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MAIN CONTACTS

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The Montana Comprehensive Assessment System (MontCAS) includes a Criterion-Referenced Test, a Criterion-Referenced Test-Alternate, and an English Language Proficiency Test.

Contacts:
Judy Snow
Assessment Director
406.444.3656
jsnow@mt.gov

Alisia L. Landis,
Assessment Specialist
406.444.3511

MontCAS Testing Windows and Assessment Conference 2011-2012

  • December 1, 2011 – January 27, 2012
    English Language Proficiency Test, Grades K-12

  • January 18-20, 2012
    OPI Assessment and Data Conference, Helena

  • February 8 – March 23, 2012
    CRT-Alternate, Grades 3-8 and 10, Reading and Math; Grades 4, 8 and 10, Science

  • February 29 – March 23, 2012
    CRT, Grades 3-8 and 10, Reading and Math; Grades 4, 8 and 10, Science

About MontCAS

The Montana Comprehensive Assessment System (MontCAS) includes a Criterion-Referenced Test, a
Criterion-Referenced Test-Alternate, and an English Language Proficiency Test.

Montana Comprehensive System Overview

Criterion-Referenced Tests (CRT)

  • The Criterion-Referenced Test (CRT) and Criterion-Referenced Test-Alternate (CRT-Alt) are aligned to Montana content standards. The CRT-Alternate is based on Alternate Achievement Standards (AAS).
  • The CRT and the CRT-Alt in Reading and Math in grades 3-8 and 10 received full approval from the United States
    Department of Education in November of 2007. The CRT-Alternate for Science in grades 4, 8, and 10 has been approved.
  • Approval from the United States Department of Education for the CRT in Science in grades 4, 8, and 10 is pending.
  • Data on test results and participation are available on the Montana Report Card site. Additional test result data are on the OPI IRIS test report site.

English Language Proficiency (ELP)

  • The English Language Proficiency (ELP) assessment is required by NCLB for all students identified as Limited English Proficient (LEP).
  • The ELP is published by World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA).
  • The ELP assesses LEP students for their English language proficiency to identify needs and drive educational change.
  • The ELP is administered in grades K-12, with five grade spans (K, 1-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12).
  • The ELP measures proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Statewide Testing: Spring 2001 - Present

Dates Contractor Tests Grades Content Areas
MontCAS Phase 1
Spring 2001 – Spring 2007 Riverside Publishing Company Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) and Iowa Tests of Educational Development (ITED): off-the-shelf norm referenced test and Montana developed Alternate ITBS: Grades 4 and 8 ITED: Grade 11 Reading, Communication Arts, Math, Social Studies, Science
MontCAS Phase 2
Spring 2004 & Spring 2005 Measured Progress Criterion-Referenced Test (CRT) and Criterion- Referenced Test-Alternate (CRT-Alt) Grades 4, 8, and 10 Reading and Math
Spring 2006 – Present Measured Progress Criterion-Referenced Test (CRT) and Criterion-Referenced Test-Alternate (CRT-Alt) Grades 3-8, and 10 Reading and Math
Spring 2007 –Present Measured Progress Criterion-Referenced Test (CRT) and Criterion-Referenced Test-Alternate (CRT-Alt) Grades 4, 8, and 10 Science
English Language Proficiency Test (ELP)
Fall 2006- Fall 2010 Questar English Language Proficiency Test Grades
K-12		 Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing Comprehension
Winter 2010/11 - Present WIDA ACCESS for ELLs Grades
K-12		 Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing

 

Training and Workshops...

MARS is the online reporting tool for the CRT and CRT-Alternate. All summary reports will be on MARS. No printed summary reports will be mailed. OPI's MARS Training Team will provide training on site for your system or school. A request form is online. Please fax it to the number on the form. The link to the form is: MARS Training Request Form

RFP's and Contracts...

To be updated.

CRT and CRT-Alt Test Administration

2012 Test Administration

2012 CRT-ALTERNATIVE TEST ADMINISTrATION

2011 Test Administration

2011 CRT-ALTERNATIVE TEST ADMINISTrATION

CRT Tests


Released Items...

The Spring 2010 and 2011 CRT and CRT-Alternate are aligned to the previous Reading and Math content standards.  Because item development for new standards takes two school years, the Reading and Math content standards that are online on the following link will be aligned to the Spring 2012 CRT and CRT-Alternate;  Montana Content Standards

Until then, the standards on this site are the previous standards and should be used with the Spring 2010 and 2011 released items and MARS data.

The current Science CRT and CRT-Alternate are aligned to the current Science standards.  They are included on this site for convenience; however, they are also at Montana Content Standards

2011

2009

2008

2007

Sample Items

Released Items

2006

Accommodations Overview...

  • Standard
    • Available to IEP, LEP, 504, and other students for whom the standard accommodation is a regular part of the student instructional plan
    • May be used for one or more subjects
  • Nonstandard
    • Available to students with an IEP plan
    • May be used for one or more subjects
    • A nonstandard accommodation results in a novice score for reporting purposes. A student is not counted as having participated if a nonstandard accommodation is used.
    • The CRT-Alternate
      • Designed for students with significant cognitive disabilities
      • Must be used for all subjects
      • Must be included in a student's IEP plan
      • Guidelines for determining eligibility for participation are included in the CRT Test Administrators Manual and CRT-Alternate Test Administrators Manual.

Alignment Overview...

Two external alignment studies have been conducted of MontCAS, Phase 2, the Criterion-Referenced Test (CRT) and Montana content standards.

August 2002

The Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory ( NWREL) prepared an alignment study of the foundation of the Montana CRT and Montana content standards prior to the development of the Montana CRT.   The foundation of the Montana CRT is a bank of items from Measured Progress, the CRT testing company.   These items are named Progress Towards Standards (PTS).   The alignment study conducted by NWREL provided the information for augmenting the PTS items with items specifically developed in Montana by Montana educators. (need to link)

March 2005

The Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NWREL) prepared an alignment study of the 2005 Montana CRT and Montana content standards.  

CRT and CRT-Alternate Test Results


MARS Login

MARS is the online reporting tool for the CRT and CRT-Alternate. All summary reports will be on MARS. No printed summary reports will be mailed. OPI's MARS Training Team will provide training on site for your system or school. A request form is online. Please fax it to the number on the form. The link to the form is: MARS Training Request Form

MARS Webinars

 MARS Website

Content Standards

The Spring 2010 and 2011 CRT and CRT-Alternate are aligned to the previous Reading and Math content standards.  Because item development for new standards takes two school years, the Reading and Math content standards that are online on the following link will be aligned to the Spring 2012 CRT and CRT-Alternate;  Montana Content Standards

Until then, the standards on this site are the previous standards and should be used with the Spring 2010 and 2011 released items and MARS data.

The current Science CRT and CRT-Alternate are aligned to the current Science standards.  They are included on this site for convenience; however, they are also at Montana Content Standards



CRT-OPI Reporting Center

The OPI Reporting Center replaces IRIS for reporting CRT data. To access the CRT Simple Search, select the OPI Reporting Center button below and then under the Assessment menu item, select CRT Simple Search. To access CRT Secure Search select the Log In button and enter your ID and password, as you did before with the IRIS Secure Search. After you log in, CRT Secure Search will appear under the Assessment menu item.

 OPI Reporting Center

 

NRT-IRIS

IRIS is being retired and has been replaced by the OPI Reporting Center.

IRIS will not have CRT data more recent than the 2008 - 2009 school year. You will still need to use IRIS to access NRT data from 2000 - 2001 to 2006 - 2007. You will need to select Assessment (NRT) then NRT Simple Search. The filter criteria fields take a moment to load, so please be patient!

 IRIS Reporting

 

English Language Proficiency (ELP) Assessment

In addition to the participation of limited English proficient (LEP) students in the statewide CRT assessment, an annual assessment of English language proficiency for limited English proficient students is required.
In May of 2011, The Montana Office of Public Instruction entered into a memorandum of understanding to join the World-Class Instruction Design and Assessment (WIDA) Consortium. This means that the current MontCAS English Language Proficiency Assessment will no longer be used as the statewide assessment of students with Limited English Proficiency (LEP).

  • WIDA is a multi-state coalition of state departments of education that acts in collaboration to research, design and implement a standards-based educational system that promotes equitable educational opportunities for students with Limited English Proficiency in pre-kindergarten through grade twelve.  As a member of WIDA, OPI will be a member of the governing board that makes decisions about test development and research to improve both the instruction and assessment of LEP students. 
  • The English language development standards, a screener/placement test known as the WIDA-ACCESS Placement Test (W-APT™), and the summative assessment, ACCESS for ELLs®, are all designed sharing the same underlying structure. This includes the five standards:
    • Social and Instructional language
    • Language of Language Arts
    • Language of Mathematics
    • Language of Science
    • Language of Social Studies
      And their organization:
    • Two frameworks: summative and formative
    • Four language domains: Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing
    • Six language proficiency levels: 1-Entering, 2-Emerging, 3-Developing, 4-Expanding, 5-Bridging, and 6-Reaching
    • Five grade-level clusters: PreK–K, 1–2, 3–5, 6–8, and 9–12.
  • The 2011-12 testing window for ACCESS for ELLs is tentatively planned for December 1, 2011 through January 27, 2012.  Montana educators will have access to:
    • W-APT, a placement test for determining appropriate initial placement of students with limited English Proficiency 
    • WIDA professional development opportunities scheduled through OPI
    • Research resources to inform state policy decisions
    • Member pricing on WIDA products, such as the resource guides
    • WIDA Help Desk
    • Serving on Consortium-wide committees, such as item review teams
    • On-line test administrator training
  • WIDA Frequently Asked Questions, December 2011

More information about WIDA is online at www.wida.us
OPI Memo Regarding Access to WIDA Training

Criteria for Identification of Limited English Proficiency
Definition of Proficient for LEP Students

2011-12 ELP Assessment

2010 ELP Assessment

2009 ELP Assessment

Technical Manuals

 

ACT (American College Testing)

In the spring of 2012, some Montana juniors will have the opportunity to take the ACT Plus Writing on a school day in their high schools. The test will be provided for these students without cost. This is because the Montana GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) Program just received a $28 million grant. Included in that grant is an implementation pilot of the ACT Plus Writing to determine the feasibility of all juniors taking the test in their high schools. The pilot will be administered in a sample of Montana high schools. Students who participate in the pilot will receive their scores for the assessment and may have them sent to potential colleges/universities. Documents below provide more information.

2012 Montana ACT Plus Writing

ACT Produced Materials:

OPI Produced Materials: