10.56.102    PARTICIPATION

(1) By the authority of 20-2-121(11), MCA, and ARM 10.55.603, the Board of Public of Education (board) adopts rules for statewide assessment in all public and accredited nonpublic schools.

(2) Statewide assessments approved by the Board shall be administered in all public and accredited nonpublic schools.

(3) School districts shall annually administer statewide assessments to all students in accordance with state and federal laws and regulations that meet or exceed the following specifications:

(a) English language arts and mathematics assessments shall be aligned to Montana content standards in English language arts and mathematics and administered in grades 3-8 and 11;

(b) Science assessments shall be aligned to Montana content standards for science and administered in grades 5, 8, and 11; and

(c) Assessments shall be administered in the spring of each year.

(4) State-level assessments aligned to Montana-English language proficiency standards shall be administered to all students identified as English Learners (EL) in grades (K-12). These assessments shall be administered mid-school year.

(5) The Board of Public Education may approve alternative grade levels and timelines for the administration of statewide assessments due to the availability of assessments and other academic factors.

(6) School districts shall use guidance provided by the Office of Public Instruction to inform parents/guardians about statewide assessments, including:

(a) the purpose;

(b) the source of the requirement;

(c) when the information about student performance is provided to teachers and parents;

(d) how teachers, principals, and district officials use the information about student performance; and

(e) how parents can use that information to help their child.

 

History: Mont. Const. Art. X, sec. 9, 20-2-121, MCA; IMP, Mont. Const. Art. X, sec. 9, 20-2-121, 20-7-402, MCA; NEW, 2019 MAR p. 1050, Eff. 7/27/19.