December 2025 Assessment Compass Update
The December 2025 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 to prepare for state assessments.
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Administer DLM ELA/math Testlets by December 19th
The Fall DLM ELA/math Assessment window opened September 8 and runs through December 19, 2025. Ensure alternate students in Grades 3 through 8 and 11 are administered the ELA and mathematics testlests within this window.
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Navigate to the DLM Montana State website for more information on the assessment details such as blueprints, Essential Elements, and accessibility.
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MAST Window #1 is now closed. Enter non-participation exemption requests and testing incidents no later than December 12, 2025. |
Window #1 for the MAST assessments closed on Friday, December 5th. Ensure all testing incidents and non-participation exemption requests are submitted in the MontCAS Application no later than December 12, 2025. Instructions for both tasks are found in the MontCAS Application User Guide.
Share student score reports with parents/families. A Kite Parent Portal is available to use as part of the Kite Suite. Directions to set up the parent portal can be found in this Kite Parent Portal One-Pager. A Parent Score Report Template letter and other resources are available on the MAST Portal under the Resources for Parents section.
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Confirm Student List for WIDA ACCESS Assessment
The OPI has completed the upload of English Learner (EL) students to the WIDA AMS portal in advance of the testing window opening on January 5, 2026.
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Districts should log into the portal to review the student list. If students you expect to see in the portal are missing, reach out to the OPI Assessment Help Desk at opiassessmenthelpdesk@mt.govor 844-867-2569. Remember not to leave student information (e.g., name, initials, SSID, etc.) on a voicemail or in an email. You must talk directly to an Assessment Specialist.
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Prepare for the WIDA ACCESS Assessment
The WIDA ACCESS testing window opens January 5, 2026, and runs through March 6, 2026. Prior to the window opening:
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- Ensure TAs have completed the required training for the grade levels they will be administering to. Training modules are found on the WIDA Secure Portal under the “Training” tab.
- Ensure parents are notified of upcoming testing. Districts can use the OPI’s Parent Notice Letter template to notify families at least 2 weeks prior to planned testing.
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Provide Score Reports to Families
School districts are required to notify parents/guardians of individual summative student reports in a timely manner to help families, teachers, and school leaders understand and address the specific academic needs of students.
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Results for each tested student are available in the test vendor’s reporting system.
Districts can use the Parent Score Report Letter templates on the OPI Statewide Assessment’s Parent Corner page to share with parents.
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Ensure Accurate Enrollments in EDUCATE/IC
To ensure all students are uploaded to the appropriate Test Delivery Portals have the EDUCATE District Clerk/Business Office affirm the enrollments in EDUCATE/Infinite Campus (Student Information System) are accurate and up-to-date.
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See the Infinite Campus Data Collection Schedule for information and resources to complete these tasks. Contact the EDUCATE Help Desk at 1-877-424-6681 OR 406-444-3800 or Submit an AIM Help Desk Ticket with any questions around EDUCATE/Infinite Campus.
Review the home page of the OPI Statewide Assessment home page weekly. On the home page, you'll find three important areas:
- A yellow dropdown titled “Click for a List of Upcoming Events” – open this dropdown for dates and links to attend important training and PD events regarding statewide assessments.
- A yellow dropdown titled “Click for a List of Upcoming STC Deadlines” – open this dropdown to keep up to date with deadlines for your STC tasks.
- A heading titled "STC Checklist". This checklist is updated weekly and will include a list of all the timely tasks for the various assessments with resources to assist you in completing them.
The OPI Assessment Unit continues to add videos to the Focused Support Video Series. See the Stay Informed page of the OPI Statewide Testing webpages to view Focused Support Videos.
Subscribe to the OPI Assessment Unit’s YouTube Channel to view recorded webinars, support videos and other statewide assessment recordings.
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.
Resources for both of these tasks can be found under “Step 2: Configuration” on the ACT State and District website.
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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