Pennsylvania
On this page you will find:
Who is allowed to become a certified W-APT or ACCESS for ELLs test administrator in PA?
- The test administrator must be a certified teacher.
- The certified teacher needs to complete the WIDA training module(s) assigned and obtain a quiz score of an 80% or higher on those modules assigned by the LEA facilitator.
- The certified teacher should have knowledge of the levels of WIDA and PA English Language Proficiency Standards (PA ELPS) and have experience teaching English Language Learners.
- A reading specialist or any other certified teacher who meets these criteria is eligible to administer the assessment.
Assessment Materials & Training |
Question |
Information |
Contact |
How do I gain access to view and/or download W-APT screener materials? |
Your W-APT Username and Password are required |
Your district facilitator |
How do I set up my account for the ACCESS for ELLs® Test Administrator Training Course? |
You will need:
- Your name
- Your email address
-Your district name or the name of your LEA |
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|
Your district facilitator will register you for an account. Afterwards, you should receive an enrollment email with your username and password. If you don't see this message, please check your spam and bulk mail folders. |
Your district facilitator |
Am I required to take the training quizzes to become approved to administer the ACCESS test? |
Yes. All test administrators must retake the speaking portion of the training each year. First time test administrators must complete the training course and pass the quizzes with a score of 80 or above. |
Login |
Do I need to retake the training quizzes if I passed them last year? |
No, but review of the training course is strongly recommended. Retaking the speaking test portion is required as stated above. First time administrators must complete the entire training. |
Login |
Do I need to provide proof of a passing quiz grade (80%) from previous years? |
Yes |
Please confirm with your district facilitator that he or she has record of your passing quiz grade on file. |
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Important ACCESS for ELLs® Dates |
Task |
Start Date |
End Date |
| LEA Test Administrator Training Window |
TBD |
TBD |
LEAs Order Test Materials |
TBD |
TBD |
Precode data collection period for ACCESS for ELLs®
data elements (PIMS) |
TBD |
TBD |
LEAs Receive Test Materials |
TBD |
TBD |
Test Window |
1/24/2011 |
3/4/2011 |
Order Additional Materials Deadline |
- |
TBD |
LEAs Ship Completed Materials to MetriTech |
- |
TBD |
Data Validation website open for LEAs to correct
demographic information |
TBD |
TBD |
Reports Shipped to District* |
TBD* |
TBD* |
* Subject to change depending on when all test booklets are received by MetriTech.
Professional Development Opportunities |
Dates |
Information |
Register |
TBD |
ACCESS for ELLs® Test Administration Course Overview |
http://www.eslportalpa.info |
TBD |
ACCESS for ELLs®: Test ordering, administrative, and security procedures |
http://www.eslportalpa.info |
TBD |
ACCESS for ELLs® Kindergarten and Grades 1-12 Test Administrator Training |
|
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Miscellaneous Information
Exit Criteria for Pennsylvania's English Language Instructional Programs for English Language Learners
The exit criteria provided below for English Language Learners (ELLs) represent valid and reliable evidence of a student's English language proficiency to exit from an English language instructional program. Every LEA must include the following exit criteria in the LEA Program Plan for ELLs.
In order to meet the required state exit criteria for Pennsylvania's English language instructional programs for ELLs, LEAs must use both of the required exit criteria listed below. In addition, LEAs must ensure that students meet one of the two additional exit criteria provided below to exit from an English language instructional program:
Required Exit Criteria:
1. Score of BASIC on the annual Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA).
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:
- For students transferring from other states, out-of-state academic achievement assessment results may be considered when the academic proficiency level is comparable to BASIC on the PSSA.
- For students who are in a grade that is not assessed with the PSSA, LEAs must use each of the remaining criteria listed below to exit students.
2. A composite proficiency score of 5.0 on a Tier C ACCESS for ELLs® assessment (see Items A and B below for cutoff score flexibility)
A. Following the scoring criteria in the table below, the W-APT™ may be administered between April and June to students who scored below the minimum cutoff for program exit on the January administration of the ACCESS for ELLs® in order to demonstrate sufficient progress to justify exit.
NOTE: The W-APT™ may ONLY be administered to a student once in any school year.
| Grade Level |
ACCESS Score |
Required W-APT Scores* |
K |
(Cutoff score flexibility not allowable for Kindergarteners) |
1-5 |
4.6-4.9 |
5.0 in each domain |
| 6-8 |
4.7-4.9 |
5.0 in each domain |
9-12 |
4.8-4.9 |
5.0 in each domain |
* A student must score 5.0 in each domain (listening, speaking, reading and writing). A composite proficiency score will not be used.
B. A score of PROFICIENT on the reading PSSA can be used along with all other required criteria outlined in this policy to justify exit for students who achieve a composite proficiency score of 4.5 to 4.9 on the January administration of the ACCESS for ELLs®. In this case, W-APT™ scores are not necessary to demonstrate progress from the time of ACCESS for ELLs® administration to the end of the school year.
Additional Exit Criteria:
1. Final grades of C or better in core subject areas (Mathematics, Language Arts, Science and Social Studies).
2. Scores on district-wide assessments that are comparable to the BASIC performance level on the PSSA.
Composite Proficiency Scores
ACCESS for ELLs® proficiency scores, as presented on the teacher report, consist of a whole number followed by a decimal. The whole number indicates the student's proficiency level (1.0 = Entering, 5.0 = Bridging). The decimal, ranging from 1-9, represents the progress within the proficiency level that the student achieved. For example, 4.0 is the lowest score in the Expanding proficiency level, while 4.9 is the highest score before a student progresses into the Bridging proficiency level.
ACCESS for ELLs® Tiers and scoring caps
The ACCESS for ELLs® assessment is broken into 3 tiers (A, B, or C) at each grade level cluster. Scores for the Tier A assessment are capped at 4.0. Scores for the Tier B assessment are capped at 5.0. The Tier C assessment is the only assessment on which a student can achieve a score from 1.0 to 6.0 in all domains. This applies only to the ACCESS for ELLs® assessment, the Kindergarten ACCESS for ELLs® is not tiered.
ACCESS for ELLs® Tier Requirement for Exit
Only scores above 5.0 on a Tier C ACCESS for ELLs® assessment will be acceptable for exit.
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