Proviso Township HSD 209 outlines WIDA ACCESS testing schedule and Illinois Seal of Biliteracy options

Proviso Township High School District 209 multilingual staff told families on the district BPAC call that WIDA ACCESS testing for multilingual students will be administered during the week of Feb. 16–20 with additional make-up sessions from Feb. 23 to March 3.

"Todas las sesiones de evaluación ACCESS se llevarán a cabo durante la semana del 16 al 20 de febrero," said Jim Caller, director of the district multilingual program, who opened the meeting and reviewed the schedule and logistics. The district said tests are scheduled in two sessions so students miss only one school day.

Why it matters: ACCESS is the state-aligned English-language proficiency assessment used to measure listening, reading, speaking and writing. Scores inform placement, instruction and whether a student exits English-learner status. The presenters emphasized that the test is a snapshot of student progress, not a punitive measure, and urged families to ensure students arrive rested, fed and with charged devices.

District presenters gave specifics on who will test and when. A presenter reported that 509 students are scheduled at Proviso East, 562 at Proviso West and 75 at PMS, for a total of 1,038 multilingual students in the district. East and West are scheduled to test on Feb. 17 and 19; PMS on Feb. 18 and 20. Caller said make-up opportunities run Feb. 23–March 3.

Format and scoring: Staff explained that ACCESS covers four domains and that listening and reading are adaptive; after completing those two domains the system assigns a level. The district described domain-level scores from 1–6 and a composite score. Presenters said the composite threshold to exit EL status is 4.8; one presenter noted a video used "5" for simplicity, but clarified the exact threshold is 4.8.

Test-day guidance and supports: Presenters repeatedly advised families to ensure students arrive on time, bring chargers and use built-in accessibility features. Teachers and technology staff will be present to assist with connectivity or device issues. Presenters described practice materials and district videos that will be shown to students and shared with families.

Illinois Seal of Biliteracy: The meeting also covered the optional Illinois Seal of Biliteracy (referred to in the session in Spanish as "sello de bilingüismo"). Staff said the seal recognizes high competence in English and another world language, appears on the student's transcript and diploma, and may translate to high-school or college credit. The seal assessment (identified in the transcript as "Stamford S" / "Stand Four S") will be offered twice; students who do not meet the required score on the first administration may retake it.

Who is eligible: Presenters listed candidate groups including students with three or more years of world language study, current or former English learners, immersion students and students who study a heritage language in community schools. The seal also offers a distinction or recommendation option for students who meet lower cutoffs.

Practical details for families: Staff said ACCESS reports were mailed earlier in the school year and that an updated report will be emailed to families in the coming week. For the seal, presenters asked interested students to register by providing name, school ID and school using a sign-up code shown in the materials.

What the district emphasized: Staff framed ACCESS as a growth measure that helps teachers tailor instruction, urged families not to be discouraged by scores that are lower than expectations, and reminded families that students who demonstrate proficiency can stop taking ACCESS testing after meeting the exit composite.

Next steps: Families were invited to contact multilingual staff by phone or email (contact details were displayed at the close of the meeting) with questions or to request additional resources. The presenters closed the session by encouraging students and families and thanking attendees.