OSSE’s English learner policies are provided in the publication Delivering Education Services to English Learners. The following updates have been made since the latest release in February 2024: 

• WIDA Alternate Screener: The WIDA Alternate Screener is an English language proficiency assessment for K-12 students with the most significant cognitive disabilities to help determine if students are ELs. The screener is available beginning in the 2025-26 school year. 
• WIDA Alternate ACCESS Exit Criteria: OSSE has established an EL exit criteria for students administered the WIDA Alternate ACCESS  assessment, an English language proficiency test that measures the English language skills of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. OSSE has monitored and evaluated the performance of ELs with the most significant cognitive disabilities on the assessment to determine when students no longer need EL services to succeed in the classroom. Based on analysis of students’ performance on the assessment conducted by WIDA and OSSE, the EL exit criteria will be a Proficiency Level 4 (PL4) on the WIDA Alternate ACCESS for students in grades K-12, beginning with the 2024-25 school year administration. 
• Less than Four Domains Exit Criteria: OSSE has an established process for approving student exemption from completing one or more domains of the statewide English language proficiency assessment, ACCESS for ELLs or WIDA Alternate ACCESS. In the rare event that a student’s disability prevents them from accessing all four domains (Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing) of the assessment, an individual student can be exempted from a specified domain or domains of the ACCESS for ELLs or WIDA Alternate ACCESS assessment.

For more information, please contact Angela Awonaike at [email protected].