1. ELP Assessment: Screening, Placement, and Annual Test Participation
July 2018
Kia Johnson
ELP Assessment Specialist

2. Overview By the conclusion of this presentation, you will be able to:
Understand Virginia’s identification and screening procedures; and,
Understanding annual assessment procedures and requirements.

3. WIDA
Is a cooperative group whose purpose is to develop standards and assessments that meet the goals of ESSA and promote educational equity for ELs.
Works with DRC to deliver English language proficiency assessments for screening and annual placement purposes.

4. How To Identify ELs
By the end of this section, you will be able to answer the following questions:
What document helps to determine potential ELs that need language screening?
What three questions must be asked on this document?
What is the time window for screening a potential EL after enrollment?
What are the available screening tools for determining an EL’s language proficiency?
What is the state policy for identifying and placing ELs in an ESOL program?

5. Determining Potential ELs
The home language survey is the document that assists in determining potential English learners.
This document may be administered as a separate survey or the questions may be included in the school’s enrollment documentation.

6. Home Language Survey Questions
What is the primary language used in the home, regardless of the language spoken by the student?
What is the language most often spoken by the student?
What is the language that the student first acquired?

7. When to Screen ELs
National Center for English Language Acquisition (NCELA). (2016, November). English Learner Tool Kit for State and Local Education Agencies (SEAs and LEAs). Retrieved May 2, 2018, from

8. W-APT Discontinuation
Superintendent’s Memo
As of August 31, 2017, the Grade 1-12 W-APT screening tool is no longer supported by WIDA.
Virginia will discontinue the use of the Grade 1-12 W-APT screening tool on October 31, 2018.
Effective November 1, 2018, school divisions may select from the following WIDA screening tools:

9. Available Screening Tools
WIDA Screener Online
WIDA Screener Paper
WIDA Model
Kindergarten W-APT

10. WIDA Screener Online Available for ELs is Grades 1-12
Flexible, on-demand, and adaptive
Free to download materials and administer
Students in grades 1–3 handwrite their responses. Grades 4-12 handwrite or keyboard.
Aligned with ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 Scoring Scale
Writing and Speaking are scored locally in WIDA AMS

11. WIDA Screener Paper Available for ELs in Grades 1-12
Two testing paths, A and B
Testing materials are ordered through WIDA Store
Entire test is scored locally

12. WIDA Screener Practice
Speaking domain practice available at
Must be logged in
Practice paper and online scoring

13. WIDA Model Available online or on paper for Grades K-12
Materials purchased through WIDA store
Grades 6-12 MODEL, same tasks on paper and online
Scores Levels 1 through 6

14. Kindergarten W-APT
Does not assign scores across the full range of WIDA ELP levels 1-6
Scores for Speaking and Listening are marked as showing low, mid, high, or exceptional proficiency
The WIDA MODEL for Kindergarten assessment yields a score between 1 and 6 on the WIDA ELP scale
Optional replacement to the Kindergarten W-APT. 

15. Kindergarten W-APT Continued
May be administered to students in the spring prior to their Kindergarten year
Only administer Listening and Speaking
If administered during the student’s Kindergarten year, administer as follows:
Listening and Speaking portions if enrolled during first semester
Administer all domains if enrolling in the second semester of the Kindergarten year

16. State Policy on Placing ELs
WIDA Virginia Webpage
WIDA Identification and Placement Document
Superintendent’s Memo #194-17: Entrance Procedures

17. Section 1 Review Discuss with a neighbor…
What document helps to determine potential ELs that need language screening?
What three questions must be asked on this document?
What is the time window for screening a potential EL after enrollment?
What are the available screening tools for determining an EL’s language proficiency?
What is the state policy for identifying and placing ELs in an ESOL program?

18. What Next? Once a student has been identified as an EL:
Provide Language Acquisition Services according to their proficiency level;
Provide classroom instruction modifications;
Provide testing accommodations; and,
Assess language proficiency annually.

19. Annual Language Proficiency Assessment
By the end of this section, you will be able to answer the following questions:
How many annual language proficiency assessments are available and what are they?
Who takes them?
When are these assessments administered?
What are procedures for before testing? During testing? After testing?
How are scores reported?

20. Virginia ELP Assessments
Virginia ELP Checklist K-12
Virginia ELP Checklist K
Alternate ACCESS
Kindergarten ACCESS
ACCESS for ELLs 2.0

21. Virginia ELP Checklist – K12
Formally titled the Virginia English Language Proficiency Checklist for EL Students K-12 with Hearing and Visual Impairments
Administer the Listening and Speaking for Visually Impaired
Administer Reading and Writing for Hearing Impaired
Collect evidence for each MPI under the domain tested
Scored locally

22. Virginia ELP Checklist - K
Formally titled the Virginia English Language Proficiency Checklist for EL Students in Kindergarten with Significant Cognitive Disabilities
All AMPIs must be demonstrated for a student to be classified at the proficiency level of the checklist
If the student cannot produce evidence for all AMPIs, a lower proficiency level checklist should be administered
Scored locally

23. Alternate ACCESS
Secure large–scale English language proficiency (ELP) assessment administered to students in grades 1–12
Paper format only
Materials purchased through WIDA AMS
For ELs with the most significant cognitive disabilities
Alternate proficiency levels
Scored by WIDA

24. Kindergarten ACCESS Available in paper format for EL s in K
Materials purchased ordered through WIDA AMS
Scores Levels 1 through 6
Entire test scored locally by the test administrator

25. ACCESS for ELLs 2.0
Secure large-scale English language proficiency assessment administered to Kindergarten through 12th grade ELs
Available in online or paper format
Materials ordered through WIDA AMS during Pre-ID Upload and Additional Materials Windows
Scores Proficiency Levels 1 through 6
All domain must be attempted for a composite score to be calculated
Paper version, Speaking is scored locally
Online version, All domains scored by WIDA

26. ELP Assessment Participation
All students identified as an EL must be administered an ELP assessment each Spring
For students that are not assessed, they are reported to VDOE via the “Students Not Assessed” documentation
Note: Students not tested during this time will not receive their first data point for calculating progress in English

27. ELP Assessment Window

28. Testing Procedures Before During After Training File irregularities
Collect and inventory materials
Student upload and materials ordering
Additional materials ordering
Label and ship
Certification Quizzes
Monitor school sites
Data Validation

29. Score Reporting
Score reports are received electronically and by made at the beginning of June
Review reports for accurate data and complete data validation procedures to correct information

30. Section 2 Review Open Discussion
How many annual language proficiency assessments are available and what are they?
Who takes them?
When are these assessments administered?
What are procedures for before testing? During testing? After testing?
How are scores reported?

31. ELP Assessment Resources
WIDA Virginia Webpage
Virginia ELP Assessment Webpage
WIDA AMS / DRC
ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 Accommodations

32. Questions?

33. Contact Information
Kia Johnson Office of Student Assessment and School Improvement Phone: (804)