Montana Comprehensive Assessment System

►Ensure you enter any testing incidents that occur in your district in the MontCAS Application. 

• The MontCAS Application User Guide has step-by-step instructions for entering testing incidents starting on page 9. 

► STCs remember to collect evidence to support your district testing plans throughout the school year. 

• Watch Sessions 5 and 6 from the STC Workshop Series for examples and "how-tos" for writing plans.
• Base plans on the updated plan checklists found on the Test Security page of the OPI Statewide Testing webpages. 

MAST Window #2 is open through February 21, 2025.

► Send the MAST Parent Notification Letter home to parents/guardians about 2 weeks prior to the assessment being administered.

• Districts can use the Template Parent Notification Letter found on the Parent Corner page of the Statewide Testing website.

► In the Kite Educator Portal, complete these tasks: 

•  Check Enrollment: Keep the district's Student Information System (SIS) up to date. If students transfer out of your district, end-date them in your SIS and leave them unrostered in Kite. 

• Update Rostering to reflect student mobility in the district. 

• Update PNPs as needed to reflect changes in student's educational plans. 

► MAST Training Opportunity (Optional): 4:00-5:00 p.m. - January 27, March 10, April 7, April 28

• The OPI is providing additional professional learning sessions supporting the MAST Assessment and information provided through score reports. The sessions are centered around using evidence based high-impact instructional strategies to support MAST and building a community of practice where educators can rely on each other for the support they need related to MAST and learning in general. Use the Zoom Link to join. 

► CHROME USERS: Update Devices for Spring 2025 testing!

• The MSA Interim Assessments Test Administration Manual will guide users through the steps to administer the optional interim science assessments. 

► CHROME USERS: Update Devices for Spring 2025 testing!

With the upcoming release of ChromeOS Version 133 on the Stable channel in early 2025, a required setting for the secure browser will no longer be enabled by default. Districts/schools MUST utilize one or both of the options shared in the Chrome OS Update Instructions. 

► Ensure students are appropriately marked in AIM/Infinite Campus. 

• Students eligible for the Alternate Montana Science Assessment must be marked as alternate in AIM/Infinite Campus to ensure they are uploaded to the Montana Testing Portal appropriately. 

► Ensure students are appropriately marked in AIM/Infinite Campus. 

• Students eligible for the Multi State Alternate Assessment (ELA and mathematics) must be marked as alternate in AIM/Infinite Campus to ensure they are uploaded to the MSAA Portal appropriately. 

► Pearson Accessnext (PANext) is now open for the 2024-2025 school year.

• STCs should log into the portal and verify user accounts for the district are up-to-date (delete users no longer in the district, add new users). 

► Enter requests for accommodations in the Test Accessibility and Accommodations system. Deadline: February 7, 2025. 

• The TAA System is accessed via the ACT Success site. 
• The TAA User Guide provides instructions for requesting accommodations. 

The ACCESS for ELLs testing window is open through February 21, 2025. 

► Review student list(s) in WIDA AMS to ensure all ELs are in the portal. 

• If an EL student is missing from the portal, ensure the student is marked correctly as an EL in AIM/Infinte Campus and reach out to the OPI Assessment Unit at 844.867.2569 to have the student manually entered. DO NOT SEND STUDENT INFORMATION IN AN EMAIL OR LEAVE IT ON A VOICEMAIL. You must speak directly with an Assessment Unit team member, or send it via secure file transfer.

► Review test materials. 

• Districts received testing materials the last week of November. If you don't have enough materials or the correct materials for testing, order additional materials using the instructions in ACCESS Online Materials. Deadline: February 14, 2025.

► Send the Parent Notification Letter home to parents/guardians 1-2 weeks before the school plans to test. 

► Return Grades 1-3 ACCESS for ELLs Writing test as soon as they are completed. 

• DRC must begin processing these materials as soon as possible to enable score reports to be delivered in a timely manner. Do not wait until the end of the testing window to return these materials. 

► Ensure all staff assigned to administer the ACCESS for ELLs have completed required training.

• Test Administrators must complete required training prior to test administration. 
• Training modules are accessible on the WIDA Secure Portal.  

► Continue screening potential English Learners as they enroll in your district throughout the school year. 

► LTT School Coordinator: Complete Preassessment Tasks 

• The LTT School Coordinator must schedule the Assessment Planning Meeting (APM) (Task 4) and complete the Preassessment Tasks before the Assessment Planning Meeting
• Task 5: Provide Student Information
• Task 6: Assessment Logistics
• Task 8: Notify Parents/Guardians
• Task 10: Support Assessment Activities