Superintendent Arntzen Opens Second Test Window for the Montana Alternative Student Testing Pilot Program

• Brian O'Leary
• January 10 2023

HELENA – Superintendent Elsie Arntzen announces the second round of testlets for the Montana Alternative Student Testing (MAST) pilot program between January 17 and 30, 2023. The first of four testing windows took place from November 7-18, 2022. The MAST pilot program tests 5^th and 7^th-grade students in Math and Reading with a through-year model that aligns student testing closest to the learning of the skill.

“The first round of testing was successful because of our students and teachers,” said Superintendent Elsie Arntzen. “Student achievement is more accurately defined when testing takes place closer to the learning of the skill. The MAST pilot program is the innovative solution to an outdated one-size-fits-all summative assessment that Montana teachers, students, and families have been seeking.”

Each testing window includes three Math and two Reading testlets. The second window of Math testlets will focus on:

• Grade 5:
  • Numerical expressions
  • Whole number multiplication and division
  • Fraction addition and subtraction with unlike denominators
• Grade 7:
  • Rational numbers addition and subtraction
  • Rational numbers multiplication and division
  • Expressions

The second round of Reading testlets for both grades 5 and 7 will focus on:

• Moderately complex literary text
• Moderately complex informational text

The first testing window had successful state-wide completion with:

• 62 schools
• 33 school districts
• 75 educators
• 4,156 students
• 5,529 tests completed

Teachers, test coordinators, principals, counselors, administrators, and superintendents participated in a feedback survey about the first testing window between November 18 and December 13, 2022.

Respondents were asked to rate their experience in preparing to administer the testlets:

• 46% said it was easy
• 14% said it was neither easy nor difficult
• 18% said it was difficult

Respondents were asked to rate their experience in administering the testlets:

• 69% said it was easy
• 10% said it was neither easy nor difficult
• 21% said it was difficult

The third testing window will take place March 6-17, 2023, and the fourth testing window will take place April 17-28, 2023.