Cherry Hill Public Schools reported strong participation and continued progress among its multilingual learners on the 2026 ACCESS assessment, an annual test used to measure English language proficiency among students whose primary language is not English. ACCESS stands for Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners.
The results, presented to the district on Aug. 11, show that 472 Cherry Hill students in grades K-12 participated in the Spring 2026 assessment. Participation remained high at approximately 99%, according to Faith Holmgren, the District Testing Coordinator. The assessment measures students in four areas — listening, speaking, reading and writing — with reading and writing each accounting for 35% of the overall score and listening and speaking each accounting for 15%.
ACCESS results are used to monitor students’ progress in English proficiency, help educators plan instruction and determine whether students may be ready to leave English language support services. In New Jersey, students who achieve an overall composite score of 4.5 may be eligible to exit an ESL program.
New Jersey uses the term multilingual learner to refer to students, while ESL is still the term used to refer to teacher certification programs. The district’s multilingual learner population has grown in recent years. During the 2024-25 school year, multilingual learners represented 5.4% of Cherry Hill’s student population, compared with 4.5% in 2023-24 and 4.3% in 2022-23. Statewide, multilingual learners accounted for 11.7% of students in 2024-25. The district noted that 2025-26 enrollment data was not yet available from the state.
Cherry Hill’s multilingual learners represent a wide range of backgrounds and home languages; home language is determined by what the parent provides at the time of registration. Spanish is the most common home language among students taking part in the program, with 149 students, or 31.6% of the multilingual learner population. Chinese was the second-most common at 11.2%, followed by Vietnamese at 5.9%, Turkish at 5.7% and Korean at 4.9%.
The district reported several notable achievements in the 2026 results. Approximately 14% of ESL students exited the program, while the number of students approaching the state’s 4.5 exit threshold continued to increase. This group, referred to by the district as “bubble students,” includes those scoring between 4.0 and 4.4 on the overall proficiency measure.
There were 78 students in that range in 2026, compared with 74 in 2025 and 60 in 2024. Based on classroom performance and other factors, some of these students can qualify for an exit from ESL services during the school year. During the 2025-26 school year, 31 students exited the program mid-year — approximately 42% of the district’s bubble students.
Holmgren cautioned, however, that year-to-year comparisons of ACCESS results should be interpreted carefully. Cherry Hill’s multilingual learner population is highly dynamic, with students entering and leaving the program or moving in and out of the district. As a result, changes in scores can reflect changes in the makeup of the tested population rather than simply changes in language proficiency or program effectiveness.
To support continued growth, Cherry Hill uses ACCESS results and classroom data to develop targeted instruction for students. Teachers meet to review assessment data and create instructional plans, while ESL staff participate in professional development both within and outside the district.
Students also have access to additional academic and social-emotional supports, including YELL Club, ESL Homework Club and ESL Homeroom. The district provides families with ACCESS information and results in English and more than seven other languages and holds annual information nights to help parents understand the assessment and their child’s progress.
As the number of multilingual learners continues to grow, the district said it will also continue working to staff and support its expanding ESL program.
