BILLINGS — Fewer than half of Montana students demonstrated proficiency or above in math and language arts on recent state assessments, according to new test results.
Watch Billings teacher and administrator talk about the new testing system:
The new Montana Aligned to Standards Through-Year Assessment (MAST) test results reveal gaps in third-through-eighth grade students. About 43% of students met proficiency in English language arts, and 37% met proficiency in math.
Students are required to take 19 MAST testlets each year, spreading across three eight-week testing windows.
Teachers and administrators argue the assessment system, while imperfect, provides valuable real-time data to guide instruction.
Mandy Bacon, a fourth-grade teacher at Broadwater Elementary School in Billings, said that the MAST testing benefits her classroom and students by providing quick feedback.
"We get our results back in about a week. So, it's that we can actually look at and use right now to help drive our instruction," Bacon said Monday.
The new MAST test is designed to help identify student strengths and areas needing additional support. Unlike previous assessments, MAST testing occurs more frequently throughout the school year.
“It is a lot more frequent. You know, in figure eight to nine tests, we have a little kit test that's at each trimester,” Bacon said.
While students may not enjoy the increased testing schedule, Bacon believes the frequency makes a meaningful difference in her daily teaching approach.
The regular assessments help her identify learning gaps that might otherwise go unnoticed.
"(It will) help me find the gaps for kids that I might not even realize they have in both reading but especially in math,” Bacon said.
Billings Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Erwin Garcia acknowledges that MAST testing remains a work in progress. He noted reliability and validity concerns with the current data.
"The assessment came after a pilot. It's the first year that it's being issued... Even from the OPI's standpoint, the data is, there's some reliability and validity issues that the state recognizes with the data," Garcia said.
Garcia said that the low proficiency rates revealed by MAST results don't coincide with nationally measured assessments.
"When I look at the outcomes reflected on the MAST assessment, those outcomes are pretty low. So it's pretty low proficiency. Now those outcomes do not match nationally measured assessments," Garcia said.
He also raised concerns about testing time taking away from daily instruction time.
"The focus should be on instruction. We should have some sort of measure because we don't want to lose the accountability," Garcia said.
Despite the challenges, Bacon said that her students have adapted to the testing schedule.
"Most of the tests are 12 to 15 questions. So, they know that it's a very short time of intense focus and work. And then we can get back to our regular schedule activities in the day," Bacon said.
