Highlights
Record Level: Student by Year by Assessment
Record Count: 65,000-100,000 records per year
Years Covered: 2007-Present
Population Coverage: Data covers all students from private, home schooled and public schools who have participated in these assessments. While private and home schooled students are included in this dataset, they are not advised for reporting unless specifically researching questions around those groups of students.
This English Language Learner Assessment Researcher file contains commonly requested student-level assessment data from the K-12 environment pertaining to English language learner assessments. These assessments are composed of the English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA) and the WIDA. The ELPA was administered to K-12 students identified as English Learners until the 2012-13 school year, and the WIDA has been administered since the 2013-14 school year. We have data from the 2007-2008 school year forward. We anticipate having future years' data as it becomes available.
We have English Language Learner Assessment records for over 320,000 students in total. With regards to each specific assessment, we have records for 150,000 students that were assessed using the ELPA and 245 thousand students that were assessed using the WIDA. Note that 2 thousand of the WIDA students were assessed with the Alternative WIDA because they are students who receive special education services. We have scores for around 100,000 individuals that were tested in Kindergarten. A similar number were tested in 1st and 2nd grade. From 3rd to 12th grade there is a steady decline in the number of individuals assessed; across that grade range the number of students assessed goes from 90,000 to 30,000.
The WIDA consists of four main components: Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing. Our data contains a scaled score for each of the four main components, and it contains a scaled scores for four combinations of the main components: Oral Language (Listening and Speaking), Literacy (Reading and Writing), Comprehension (Listening and Reading), and Overall (a combination of all four language domains). The ELPA consists of the same four core components as the WIDA: Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing. Our ELPA data contains a scaled score for each of the four main components, and it contains a scaled score for two combinations of the main components: Comprehension (Listening and Reading) and Overall (a combination of all four language domains). In addition to the scaled score for each component of the assessment, we have the corresponding performance levels. For the WIDA, we have performance levels corresponding to each scaled score. Students who receive special education services and were assessed with the Alternative WIDA receive distinct performance levels. For the ELPA, we simply have a performance level corresponding to the "Overall" scaled score.
2017 WIDA Update
Students who take the WIDA summative assessment are scored on four language domains and receive a scale score and performance level for each domain. Each of the domain scale scores contributes to an EL’s overall English language proficiency score, with reading and writing being weighted most heavily (35% reading, 35% writing, 15% listening, 15% speaking). In 2017, the WIDA assessment was recalibrated (going from WIDA ACCESS 1.0 to 2.0), and the exam was 1) made substantially more difficult and 2) the modality changed from paper and pencil to online.
Dr. Gary Cook from WIDA has explained that it is not possible to create a 1:1 crosswalk between scale scores from before and after the recalibration. In addition to the change in difficulty and the mode of assessment, the standard setting changed substantially for the writing and speaking components of the exam. Moreover, the WIDA ACCESS 1.0 was a static assessment, and after the switch to WIDA ACCESS 2.0, the reading and listening components are staged adaptive tests, while the speaking and writing are static forms selected based on the performance of students in reading and listening. The domain scores were also rescaled.
Although there is no crosswalk between scale scores on the WIDA ACCESS 1.0 and 2.0, there is a crosswalk between performance levels (PLs). The ordinal performance levels range from 1.0 to 6.0 and the cut scores for PLs are based on scale scores, so these also changed when the standards changed in 2017. Gary Cook shared the 4 attached files, which outline the relationship between PLs across the two versions of the assessment.
Additional Resources
For more information on interpreting the scores, please refer to the official WIDA Interpretive Guide and the Alternative Interpretive Guide for the assessment administered to students who receive special education services.
Codebook
| Category Sort descending | Variable | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: PHYSEMGR |
Description: Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: COMSCAGR |
Description: Computer Science A: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: ART3DGR |
Description: Studio Art: 3-D Design Portfolio: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: SPANLTGR |
Description: Spanish Literature and Culture: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: PSYCHGR |
Description: Psychology: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: ENVSCIGR |
Description: Environmental Science: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: CALCBCGR |
Description: Calculus BC: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: ARTSTDGR |
Description: Studio Art: Drawing Portfolio: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: USHISTGR |
Description: United States History: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: EURHISGR |
Description: European History: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: GOVUSGR |
Description: United States Government and Politics: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: GOVCOMGR |
Description: Comparative Government and Politics: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: LATINVGR |
Description: Latin Vergil: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: SPANLAGR |
Description: Spanish Language: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: COMSCPGR |
Description: Computer Science Principles: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: ECONMAGR |
Description: Macroeconomics: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: CALCABGR |
Description: Calculus AB: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: ARTST2GR |
Description: Studio Art: 2-D Design Portfolio: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: FRNLANGR |
Description: French Language and Culture: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: CHINESGR |
Description: Chinese Language and Culture: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: LATINCGR |
Description: Latin: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: PHYS1GR |
Description: Physics 1: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: COMSCBGR |
Description: Computer Science B: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: JAPANGR |
Description: Japanese Language and Culture: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: FRENLTGR |
Description: French Literature: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: PHYSMGR |
Description: Physics C: Mechanics: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: BIOLGR |
Description: Biology: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: PHYSBGR |
Description: Physics B: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: CPSTNSGR |
Description: AP Capstone Seminar: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: MUSICTGR |
Description: Music Theory: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: ITALGR |
Description: Italian Language and Culture: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: PHYS2GR |
Description: Physics 2: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: CPSTNRGR |
Description: AP Capstone Research: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: WDHISTGR |
Description: World History: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: GERLAGR |
Description: German Language and Culture: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: ENGLITGR |
Description: English Literature and Composition: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: ARTHISGR |
Description: Art History: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: ECONMIGR |
Description: Microeconomics: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: ENGLANGR |
Description: English Language and Composition: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: CHEMGR |
Description: Chemistry: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: STATGR |
Description: Statistics: Exam Score |
| Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: HUMGEOGR |
Description: Human Geography: Exam Score |
| Category: All | Variable: ISD_NAME |
Description: Intermediate school district name (EEM). |
| Category: All | Variable: SUBMITTING_SCHOOL_CODE | Description: |
| Category: All | Variable: START_YEAR |
Description: The calendar year in which the school year began. |
| Category: All | Variable: MOECS_EDUCATOR_ID |
Description: A unique identification code assigned to educators when they enter their information in MOECS for the first time, to keep the anonymity of the staff. |
| Category: All | Variable: SCHOOL_OPEN_DATE |
Description: The actual opening date of the school or when it begins to do business. |
| Category: All | Variable: ENTITY_TYPE |
Description: Description of Entity Type which indicates whether the school/entity that the staff is assigned to, is private, charter, public, state-run, etc. |
| Category: All | Variable: OPERATIONAL_DISTRICT_CODE |
Description: The official state assigned five digit code denoting the district of the entity held accountable for the student's graduation status. |
| Category: All | Variable: SCHOOL_NAME |
Description: The name as assigned to the building in the official Educational Entity Master (EEM). |
| Category: All | Variable: EMPLOYED_DISTRICT_CODE |
Description: The official state assigned five digit code denoting the district that the educator is employed by. |
| Category: All | Variable: EMPLOYED_ISD_CODE |
Description: The state-assigned five-digit number, as recorded in the Educational Entity Master (EEM), that identifies the intermediate school district (ISD) or educational service agency (ESA) in which the district or program is located. This is the ISD that the educator is employed by. |
| Category: All | Variable: ASSIGNED_ISD_NAME |
Description: The name, as recorded in the Educational Entity Master (EEM), that identifies the intermediate school district (ISD) or educational service agency (ESA) in which the district or program is located. This is the ISD that the educator is assigned to. |
| Category: All | Variable: SCHOOL_CLOSE_DATE |
Description: the actual closing date of the entity or the date the entity ceased to do business. |
| Category: All | Variable: EMPLOYED_DISTRICT_NAME |
Description: The official district name denoting the district that the educator is employed by. |
| Category: All | Variable: ASSIGNED_DISTRICT_CODE |
Description: The official state assigned five digit code denoting the district that the educator is assigned to. |
| Category: All | Variable: BUILDING_CODE |
Description: The five-digit code as assigned to the building in the official Educational Entity Master (EEM). Note: This field has a value ONLY for data from General collection or SRM, but may be NULL for pre-K special ed. |
| Category: All | Variable: DISTRICT_CODE |
Description: The state-assigned five-digit number, as recorded in the Educational Entity Master (EEM), which identifies the public school district responsible for providing education to the reported student. Note: This field has a value ONLY for data from General collection or SRM. |
| Category: All | Variable: LAST_COLLECTION_NAME |
Description: The collection in which the student was last reported by any district. |
| Category: All | Variable: FIRST_COLLECTION_NAME |
Description: First MSDS Collection in which the student was assigned to a graduation cohort. |
| Category: All | Variable: LAST_COLLECTION_ID |
Description: Code associated with the collection in which the student was last reported by any district. |
| Category: All | Variable: FIRST_COLLECTION_ID |
Description: Code associated with the first MSDS Collection in which the student was assigned to a graduation cohort. |
| Category: All | Variable: COLLECTION_SCHOOL_YEAR |
Description: The academic school year in which the course was completed by the student. |
| Category: All | Variable: SCHOOL_YEAR |
Description: The start and end years of the schoolyear that the student attended / received services during the collection used for this record. |
| Category: All | Variable: OPERATIONAL_ISD_NAME |
Description: The name, as recorded in the Educational Entity Master (EEM), that identifies the intermediate school district (ISD) or educational service agency (ESA) in which the district or program is located. |
| Category: All | Variable: SCHOOL_CODE |
Description: The entity code assigned to the School or Facility (Building) held accountable for the student's graduation status. |
| Category: All | Variable: OPERATIONAL_DISTRICT_NAME |
Description: The official district name denoting the district of the entity held accountable for the student's graduation status. |
| Category: All | Variable: SCHOOL_NAME |
Description: The official name assigned to the School or Facility (Building) type of entity held accountable for the student's graduation status. |
| Category: All | Variable: REPORTING_PERIOD |
Description: Description of the reporting period (school year, fall, spring) that the data represents. |
| Category: All | Variable: RIC |
Description: The unique student identifier--Research Identification Code. |
| Category: All | Variable: IHE_SUBMITTED_SESSION_END_DATE |
Description: The date identifying the end of the academic session as submitted by the college. |
| Category: All | Variable: OPERATIONAL_DISTRICT_CODE |
Description: The state-assigned five-digit number, as recorded in the Educational Entity Master (EEM). |
| Category: All | Variable: SCHOOL_YEAR |
Description: The school year that the data represents. |
| Category: All | Variable: SESSION_END_DATE |
Description: The date identifying the end of the academic session as determined by CEPI, based on the IHE's submitted Session Begin and End dates. Prior to the availability of the session begin and end dates in 2016-17, NSC records used the enrollment end date as reported to NSC. |
| Category: All | Variable: SESSION_NAME |
Description: The academic term for which the data are being reported, as determined by CEPI, based on the IHE's submitted Session Begin and End dates. Example: Fall |
| Category: All | Variable: IPEDS_CODE |
Description: IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data Systems) IHE identification code. |
| Category: All | Variable: SESSION_BEGIN_DATE |
Description: The date identifying the start of the academic session as determined by CEPI, based on the IHE's submitted Session Begin and End dates. Prior to the availability of session begin and end dates in 2016-17, this field was derived from the submitted Session Designator, which was the session start month and year. |
| Category: All | Variable: SCHOOL_YEAR_ENROLLED |
Description: The school year during which the student is enrolled. Example: 2016-2017 |
| Category: All | Variable: IHE_NAME |
Description: Institution of Higher Education (IHE) Official Name. |
| Category: All | Variable: IHE_SUBMITTED_SESSION_BEGIN_DATE |
Description: The date identifying the start of the academic session as submitted by the college. |
| Category: All | Variable: YEAR_SESSION |
Description: A combination of the school year enrolled and the session name. Example: 2011-2012 Fall |
| Category: All | Variable: RIC |
Description: The unique student identifier--Research Identification Code. |
| Category: All | Variable: SCHOOL_START_YEAR_ENROLLED |
Description: The numeric start year of the school year during which the student is enrolled. Example: 2016 |
| Category: All | Variable: OPERATIONAL_ISD_NAME |
Description: The name, as recorded in the Educational Entity Master (EEM), that identifies the Intermediate School District (ISD) or Educational Service Agency (ESA) in which the district or program is located. |
| Category: All | Variable: OPERATIONAL_DISTRICT_NAME |
Description: The name, as recorded in the Educational Entity Master (EEM). |
| Category: All | Variable: OPERATIONAL_ISD_CODE |
Description: The state-assigned two-digit number, as recorded in the Educational Entity Master (EEM), that identifies the Intermediate School District (ISD) or Educational Service Agency (ESA) in which the district or program is located. |
| Category: All | Variable: EMPLOYED_ISD_NAME |
Description: The name, as recorded in the Educational Entity Master (EEM), that identifies the intermediate school district (ISD) or educational service agency (ESA) in which the district or program is located. This is the ISD that the educator is employed by. |
| Category: All | Variable: OPEN_DATE |
Description: The actual opening date of the entity or when it begins to do business. |
| Category: All | Variable: LONGITUDE |
Description: The longitude coordinate of the physical location of the entity. |
| Category: All | Variable: LATITUDE |
Description: The latitude coordinate of the physical location of the entity. |
| Category: All | Variable: COLLECTION |
Description: Collection Period of the observation. Example: EOY 2017 |
| Category: All | Variable: CLOSE_DATE |
Description: The actual closing date of the entity. Blank if Entity is open or data is unavailable. |
| Category: All | Variable: START_YEAR |
Description: The numeric start year of the school year during which the data was collected. Example: 2016 |
| Category: All | Variable: DISTRICT_NAME |
Description: Operational District Name |
| Category: All | Variable: DISTRICT_CODE |
Description: Operational District Code (i.e., the Employing District) |
| Category: All | Variable: START_YEAR |
Description: The calendar year in which the school year began. |
| Category: All | Variable: ISD_CODE |
Description: Operational Intermediate School District Code |
| Category: All | Variable: ISD_NAME |
Description: Operational Intermediate School District Name |
| Category: All | Variable: SCHOOL_CODE |
Description: The five-digit code as assigned to the building in the official Educational Entity Master (EEM). Otherwise known as Building Code. Building codes 00000 identify the administrative units. |
| Category: All | Variable: ASSIGNED_DISTRICT_NAME |
Description: The official district name denoting the district that the educator is assigned to. |