The Montana Comprehensive Assessment System (MontCAS) is comprised of the following standardized tests:

(MontCAS, Phase 1)

• Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS), Form A, grades 4 and 8
• Iowa Tests of Educational Development (ITED), Form A, grade 11

The Montana criterion-referenced test has two sources. Progress Towards Standards (PTS), an off-the-shelf test developed by Measured Progress, and augmented items developed by Montana educators to reflect state standards.

Montana Comprehensive Assessment System (MontCAS, Phase 2)
Progress Toward Standards (PTS) Assessment Test:

• PTS is a grade-specific standards-based test for grades 3 through high school
• PTS consists of 42 multiple-choice items and two constructed response items administered in two sessions, plus a third session consisting of 10 Montana-specific items (15 for grade 10) and pilot test items that will be used to create a new form of the test each year
• PTS has two major types of passages:
  (1) literary passages
  (2) informational passages—content and practical

Montana currently does not require that students score at a particular level on the state assessment to be promoted or to graduate from High School.

Merit’s language arts and math software programs correlate to Montana’s Content Standards and can help students prepare for the PTS tests. The content and format of Merit’s programs can help students develop and strengthen their test-taking skills as well as their reading, writing and math skills.

Merit reading software has been proven -- through rigorous, scientifically based research -- to increase both student reading comprehension and standardized test scores. Merit research study findings reveal that education software is an effective tool to improve test scores and academic performance.

Published: March 2005