MAST Science Development & Overview

Montana Aligned to Standards Through-Year Science Assessment

MAST Science Pilot Portal

The Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI) received a U.S. Department of Education grant to design MAST Science, a through-year assessment system for grades 6–8. Through-year assessments are administered in multiple sessions throughout the school year, providing timely data to support both summative reporting and instructional decision-making. This design benefits students, teachers, parents, and administrators by offering actionable information throughout the year and providing a meaningful picture of student performance over time. Another key goal is to allow districts to flexibly align science testing with local scope and sequence, ensuring coherence with the taught curriculum.
Building on the framework of MAST ELA and Math, OPI partnered with the Center for Assessment and a task force of Montana educators and leaders to develop a Theory of Action. This framework guides the system’s design, ensuring MAST Science assessments are classroom-connected, standards-aligned, and supportive of meaningful student learning across Montana.
MAST Science Theory of Action
MAST Science Implementation Timeline

Be Part of Montana’s Innovative MAST Science Assessment!

Become a part of MAST Science—a new, Montana-grown through-year science assessment.

Pilot testlets, share feedback, and help build a system that supports powerful classroom learning in grades 6–8.

If interested, please fill out the following survey: MAST Science Assessment Pilot Participation Survey.

About the Expanded Pilot:

  • When: The pilot will be administered during the same testing windows as the MAST ELA and Mathematics assessments:
    • Window 1: October 19-December 11
    • Window 2: January 11-March 5
    • Window 3: March 29-May21
  • Who: Middle school science teachers and students in grades 6-8.
  • What:
    • Testlets: 15 optional, flexible science assessments aligned to the Montana Science Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Testlets are organized by science topic and standards, rather than grade level, allowing teachers to select assessments that align with the content and curriculum being taught in their middle school science classrooms.
    • Summative Assessment: Required summative assessment administered in 8th grade and covering all middle school science standards
  • Purpose: The pilot is designed to provide teachers and formative information about student understanding of key science concepts. Gather data to inform the future design and development of science assessments. 
  • How: The pilot will be administered through the KITE Portal, the same platform used by students in grades 3-8 for the MAST ELA and Mathematics assessments.
  • Important Note for Grade 8: Eighth-grade students participating in the pilot must still complete the Montana Science Assessment during the 2026-2027 school year. 
Kids In A Classroom
Mast Science Blueprint

Montana Educator MAST Contributions

Montana educators and leaders are playing a crucial role in the development and enhancement of the MAST assessment and the implementation of MAST Science. An Assessment Implementation Committee has been established with a range of Montana Educators to support the implementation of all MAST assessments. Along the way, Montana educators will also participate in item writing, item review, standard setting, and continued feedback opportunities.

MAST Science Contacts:

Cody Olson, Science Instructional Coordinator
Shelby Holmes, Science Assessment Specialist
Marie Judisch, Senior Manager of Academic Outcomes & Instruction