January 2022 Assessment Compass Update

January 2022 Assessment Compass Update

The January 2022 OPI Assessment Bulletin has been posted. The OPI Assessment Bulletin is specifically designed for System Test Coordinators (STCs), subscribers, and any school personnel with a responsibility to administer state assessments. It is carefully crafted each month by the OPI Assessment Unit to provide timely access to key test administration responsibilities and actionable content within each of the program checklists. Also included in each issue are references to the state and federal requirements, resources to support professional learning, testing alerts and updates, and frequently asked questions. School districts are encouraged to share the Assessment Bulletin with any school staff who must be aware of these tasks and responsibilities in order to prepare for state assessments.

Provide Comment Under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the OPI may not exceed the 1.0 percent state cap for students assessed using the Alternate Assessments. On October 29, 2021, the OPI received a memo regarding the requirements to request a waiver including flexibility to the participation of students assessed given the continued impacts of the pandemic.

The comment period is December 9, 2021 – January 25, 2022 [or 30 days]. Make sure your voice is heard by taking the following actions:

1. Watch the YouTube December 9 Recording.
2. Complete the Public Comment Survey.
3. Submit comments on the new Alternate Assessment Eligibility Guidelines, Appendix A, and Appendix B. [Note: anyone with these linked documents can comment on them directly.]
4. Submit written comments to the OPI Assessment Help Desk opiassessmenthelpdesk@mt.gov.

ACCESS for ELLs Test Window Open The test window for the ACCESS for ELLs, [Montana’s English language proficiency assessment] is open and will close on February 25, 2022 [OPI Published Test Window]. To ensure a smooth and successful assessment, check that Test Administrators have completed the required training in the WIDA Secure Portal. Test Administrators must complete the relevant WIDA online training course[s] including passing the certification quiz. Certification is required every two years [see ACCESS for ELLs Online Checklist 2021-2022]. View the Assessment Profile for the WIDA Assessments to learn more about the ACCESS for ELLs.

AIM/Infinite Campus State Published Ad Hocs The OPI has released State Published Ad Hocs including the “SPED Statewide Assessment Accommodations” available to assist schools with their student support and/or accommodation needs in AIM and the test delivery systems. The “SPED Statewide Assessment Accommodations” shows currently enrolled special education students that have an active IEP indicating statewide assessments marked with accommodations. This report can be used to identify the test setting accommodation and/or supports needed for participation in state assessments consistent with the student’s individual need.

Monitoring Reminders It is the school district’s responsibility to monitor testing practices and enforce the test administration, test security, test accessibility, and test training policies and procedures in accordance with the MontCAS Test Security Manual­.

These requirements ensure state assessments are administered in a consistent and standardized way to measure student proficiency and progress on the State’s challenging academic standards over time and to address educational needs. It is important to maintain the integrity of state assessments, so results are accurate, fair, and comparable for the varied uses under Title I. Should the district be selected for monitoring, the OPI Assessment Unit will contact the district with information regarding this activity. More information about monitoring can be found in the MontCAS Test Security Manual. 

MontCAS Teacher Learning Hub Course Available The course will provide STCs with instructions on how to accomplish the various STC activities and information on how to complete the four testing plans (Test Administration Plan, Test Accessibility Plan, Test Security Plan, and Test Training Plan).

The Hub course will provide STCs with 12 renewal units and a course completion certificate. Complete the followings steps to register for the Teacher Learning Hub– STC Workshop Series course:

1. Select the “Search Courses” button.
2. Open the course offerings under the “Assessment” accordion.
3. Select the “MontCAS Test Security” course.
4. Use the enrollment key “MontCAS_ASSIST_2022”.

2021-2022 Assessment Webinars Early planning assists districts, schools, and local assessment teams in ensuring a smooth and successful delivery of state assessments. STCs can set calendar reminders now for the 2021-2022 STC Open Forum Webinar Series.

The Assessment Monthly Focused Webinars are open to anyone who assists with or has interest in balanced assessment systems and using student achievement data for data-driven decision-making and/or continuous improvement processes. The OPI Assessment Unit releases information on a monthly basis via the Assessment Bulletin Newsletter. You can also attend the monthly focused webinars or STC Open Forums from this “Training and Events” link. 

Direct questions to the OPI Assessment Help Desk at OPIAssessmentHelpDesk@mt.govor 1-844-867-2569.

The OPI is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation, require an alternate format, or have questions concerning accessibility, contact the OPI ADA Coordinator, 406-444-3161, opiada@mt.gov, Relay Service: 711.