Report Card

Report Card Definitions

Accountability System

The accountability system uses multiple measures of school success, including academic outcomes, student progress, and school quality, while emphasizing that all students deserve a high‑quality and well‑rounded education that will prepare them for success.

For more details, see Montana’s Consolidated State Plan under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)

The Every Student Succeeds Act amends Section 8302 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). Signed by President Obama on December 10, 2015, ESSA replaced No Child Left Behind and continues as the nation’s primary federal education law.

In practice, ESSA requires the Office of Public Instruction (OPI) to submit a state plan for students’ education in Montana. The Montana state plan identifies the accountability system that will be used to make sure all Montana students are served and being prepared for the future. ESSA outlines areas each state must focus on but supports a more holistic approach to student and school success that allows the state to integrate its own indicators into its accountability system.

Methodology

Montana’s comprehensive accountability system assigns weighted scores to schools based on performance indicators for the grades of students they serve. There must be 10 or more students in each indicator for it to be scored.

Federally required indicators include:

• Academic achievement – proficiency on statewide mathematics and English language arts (ELA) assessments.
• Academic growth.
• English learner progress.
• Four‑year adjusted cohort graduation rate.

Montana flexibility indicators include:

• Satisfactory attendance.
• College and/or career ready.
• STEM indicator – proficiency on the statewide science assessment.
• School survey of program quality indicators for improving school climate, reducing behavior issues, and increasing engagement (under development).

Designation Definitions

Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI)

Schools are identified for Additional Targeted Support and Improvement each year if the school has any student subgroup performing similarly to the schools in the lowest 5% of all Montana schools.

For more information on ATSI, visit the OPI targeted support webpage .

Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI)

Schools identified for Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) meet one or more of the following criteria:

• • Schools identified for CSI meet one or more of the following criteria: 
  • Lowest performing 5% of all Title I schools in the state;
  • High school graduation rate less than 67%;
  • Consistently underperforming student groups.
  • Every three years, the OPI will identify schools for CSI. These schools will complete and comprehensive needs assessment and develop an integrated action plan and work in partnership with the OPI to implement strategies to overcome challenges in the areas of school climate, school engagement, leadership, professional development and curriculum and standards.

Every three years, beginning with the 2018–2019 school year, OPI identifies schools for CSI. These schools develop a Continuous School Improvement Plan and work in partnership with OPI to implement strategies to overcome challenges in areas such as school climate, school engagement, leadership, professional development, curriculum, and standards.

For more information, visit the CSI OPI webpage .

Universal Support

Schools are identified as Universal if they do not perform in the bottom five percent of Title I schools and have a graduation rate above 67 percent. These criteria are measured both school‑wide and for student groups.

High Priority District

A high priority district is a district in which a majority of schools are identified for CSI. Because of this designation, support is delivered through a systemic, district‑level approach.

Educator Qualification Definitions

Administrator

An administrator provides leadership across all areas necessary to run a school. In the report cards, “administrator” refers to two specific positions within the school and/or district: superintendents and principals.

Emergency Authorization of Employment

In accordance with Administrative Rule of Montana 10.57.107, a school district that has exhausted all possibilities and is still unable to hire a licensed educator may request to use the emergency authorization process. If granted, the Emergency Authorization of Employment allows the district to employ a non‑licensed person to teach in that subject area.

The district must provide evidence of due diligence in trying to fill the position with a licensed educator, as well as evidence of the non‑licensed person’s academic qualifications or significant experience related to the subject area. The authorization is valid for one year and is non‑renewable.

Full Time Equivalent (FTE)

Full time equivalent is the number of hours worked by one employee on a full‑time basis. The concept is used to convert the hours worked by multiple part‑time employees into the hours worked by full‑time employees.

Ineffective Teacher

An ineffective teacher is either not licensed or shows a pattern of ineffective practices as determined by a local evaluation system.

Inexperienced Teacher

An inexperienced teacher or administrator has less than one year of teaching experience in Montana.

Out of Field Teacher

An out of field teacher is a licensed Montana teacher who is teaching outside an endorsed subject area.

Provisional License

A provisional license is a three‑year license that may be issued to an individual who has previously completed a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university and now wants to become an educator. The application process begins with a plan of study from the college or university that the individual will follow to obtain an educator degree.

The plan of study must confirm that:

1. The program will be completed within three years, and
2. The program will result in educator licensure.

The provisional license allows the individual to be employed in the classroom, teaching in the subject area while completing the educator preparation program.

School Finance Definitions

LEA Membership

LEA membership is the total number of district student enrollments from preschool through grade 12 who are enrolled for primary instructional services in a public school as of the fall (October) count date. This number excludes students who were not present for the 11th consecutive pupil instruction day immediately before the official fall count date.

Per Pupil Expenditure (PPE)

Per pupil expenditure (PPE) is the amount of federal, state, and local funds expended per student, reported separately by source of funds. PPE is calculated annually at the state, district, and school levels.

Enrollment Count

Enrollment count is the number of students who are enrolled for primary instructional services in a public school as of the fall (October) count date.

Student Achievement Definitions

Academic Achievement

Academic Achievement indicator uses individual student performance on annual state tests (MAST- Montana Aligned to Standards Through Year) grades 3-8 and the ACT for 11th grade) as a measure of a student’s proficiency on grade level Math and English Language Arts content standards.

Academic Growth Indicator

An academic growth indicator uses individual student performance on annual state tests (MAST grades 4-8) over a two-year period to determine the amount of improvement of a student’s proficiency on grade level Math and English Language Arts content standards between two consecutive years.

ACT

The general math, reading/language arts, and science assessment for academic achievement reporting in Grade 11.

For more information about the assessment, see the MontCAS Policies and Procedures for Participation in State Assessments . Details about performance‑level descriptors for this assessment are in the Montana Technical Report: Empirical Standard Setting for ACT .

Adjusted Participation Rate

All students, including students with disabilities and English learners, are required to participate in state assessments with or without accommodations. Students participate in state assessments in one of three ways:

1. Participate in the general education assessments without accommodations.
2. Participate in the general education assessments with accommodations.
3. Participate in alternate assessments when participation criteria are met.

The participation rate is calculated separately for each subject (reading/language arts, mathematics, and science). Students who are medically exempt from the assessment are not included in the adjusted participation rate.

Advanced Level

A student at the advanced level has exceeded the achievement standards and demonstrates advanced progress toward the knowledge and skills needed for likely success in entry‑level, credit‑bearing coursework after high school.

Alternate Assessment

An alternative assessment is an assessment based on alternative achievement standards which is designed for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who cannot participate in the general assessment even with appropriate accommodations.

For more information, see the MontCAS Policies and Procedures for Participation in State Assessments .

College and/or Career Readiness Indicator (CCR)

The college and/or career readiness (CCR) indicator describes whether 12th‑grade students have the skills, knowledge, and abilities needed to succeed in life after high school, whether in college or in a career. It is based on benchmarks of success that include academic and content knowledge, higher‑order thinking skills, and critical thinking and problem‑solving.

For high schools, the CCR measure is used when identifying schools for support and combines academic measures (proficiency and college readiness on the statewide ACT administration) with coursework measures (including the percentage of senior students who are career and technical education [CTE] concentrators).

English Learner Progress Indicator

The English learner progress indicator evaluates English learners’ growth in English language proficiency from one point in time to another. It considers how language growth affects students’ mastery of the regular curriculum and graduation outcomes.

Based on research, OPI has determined that students who grow at least 0.5 points per year on the composite score of the World‑Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) ACCESS test should reach English language proficiency within five years. OPI defines progress as any student who shows a 0.5‑point or greater increase in their composite score compared with the previous year.

Graduation Rate Indicator

The graduation rate indicator is based on the four‑year adjusted cohort graduation rate for all students and for each student group who meet state standards and earn a regular high school diploma.

MAST: Montana Aligned to Standards Through‑Year

Is the math and reading/language arts assessment for academic achievement reporting in grades 3-8

Medical Exemptions

In extraordinary circumstances, such as a significant medical emergency, individual students may be exempt from participation‑rate calculations used for accountability determinations. If a student cannot be tested at any time during the published test window, the student is counted as a non‑participant unless the non‑participation is due to a qualifying medical emergency.

Non‑participation for reasons other than a medical exemption negatively affects the adjusted participation rate.

Multi‑State Alternate Assessment (MSAA)

The Multi‑State Alternate Assessment (MSAA) is the alternate math and reading/language arts assessment used for academic achievement reporting in grades 3–8 and 11 for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities.

Nearing Proficiency Level

A student at the nearing proficiency level has almost met the achievement standard and may need further development to demonstrate the knowledge and skills needed for likely success in entry‑level, credit‑bearing coursework after high school.

Novice Level

A student at the novice level has not met the achievement standard and needs substantial improvement to demonstrate the knowledge and skills needed for success in entry‑level, credit‑bearing coursework after high school.

Percent Progress

Percent progress is defined as the percentage of students at a school who increase their test scores from one grade to the next when compared with their peers. It shows the proportion of students who demonstrate some progress (a positive growth measure) from one year to the next.

Proficient Level

Proficient level means solid academic performance for each benchmark, reflecting demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter. This includes subject‑matter knowledge, the ability to apply knowledge to real‑world situations, and analytical skills appropriate to the subject area as demonstrated on the state assessment.

Science Assessment Indicator

The science assessment indicator uses student performance on the statewide science assessment as a measure of proficiency in science standards for the applicable tested grades.

Student Definitions

Student Group

This refers to a group of students identified by a particular characteristic. The student groups used for the accountability system include economically disadvantaged students, students from major racial and ethnic groups (White, American Indian, and Hispanic), children with disabilities, and English learners.  Student groups in the report card also include other races, Gender, Migrant, Homeless, Foster, and Military connected. 

Children with Disabilities

Students identified under the IDEA as being a student with a disability or disabilities receiving special education and related services through an IEP. 

Economic Disadvantage

Students who are eligible to participate in the Free/Reduced Lunch Program under the National School Lunch Act.

English Learner

A student who has been impacted linguistically by their environment, who is identified as having limitations in their social and academic English language proficiency, and whose English language proficiency denies them the ability to meet the challenging state academic standards or the ability to fully participate and successfully achieve in classrooms where the language of instruction is English.

Military‑Connected Students

Military‑connected students are children who have a parent or guardian serving in the United States Armed Forces, including active duty, Reserve, or National Guard.

Migrant

Migrant students are children who, within the last 36 months, have moved across school district boundaries with a parent, guardian, or spouse to seek or obtain qualifying temporary or seasonal agricultural‑ or fishing‑related work.

Homeless

A student who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.

Foster

As student with 24 hour substitution care for children place away from their parents or guardians and the child welfare agency has placement and care responsibility