WIDA ACCESS Writing Tryouts

December 7–18, 2026

The Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) is pleased to announce a new round of WIDA ACCESS Writing Tryouts, which will take place December 7–18, 2026.

Tryouts are an opportunity for educators and students to be part of the development of new WIDA ACCESS Writing tasks. Educators and students who participate help make sure new tasks work as intended before tasks go to large-scale field testing. Tryouts also give students a chance to practice completing WIDA ACCESS Writing tasks.

Who can participate?

• Teachers who work with English language learners (ELLs) in grades 1–12, at all proficiency levels (1–6).
• English language learners who are identified by the teacher and receive parental consent. Written parental consent and child assent are required.

What will we do?

Educators will…

• Complete a Non-Disclosure Agreement and consent form
• Identify at least 10 students eligible to participate in the Tryouts
• Administer writing tasks to students during the Tryouts window, December 7–18, 2026
• Complete online surveys to provide feedback on the writing tasks
• Return all Tryouts materials, including student responses and hard copy consent forms
• Receive a $200 electronic gift card for school supplies upon completion of all activities

Students will…

• Complete one writing task (20 – 30 minutes)
  • Students in Grades 1–3 will view and respond to tasks in a printed booklet.
  • Students in Grades 4–12 will view tasks on a computer and respond in a printed booklet.

CAL Research staff will…

• Provide instructions for all aspects of the Tryouts, including how to access Grades 4–12 writing tasks using Google Chrome on a desktop or laptop (tablets are not supported)
• Provide all printed materials, including student booklets
• Provide a pre-paid FedEx label for the return of materials

I’m interested! What should I do?

Please complete an application at THIS LINK. For full consideration, apply by Friday, October 9.

In the application, you will be asked to provide:

• Your name, job title, contact information, school district, school name, and school mailing address
• The number of potential student participants at each grade cluster and proficiency range (levels 1–3, levels 3–6)

Questions? Contact Leah Cave at lcave@cal.org.

Thank you for your interest in this important activity!