often, oral language skills

(listening and speaking) develop faster than literacy skills (reading and writing). At the same

time, receptive language skills (listening and reading) often develop faster than productive

language skills (speaking and writing). Every student’s growth is different, but it’s not unusual

that students need longer to develop skills in Writing than in any other domain.

State education agencies, not WIDA, set reclassification policies,

which include determining exit criteria and establishing guidelines

for the use of ACCESS for ELLs scores.

Multiple consecutive years of data are necessary to analyze student growth.

Consider the first year a student takes ACCESS for ELLs as an opportunity to establish

a baseline of test performance. Results from the second year can show growth, and only

with three years or more of test results can you see trends in the student’s language

development.

ACCESS for ELLs scores from 2016–2017 and after can be analyzed together and

compared. Scores from before 2016–2017 are not comparable to the scores of

subsequent tests. Consult your state education agency for guidance on working with

test scores from 2016–2017 and prior test administration years.

Group Scores

Student Roster Report

The Student Roster Report contains information on a group of students within a single school and grade.

Like the Individual Student Report, the Student Roster Report provides scale scores and proficiency

levels for individual language domains and composite areas for each student, giving teachers,

administrators, and program coordinators and directors an overview of their students’ English language

skills and a place to look for patterns in student performance.

Use the Student Roster Report:

 to identify patterns in student performance. Consult with colleagues about factors that

might explain similarities and differences in how various groups of students perform.

 to verify that student scores reflect reasonable expectations. For students with particularly

high scores, consider whether their classroom engagement and schoolwork further indicate

that they might be ready to exit language support programs.

 to group students for instructional planning or classroom support purposes.

 to develop school and district improvement plans or educator professional development

opportunities that focus on areas in which students are struggling.

Frequency Reports

Frequency reports provide a snapshot of a particular student population. Available for individual schools,

districts, and states, these reports show the number and percentage of students in each grade to attain

each proficiency level. In addition, the reports provide the highest and lowest scale scores attained in

each of the four language domains. (The individual students who earned these high and low scores are

not identified.)

Administrators, program coordinators and directors, and boards of education can review frequency

reports as they plan the type and amount of English language support services their schools, districts, or

states will offer. In combination with educator input and the results of content assessments, frequency

reports can help high-level decision and policy makers compare the progress and success of EL students

to that of former ELs and their English-proficient peers.

Frequency reports do not show the performance of individual students. Instead, they show the

performance of a group of students using both real numbers of test-takers and percentages of the total

test-taker population. Be sure to use both of these numbers as you consider student performance.

Percentages are a useful way to compare populations of different sizes. However, a small population size

can distort percentage results—knowing that 100% of students achieved a particular proficiency level isn’t

all that meaningful if the population size is 1.

As with all student achievement reports, keep in mind that context is crucial. When you share frequency

reports with decision makers, also provide information about the student population, such as the variety

of backgrounds students bring to your school, district, or state in terms of languages, cultures, and

experiences. The frequency report itself cannot explain why students are distributed as they are among

the proficiency levels. For example, it’s not unusual for a school with many new students or a particularly

mobile or linguistically diverse population to have more students at beginning proficiency levels than

another school with an equally strong English language support program but a more stable and

homogeneous student population. Revisit the Understanding Scores section of this document for links to

resources that can help you connect test scores to classroom practices.

Proficiency Level Descriptors (Grades 1–12)

LISTENING

Level Students at this level generally can…

…understand oral language in English and participate in all academic classes, for example:

• Synthesize information from multiple speakers

• Recognize language that conveys information with precision and accuracy

• Create models or visuals to represent detailed information presented orally

• Identify strengths and limitations of different points of view

…understand oral language in English and participate in all academic classes, for example:

• Expand on others’ ideas

• Distinguish events, people, or situations from oral descriptions

• Recall key information and details about processes or concepts discussed orally

• Identify examples and reasons that support an opinion or viewpoint

…understand oral language in English related to specific topics in school and can participate in

class discussions, for example:

• Exchange information and ideas with others

• Connect people and events based on oral information

• Apply key information about processes or concepts presented orally

• Identify positions or points of view on issues in oral discussions

…understand oral language related to specific common topics in school and can participate in

class discussions, for example:

• Connect spoken ideas to own experiences

• Find, select, and order information from oral descriptions

• Identify the causes and effects of events or situations discussed orally

• Classify pros and cons of issues in discussions

…understand oral language related to specific familiar topics in school and can participate in

class discussions, for example:

• Identify main topics in discussions

• Categorize or sequence information presented orally using pictures or objects

• Follow short oral directions with the help of pictures

• Sort facts and opinions stated orally

…understand oral messages that include visuals and gestures and may contain a few everyday

words or phrases in English, for example:

• Recognize familiar words and phrases in conversations

• Match information from oral descriptions to objects, figures, or illustrations

• Follow one-step oral directions

• Show agreement or disagreement with oral statements

Proficiency Level Descriptors (Grades 1–12)

SPEAKING

Level Students at this level generally can…

…use English to communicate orally and participate in all academic classes, for example:

• React and respond to multiple points of view

• Organize and present research-based information

• Clarify how or why something happens

• Persuade others based on opinions, examples, and reasons

…use English to communicate orally and participate in all academic classes, for example:

• Discuss the causes and impact of events

• Summarize and relate information

• Present and justify ideas showing how or why

• Express and defend opinions backed by examples and reasons

…communicate orally in English using language related to specific topics in school and can

participate in class discussions, for example:

• Compare stories, issues, and concepts

• Paraphrase and summarize information

• State ideas to show how or why with examples

• Give opinions supported by detailed reasons

…communicate ideas and details orally in English using several connected sentences and can

participate in short conversations and discussions in school, for example:

• Relate stories or events

• Share ideas and provide details

• Describe processes or procedures

• Give opinions with reasons

…communicate ideas and information orally in English using language that contains short

sentences and everyday words and phrases, for example:

• Share about what, when, or where something happened

• Compare objects, people, pictures, and events

• Describe steps in cycles or processes

• Express opinions

…communicate orally in English using gestures and language that may contain a few words,

for example:

• Ask and answer simple questions about what, when, or where something happened

• Name familiar objects, people, and pictures

• Show how to solve problems using words and gestures

• Express personal preferences

Proficiency Level Descriptors (Grades 1–12)

READING

Level Students at this level generally can…

…understand written language in English from all academic classes, for example:

• Evaluate written information from various sources of information

• Conduct research and synthesize information from multiple sources

• Distinguish various processes based on details in written texts

• Recognize different ideas, claims, and evidence about a variety of issues

…understand written language in English from all academic classes, for example:

• Summarize information on a variety of topics and for a variety of purposes

• Compare ideas and information across various texts

• Identify causes, effects, and consequences of events from written information

• Recognize claims and supporting evidence around specific issues or concepts

…understand written language related to specific topics in school, for example:

• Distinguish viewpoints and justifications described in editorials and other written texts

• Identify main ideas and details in informational and fictional texts

• Recognize biases and diverse perspectives in written text

• Connect claims, evidence, and examples in a variety of written sources

…understand written language related to common topics in school and can participate in

class discussions, for example:

• Classify main ideas and examples in written information

• Identify main information that tells who, what, when, or where something happened

• Identify steps in written processes and procedures

• Recognize language related to claims and supporting evidence

…understand written language related to specific familiar topics in school and can participate

in class discussions, for example:

• Identify main ideas in written information

• Identify main actors and events in stories and simple texts with pictures or graphs

• Sequence pictures, events, or steps in processes

• Distinguish between claim and evidence statements

…understand written texts that include visuals and may contain a few words or phrases in

English, for example:

• Interpret information from graphs, charts, and other visual information

• Comprehend short text with illustrations and simple and familiar language

• Identify steps in processes presented in graphs or short texts with illustrations

• Identify words and phrases that express opinions and claims

Proficiency Level Descriptors (Grades 1–12)

WRITING

Level Students at this level generally can…

…communicate in writing in English using language from all academic classes, for example:

• Produce clearly organized commentaries and editorials on various issues

• Elaborate narratives with rich, descriptive language and complex organization

• Create formal written reports on a variety of issues, ideas, and information

• Produce well-organized persuasive essays using complex and technical language

…communicate in writing using language from all academic classes, for example:

• Create detailed opinion pieces about a variety of topics

• Write summaries of various types of texts

• Describe causes, effects, and consequences of processes and events

• Express and defend positions supported by examples and reasons

…communicate in writing in English using language related to specific topics in school, for

example:

• Produce papers describing specific ideas or concepts

• Narrate stories with details of people, events, and situations

• Create explanatory text that includes details or examples

• Provide opinions supported by reasons with details

…communicate in writing in English using language related to common topics in school, for

example:

• Describe familiar issues and events

• Create stories or short narratives

• Describe processes and procedures with some details

• Give opinions with reasons in a few short sentences

…communicate in writing in English using language related to familiar topics in school, for

example:

• Describe ideas or concepts using phrases or short sentences

• Label illustrations describing what, when, or where something happened

• State steps in processes or procedures

• Express opinions about specific topics or situations

…communicate in writing using visuals and symbols that may contain few words in English, for

example:

• Express ideas or concepts using text and illustrations

• Share personal experiences through drawings and words

• Label steps in processes presented in graphs or short texts

• State opinions or preferences through text and illustrations

Proficiency Level Descriptors (Kindergarten)

LISTENING

Level Students at this level generally can…

…understand detailed stories and ideas related to a variety of topics and situations, including

language with multiple meanings and original language

…understand stories, messages, or directions and detailed information, including technical

and specific language related to a variety of topics and situations

…understand main ideas and details in stories, messages, or directions, including language

specific to particular topics or situations

3 …understand ideas and some details in language that is related to school

…understand messages or directions involving language related to routines and familiar

experiences

1 …understand brief messages and short commands

SPEAKING

Level Students at this level generally can…

…communicate connected ideas in a variety of situations using language appropriately and

taking risks in using language in new and creative ways

…communicate details about ideas or stories or elaborate on topics using language specific

to the topic or situation

4 …communicate ideas using a series of sentences related to the topic

3 …communicate ideas using short sentences related to routines and familiar situations

2 ...communicate ideas using words and phrases related to everyday routines or situations

1 …communicate using familiar words, gestures, or body language

Proficiency Level Descriptors (Kindergarten)

READING

Level Students at this level generally can…

6* …identify new information and details for a variety of purposes in illustrated text

5 …identify new information and some details in illustrated text

4 …identify main ideas about familiar topics and some details in illustrated text

3 …identify familiar repetitive language in illustrated text

2 …identify language represented visually in illustrated text

1 …identify meaning or messages in drawings, symbols, or other visual representations

WRITING

Level Students at this level generally can…

6* …communicate details about ideas or stories for a variety of purposes and situations

5* …communicate ideas and information using language related to specific topics and situations

…communicate ideas and information with some details using language related to familiar

topics and situations

3 …communicate ideas and information using language related to familiar topics

…communicate messages using visual and written language related to everyday routines and

situations

1 …communicate messages using drawings, symbols, or other visual representations

*Kindergarten ACCESS for ELLs does not assess advanced literacy skills, so these proficiency levels

cannot be earned on the assessment.

Reading the ACCESS for ELLs Individual Student Report