June 2022 Assessment Compass Update
The June 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.
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School District Reporting Roles and Responsibilities
This issue provides information on the roles and responsibilities for distributing score reports to key stakeholders and gives information on the general process and timeline for releasing student achievement results. Montana school districts are required to provide parents/guardians with individual student reports in a timely manner. More family resources and sample letters can be found on the Parent Corner page.
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School Districts Must Report Any Test Incidents and Non-Participation Reports No Later than June 10, 2022
Any testing incidents (or irregularities) that occurred during the end-of-year state Summative assessment windows must be submitted to the OPI via the MontCAS Application.
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The MontCAS Test Security Manual includes examples of test incidents. Reporting for incidents and non-participation must be completed by June 10, 2022, as cited in the MontCAS Application Test Security Collection Schedule. Any instances where it was unsafe for a student to participate in the state assessment due to COVID reasons or for medical reasons must be reported to the OPI using the “Medical Exemption” policy as defined within the MontCAS Policies and Procedures for Participation in State Assessments. This ensures timely state-level results release for the public to see how schools are performing over time and compared to other schools in Montana (see Montana’s longitudinal data warehouse (GEMS))
The purpose of the “STC Workshop Series” is to provide each Montana school district STC with the opportunity to learn the “how-to’s” for each of the assessment related components listed below. STC participants will leave this three-day series with content to complete the four required testing plans (Test Administration Plan, Test Accessibility Plan, Test Security Plan, and Test Training Plan) and be provided with step-by-step instructions on how to accomplish the various STC activities. Attendees will be eligible for renewal units for each session attended.
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Plan and Prepare for the 2022-2023 Testing Calendars
Place the anticipated OPI Published Test Windows on school calendars for next year
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- ACCESS for ELLs: Dec. 5, 2022 – Feb. 24, 2023
- Multi-State Alternate: Mar. 13 – Apr. 28, 2023
- Alternate Science: Mar. 13 – Apr. 28, 2023
- Science: Mar. 6 – May 26, 2023
- Smarter Balanced: Mar. 6 – May 26, 2023
- ACT with Writing: Date 1 [Mar. 28, 2023*], Date 2 [Apr. 11, 2023*], and Date 3 [Apr. 25, 2023*].
The OPI will publish any changes to the test windows on the Published Test Windows. The asterisk (*) is used to signify these dates are subject to change based on new information or changed policies.
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Opportunity to Provide Feedback
The OPI Assessment Unit encourages educators to share their feedback to assist the OPI Assessment Unit in enhancing the MontCAS program for future years.
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System Test Coordinators who have not already done so can complete the 2021-2022 STC MontCAS Debrief Form before July 1. Not only does the form provide feedback, but STCs can receive renewal unit certificates for their state assessment related work over this past school year.
The Wrap Up 2020-21 and Look Forward to 2021-22 Padlet is open to all educators (password: MontCAS2022) to provide this important information. The Padlet closes on July 1, 2021.
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Staying Informed
The OPI will be hosting a webinar on Wednesday, June 7, 2022, on the “Wrapping Up and Looking Forward” from 3:30 PM to 4:00 PM. The purpose of this focused webinar is to provide school districts with guidance on winding down and wrapping up assessment activities. You will have the opportunity to voice needs for the state assessment process and have the opportunity to ask questions. The OPI Assessment Unit will continue to share information with the field via its STC Open Forum, Focused Monthly Webinars, the Monthly Assessment Bulletin Newsletter, and other communication means.
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Direct questions to the OPI Assessment Help Desk at OPIAssessmentHelpDesk@mt.gov, or 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.
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