 October 2023 Assessment Compass Update
The October 2023 OPI Assessment Bulletin has been posted.
The OPI Assessment Bulletin is designed for System Test Coordinators (STCs), subscribers, and any school personnel with a responsibility to administer state assessments. It is crafted each month, August through June, 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 to prepare for state assessments.
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Providing Score Reports to Families
School districts are required to notify parents/guardians of individual student reports in a timely manner to help families, teachers, and school leaders understand and address the specific academic needs of students. Results for each tested student are available in the test vendor’s reporting system (e.g., Reporting System).
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Districts are encouraged to use the OPI’s Parent Letter templates to craft school-specific letters to accompany individual score reports. Templates can be found on the OPI Assessment Parent Corner page.
State aggregate data is also available in the test vendor reporting systems. The OPI has released state-level results in the Growth and Enhancement of Montana Students (GEMS longitudinal data warehouse).
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Plan and Prepare for the 2023-2024 Testing Calendars
Place the OPI Published Test Windows on school calendars for the 2023-2024 school year.
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- ACCESS for ELLs: Dec. 4, 2023 – Feb. 23, 2024
- Multi-State Alternate: Mar. 11 – Apr. 26, 2024
- Alternate Science: Mar 11 – Apr. 26, 2024
- Science: Mar. 4 – May 24, 2024
- Smarter Balanced: Mar. 4 – May 24, 2024
- ACT with Writing: Window 1 [Mar. 26-Apr 5, 2024], Window 2 [Apr. 9-19, 2024], and Window 3 [Apr. 23-May 3, 2024].
- MAST: Window 1 [Oct. 23-Nov. 10, 2023], Window 2 [Nov.27-Dec. 15, 2023], Window 3 [Jan. 29-Feb. 16, 2024], Window 4 [Mar. 11-Apr. 5, 2024], and Window 5 [Apr. 15-May 10, 2024].
The OPI will publish any changes to the test windows on the Published Test Windows
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MAST Updates
If your district is participating in MAST this school year, ensure appropriate staff are aware of the MAST Updates section of the monthly OPI Compass to keep abreast of upcoming tasks for the through-year assessments.
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Register for the STC Workshop Series
Register to attend! The OPI Assessment Unit will be hosting the STC Workshop Series over three days in October 2023. Sessions will be presented on Thursday, October 5th, Thursday, October 12th, and Thursday, October 26th.
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The purpose of the workshop is to provide Montana System Test Coordinators an opportunity to learn the specifics around state testing and provide resources to assist the STC in creating a successful assessment program for their district.
The OPI Assessment Unit is also working on a new STC Course in the Teacher Learning Hub that will work hand-in-hand with the workshop. More information about the course, and how to register for it, will be shared in upcoming editions of the OPI Assessment Bulletin.
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Smarter Balanced and MSA Interims Now Available on the Montana Testing Portal
Are you planning to use Interims this fall/winter? If so, review these reminders and updates.
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Create a Plan: Ensure there is a plan and intention for how the assessments will serve learning over the course of the school year.
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Request Access to ICAs: If your school wishes to administer Interim Comprehensive Assessments (ICAs), you will need to contact the OPI Assessment Unit for access to the ICA administration.
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Accessibility and Equity are MUSTs: Support each child with accessibility per the student’s educational plan.
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Provide Time to Practice: Ensure each child has time to practice and/or experience the testing tools (e.g., Practice and Training Tests).
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Ensure Accurate Enrollments in AIM
To ensure all students are uploaded to the appropriate Test Delivery Portals have the AIM District Clerk/Business Office affirm the enrollments in AIM/Infinite Campus (Student Information System) are accurate and up-to-date. See the AIM Data Collection Schedule for information and resources to complete these tasks. Contact the AIM Help Desk at 1-877-424-6681 OR 406-444-3800 or Submit an AIM Help Desk Ticket with any questions on AIM/Infinite Campus.
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Stay Informed with Testing Alerts and Updates
The OPI Assessment Unit will continue to share information with schools via the Monthly Assessment Bulletin, accessed via the OPI Compass, the Monthly Webinars and other communication means.
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Both the bulletin and the monthly webinars have been updated and refreshed for the 2023-2024 school year. Based on feedback from the field, the OPI Assessment Bulletin follows a checklist format this year. Monthly webinars will include a “Learning Lab” portion which will provide a step-by-step walk-through for timely tasks each month.
Subscribe to the OPI Assessment Unit’s YouTube Channel to view recorded versions of the monthly webinars, program overviews, and STC Workshop sessions.
Direct questions to the OPI Assessment Help Desk at OPIAssessmentHelpDesk@mt.govor 1-844-867-2569
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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