Board briefed on plan to move Montana’s alternate assessment to Dynamic Learning Maps; vote set for next meeting

Cedar Rose, assessment director at the Office of Public Instruction, presented an update on statewide assessments and recommended a change to the alternate assessment model used for students with significant cognitive disabilities.

Rose told the board the current system uses multiple platforms and consortia for alternate assessments and that Montana is in the final contract year for some of the delivery systems. She said the department is proposing to adopt Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM), which would house math, ELA and science alternate assessments on a single platform (Kite), reduce duplicative training, and allow an instructionally embedded model with two broad assessment windows (fall and spring).

Rose said DLM’s model uses short testlets (about 3–9 items) tied to essential elements aligned to grade‑level standards and that the change would reduce administration time and the number of disparate platforms schools must manage. Rose added the shift could reduce annual training time and make scoring and reporting more consistent across grades.

The board was told the proposed modifications to the alternate assessment system will be an action item at the board’s next meeting day; OPI staff provided a comparison chart and resources for members to review before the vote.

Cedar Rose said the alternate assessment population is small ("about 1%" of the statewide testing population, roughly 900 students for math/ELA and about 400 for science), and OPI staff reiterated they will continue stakeholder consultations and provide DLM‑specific modules for board members and districts to review.