Montana Comprehensive Assessment System

1. Montana Comprehensive Assessment System MontCAS Montana Office of Public Instruction Linda McCulloch, Superintendent May 2006

2. Welcome Panelists • Sharon Houle, Measured Progress • Carol Taylor-Cann, Riverside Publishing • Bob Runkel, OPI—GAP Students • Lynn Hinch, OPI—English Language Proficiency • Donna O’Neill, OPI--NAEP Coordinator • Linda Peterson, OPI—Science Standards • Moderator, Judy Snow, OPI--Assessment

3. Agenda • MontCAS Overview • Judy Snow • MontCAS—Updates on Other Assessments • Panelists • MontCAS Issues and Details • Judy Snow

4. MontCAS Overview • Assessment 101 • MontCAS Phases 1 and 2

5. Standardized Test Norm-referenced test Criterion-referenced test Performance levels Alternate Assessment LEP, ELL, ELP NCLB No Child Left Behind Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) Administrative Rules of Montana ARM Board of Public Education (BPE) Assessment 101

6. Phase 1 Norm-referenced test (NRT)—the Iowas—Riverside Publishing Company Aligned to national standards Grades 4, 8, 11 Reading, language arts, math, social studies, science Multiple choice Alternate assessment scales Funded by the state Phase 2 Criterion-referenced test (CRT)—Measured Progress Aligned to Montana Content Standards Grades 3-8, and 10 (science in spring 2008) Reading and math Multiple choice, math short answer and constructed response Evidence based alternate Funded by NCLB MontCAS

7. Other AssessmentsPanelists

8. Bob RunkelModified CRT

9. GAP Students • In between CRT-Alternate and CRT • Modified performance standards • Feasibility Study • Grade 5 students • Identified as special education students for the grade 4 CRT in spring 2006 • Pilot math CRT based on modified performance standards • Tentative Window • September 11-19, 2006

10. Lynn Hinch English Language Proficiency Test

11. ELP • English Language Proficiency • Required by NCLB • Grades K-12 • Test Development through Mountain West Consortium (MWAC) • Date TBA

12. NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND REQUIREMENTS • Both Titles I and III require an annual assessment of English language proficiency of all K - 12 limited English proficient students • Assessment must be aligned to state English language proficiency standards • Assessment must report a separate score for listening, speaking, reading, and writing

13. TITLE III REQUIREMENTS • States must establish Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives (AMAOs) that determine how LEP students are making progress in learning English, and whether students are attaining proficiency in English.

14. Status of English Language Proficiency Assessment • Mountain West Assessment Consortium • Test Development and Delivery • RFP Process • March '06 Request to the Department of Education for timeline extension

15. Donna O’NeillNAEP

16. NAEP • National Assessment of Educational Progress • NAEP--Nation’s Report Card • Odd-numbered Years • Grades 4 and 8, Reading and Math • Required Sample

17. All About NAEP • What is NAEP? • Why is it important to Montana? • Who takes the NAEP Assessment? • What are the requirements for NAEP? • New developments in Science & Writing • What is the timeline for the NAEP Assessment?

18. NAEPNational Assessment • The Nation’s Report Card • Measures academic achievement • Reports to the public what students know and can do: • average scale scores • proficiency levels • Formats vary by grade: • multiple choice • constructed-response • Links performance to educational variables • Teacher background information • School characteristics • NAEP is confidential

19. Montana

20. The Nation’s Report Card

21. Montana

22. Who? • Random sample • 2,000 students per • Subject • Grade • Grades 4, 8 & 12 • Students with disabilities • Limited-English proficient

23. NAEP Requirements • Linked to Title I funding • Schools • Districts • NAEP is designed • Minimal disruption of instruction • 90 to 120 minutes of each student’s time • Teachers are encouraged to observe • Field staff are many Montana teachers

24. New Developments • Science Release • May • Writing (8, 12) • Pilot and Special Studies • National Indian Education Study (NIES) • Grades 4, 8 • NAEP data will be linked to survey data • Student, Teacher and Principal Questionnaires

25. NAEP Timeline

26. Key Dates • Secure cooperation of districts and schools • Notify districts in early May • Notify schools of selection during May • Notify schools of assessment dates in June • Maintain communication with schools throughout the process

27. Handouts • Packet of Information • Facts About Montana Education • Historical information on results • NAEP Questions Tool • NAEP Data Explorer (researchers) • http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/

28. Sharon HouleMeasured Progress

29. CRT Science Test • Grades 4, 8, and 10 • Spring 2008 • Aligned to Revised Science Standards

30. Criterion-Referenced Test Where are we going? Science--grades 4, 8 and 10 • May 31, 2006 • National science content and bias reviews • July 25 • Montana science content and bias reviews • Spring 2007 • Field test • Spring 2008 • First Administration—CRT and CRT-Alternate

31. Linda Peterson ACCREDITATION DIVISION STANDARDS REVISION PROCESS

32. 5YCEP Continuous Improvement Process Curriculum (Intended) Assessment (Assessed) (Learned) Montana Standards (Intended) Montana Surveys of the Enacted Curriculum (MSEC) – Alignment Assessment Process 5YCEP Continuous Improvement Process 5YCEP Continuous Improvement Process Professional Development Instruction (Enacted) 5YCEP Continuous Improvement Process The Five-Year Comprehensive Education Plan (5YCEP) Building a Continuous Improvement Process for Montana Schools

33. Montana Board of Public Education CHAPTER 54 CONTENT AND PERFORMANCE STANDARDS 10.54.2503 STANDARDS REVIEW SCHEDULE (1) Montana's content and performance standards shall be reviewed and revised on a five-year cycle beginning July 1, 2005.

34. Montana Board of Public Education Standards Revision 2005-2010 Purpose • Assure Montana citizens that its public schools are providing all children of our great state with challenging academic expectations • Revised standards clearly and consistently identify what students should know, understand and be able to do • Revised standards provide a framework to help guide local curriculum and instruction

35. Montana Board of Public EducationCriteria to Guide Standards Revision Standards will be: • academic in nature and content specific. • challenging and rigorous. • clear, understandable and free of jargon. • measurable. • address diversity, specifically fulfilling the commitment to implementing 20-1-501, Indian Education for All.

37. K-12 Science Standards Montana Standards Framework • Content Standards • Benchmarks - Grades 4 and 8 and upon graduation • Performance Descriptors

38. K-12 Science Standards Performance Descriptors • Advanced – superior performance • Proficient – solid academic competency • Nearing Proficiency – partial mastery of prerequisite knowledge and skills • Novice – beginning to attain prerequisite knowledge and skills

39. Content Standard 1 Students design, conduct, evaluate, and communicate processes and results of scientific investigations, and demonstrate thinking skills associated with this procedural knowledge Benchmarks Grade 4 (3) - describe and communicate the results of scientific investigations Grade 8 (3) - review, communicate and defend results of investigations Upon Graduation – review evidence, communicate and defend results, and recognize that the results of a scientific investigation are always open to revision by further investigation K-12 Science Standards

40. Performance DescriptorsContent Standard 1 Proficient • Grade 4 – with direction, completes a simple investigation with identified variables, using appropriate tools and communicates results • Grade 8 – identifies and communicates testable questions, plans and conducts experimental investigations and communicates results • Upon Graduation – generates testable questions, constructs a plan for a controlled investigation, makes logical inferences based on observations, accurately interprets data by identifying the strengths and weaknesses in an investigation design, and communicates results.

41. Content Standard 3 Students demonstrate knowledge of characteristics, structures, and function of living things, the process and diversity of life, and how lining organisms interact with each other and their environment, and demonstrate thinking skills associated with this knowledge. Benchmarks Grade 4 – create and use a classification system to group a variety of plants and animals according to their similarities and differences, (e.g., American Indian medicinal plants, American Indian dwellings) Grade 8 – create and use a basic classification scheme to identify plants and animals, (e.g., classification scheme based on American Indian use of indigenous plants for medicinal, food and other uses) Upon Graduation – recognize, generate and apply biological classification schemes to infer and discuss the degree of divergence using ecosystems, (e.g., American Indian food collections systems) K-12 Science Standards

42. Performance DescriptorsContent Standard 3 Proficient • Grade 4 – identifies attributes of biotic (living) things and abiotic (non-living) objects, including classification based on similarities and differences, basic structure and function, processes of each system • Grade 8 – identifies and classifies biotic things and abiotic objects through application of common classification schemes; identifies the interdependence of life and the environment and explains how characteristics of living things change because of the environment • Upon Graduation – organizes, classifies, and describes interactions of the biotic and abiotic parts of the biosphere as well as the natural history of interactions of life on Earth and uses these skills to solve related novel (to the student) problems

43. K-12 Science Standards Proposed Time Line • March – May Gather Public Comments • May 11 Present Update to BPE • May 15 Presentation and Discussion with MACIE • May – June Writing Team Work Sessions • June Prepare draft standards for notice of hearing

44. K-12 Science Standards Proposed Time Line • July Present to BPE draft Notice of Hearing and proposed time line • August Notice of Hearing posted • October Public Hearing • November Final BPE Action Anticipated • 2007 Implementation, Outreach, and Dissemination

45. K-12 Science Standards Revisions Linda Vrooman Peterson Accreditation Division Administrator Office of Public Instruction lvpeterson@mt.gov (406) 444-5726 Draft K-12 Science Standards link: http://www.opi.mt.gov/pdf/standards/ScienceStandardsMarch06.pdf

46. Assessment Issues and Details Standardized Administration Accurate Data Technical Adequacy Impact on Instruction

47. Standard Administration = Accurate + Reliable Data • Participation • Training • Test Security • Special Populations • Accommodations • Alternate Assessments

48. Phase 1 Options No accommodations If in IEP, 504, or LEP plan Standard or non standard accommodations Alternate Assessment Scale Combination Phase 2 Options No accommodations Standard accommodations If in IEP or 504 plan Non standard accommodations CRT-Alternate Participation All Means All!

49. Training so that . . . • everyone understands the procedures for administration. • the test is administered in a comparable way in all locations across the state. • quality control procedures are utilized when returning test materials.

50. Test Security All test items and responses to those items in MontCAS are secure materials and may not be copied or duplicated in any way; CRT materials may not be retained in the school after testing is completed. It is very important to review test security information with test administrators during test administration training.