CAL test developers and psychometricians with the WIDA Consortium have announced the release date for a new assessment to help educators identify students who are candidates for English language support services.

Starting March 30, the new assessment for Kindergarten English language learners called “WIDA Screener for Kindergarten” will be available for members of the WIDA Consortium. Trainings and test materials will be available through the member portal, and test kits may be purchased from the WIDA Store.

This new assessment is designed specifically for young learners, and features an engaging story and activity-centered test experience, and a responsive test design that lets students stop when they reach the extent of their current language skills. It is intended to help educators identify students who are candidates for English language support services, and to help parents and education teams make decisions about students’ need for language support.

View a video illustrating a test administration at https://wida.wisc.edu/assess/screener/kindergarten