The Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI), in partnership with assessment leader New Meridian, has been awarded a nearly $4 million Competitive Grants for State Assessments (CGSA) Award to develop an innovative new system of science assessments that will help middle school teachers better prepare students for science and engineering courses in high school and beyond. The grant program, Scaling Montana Aligned to Standards Through-Year Assessment to Middle School Science (MAST Science), builds on the foundations of Montana's Aligned to Standards Through-Year (MAST) assessments in math and English Language Arts, which are being administered statewide this year. When fully developed, the program will benefit 35,000 students in 217 schools statewide.

“Montana is proudly leading the nation in reimagining student assessments,” said Superintendent Elsie Arntzen. “Expanding the MAST program to middle school science reflects our commitment to innovation. MAST focuses on providing timely and transparent feedback to parents, teachers, and students to support teaching and learning in the classroom. This is a monumental step forward for our state, and I urge all Montanans to join us in celebrating and supporting this remarkable advancement in education.”

An Innovative Approach to Science Assessment

The MAST Science initiative features modular assessments administered throughout the year based on real-world application of science and engineering content knowledge and practices. The assessments will be aligned to the Montana Science Standards and model curriculum guides for Physical, Life, and Earth-Space science courses. Aligning the assessments to each course will give science teachers actionable insights into students’ learning development so they can adjust their instructional plans and offer more individualized support. Testing what’s taught when it’s taught also provides a fairer, more equitable measure of what students are actually learning in the classroom. This is a significant improvement over traditional approaches to testing middle school science, where students are tested once at the end of eighth grade on all three of their middle school science courses.

Cultural Heritage at the Core

At the heart of the MAST Science initiative is a deep commitment to honoring Montana’s diverse cultural heritage. Reflecting the state’s dedication to Indian Education for All (IEFA), the science assessments will integrate authentic perspectives from Montana’s American Indian communities.

Indigenous science educators from Salish Kootenai College and local tribal representatives will be contributing to the development of the science framework. This collaborative effort will guide the design of the assessment system, ensuring that assessment items incorporate indigenous scientific practices such as ethnobotany and cultural fire management, while aligning with both Montana Science Standards and the cultural values of American Indian communities. By involving Indigenous scholars and community members in the design process, the program will create assessments that are both academically rigorous and culturally relevant, honoring the unique knowledge and heritage of Montana's Indigenous peoples while supporting equity and authenticity in the science assessments.

"New Meridian is honored to partner with the Montana OPI in this visionary project," said Arthur VanderVeen, CEO of New Meridian. "Together, we are creating a new approach to assessment that gives teachers meaningful, actionable data throughout the year, helping students achieve their full potential. We are excited to expand this work to include science so that Montana students graduate knowing they are prepared to face the technical challenges of the 21^st century.”

Expanding Nationwide

In making the award, the U.S. Department of Education expressed the belief that this innovative approach to science assessment being developed in Montana could serve as a model for other states aiming to enhance their students' preparedness for advanced studies and careers in STEM fields.

For more information, visit www.newmeridian.org.

About New Meridian

New Meridian is a mission-driven nonprofit committed to advancing equity in education by developing assessments that focus on the skills that matter most: critical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication. Since 2016, our diverse team of assessment design experts have collaborated with classroom teachers to develop high-quality assessments that give educators the information they need to ensure all students grow to be life-long learners. We partner with states and districts to develop innovative assessment solutions that provide educators and policy makers with the data and insight they need to improve educational outcomes and ensure students from every background have an equal opportunity to learn and to succeed.

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