The following assessments are required by Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and Wisconsin State Statute 118.30. You can view the 2025-2026 Wisconsin State Assessment Schedule here.
Access for ELLs ~ Grades K-8
ACCESS for ELLs is an online assessment system that measures the English language proficiency (ELP) of English learners (ELs) in Grades K-12. This assessment allows educators, students, and families to monitor students’ progress in acquiring academic English in the domains of Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing.
The Alternate ACCESS for ELLs is an English language proficiency (ELP) assessment. It is administered in the four language domains of Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing for students in grades 1-12 identified as English Learners (Els) who have significant cognitive disabilities.
The Access Exam is given annually between December and January by the district's EL coordinator.
Access Parent Information Brochure
Understanding Your Child's Scores
Forward Exam ~ Grades 3-8
The Wisconsin Forward Exam is given each spring in the following grade levels:
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English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics in grades 3-8
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Science in grades 4 and 8
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Social Studies in grades 4, 8 and 10
The Forward Exam is given annually between March and April.
Forward Parent Information Brochure
Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) ~ Grades 3-8
The DLM assessment measures the academic progress of students with significant cognitive disabilities in the following areas:
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English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics in grades 3-11
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Science in grades 4 and 8-11
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Social Studies in grades 4, 8 and 10
The DLM Exam is given annually between March and April.
Talk with student's caseworker for your child's testing schedule
DLM Parent Information Brochure
REading Readiness (aimsweb Plus Screener)~ Grades 4K-3
The purpose of the Reading Readiness assessment is to identify foundational literacy skills in early learners, allowing educators to determine students’ preparedness for reading instruction. This assessment helps inform interventions and targeted support to ensure students develop essential reading skills from the beginning of their educational journey. Act 20 (Wis. Stats. 118.016) requires each pupil enrolled in 4-year-old kindergarten to 3rd grade in a school district or in a charter school to be annually assessed for reading readiness.
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Act 20 states that learners in 4K must be evaluated on phonemic awareness and letter sound knowledge.
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Act 20 states that learners in 5K through grade 3 must be evaluated on phonemic awareness, decoding skills, alphabet knowledge, letter sound knowledge, and oral vocabulary.
Aimsweb Plus Diagnostics (per Act 20)
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Act 20 states that a diagnostic reading assessment administered to students identified as at-risk on the screener, must include an evaluation of rapid naming, phonological awareness, word recognition, spelling, vocabulary, listening comprehension, and, when developmentally appropriate, oral reading fluency and reading comprehension.
