An English language learner (ELL) is a person who is learning the English language in addition to his or her native language.

New Hampshire is an active member of the World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) Consortium. WIDA is dedicated to the design and implementation of high standards and equitable educational opportunities for English language learners (ELLs).

To this end, the WIDA Consortium has developed English language proficiency standards and an English language proficiency test aligned with those standards (ACCESS for ELLs). Over 4,000 ELL students in New Hampshire public schools take part in the ACCESS for ELLs.

Under federal education law (Title I and Title III), all students who are identified as Limited English Proficient (LEP) are required to be assessed each year with this approved assessment. LEP students are defined as students who are currently enrolled but who have not already reached threshold proficiency scores on the ACCESS test.

The ACCESS for ELLs English language proficiency test is given every year from early January through the end of February. Please note that the test must also be given to any LEP identified student who is currently eligible but who is not receiving services for any reason. There are some very limited exceptions to this participation requirement.

In order to reach proficiency on the ACCESS for ELLs, a student must attain no less than a 5.0 composite score and no less than a 4.0 on each domain score (Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing).