10.55.603    CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT

(1) Local school districts shall develop and implement a proficiency-based learning model that includes curriculum aligned to all content standards and appropriate learning progressions. 

(2) School districts shall review, update, and align their learning programs following or after the state's schedule for revising standards.

(3) School districts shall assess all students' progression, growth, and proficiency of content standards and content-specific grade-level or grade-band learning progressions in each program area as aligned with the district assessment plan in (5). The district shall use multiple measures including state-level achievement information obtained by administration of assessments pursuant to ARM 10.56.101 to examine the learning program and measure its effectiveness.

(a) The examination of program effectiveness using assessment results shall include current students and be supplemented with information about graduates and other students no longer in attendance; and

(b) The information obtained shall be considered in curriculum and assessment development.

(4) For content standards in all program areas pursuant to the requirements of ARM 10.55.602, school districts shall:

(a) establish curriculum and assessment development processes as a cooperative effort of personnel licensed and endorsed in the program area and trustees, administrators, other teachers, students, specialists, families, community members, and, when appropriate, tribal representatives and state resource staff;

(b) review curricula at least every five years or consistent with the state's standards revision schedule, and modify, as needed, to meet the goals of the integrated strategic action plan pursuant to ARM 10.55.601;

(c) review materials and resources necessary for implementation of the curriculum and assessment at least every five years, or consistent with the state's standards revision schedule that are consistent with the goals of the integrated strategic action plan pursuant to ARM 10.55.601; and

(d) review curricula and instructional materials and resources to ensure the inclusion of the distinct and unique cultural heritages and contemporary portrayal of American Indians.

(5) The school district shall develop and implement an assessment plan that details progression, growth, and proficiency, promotes demonstrations of student learnings, and measures student progress ensuring alignment to the local curriculum in all program areas pursuant to ARM 10.56.101.

(a) The assessment plan shall be included in the integrated strategic action plan pursuant to ARM 10.55.601 and be in place within two years following the development of local curriculum.

(b) School districts shall use appropriate multiple measures and methods, including state-level achievement information obtained by administration of assessments pursuant to the requirements of ARM 10.56.101, to assess student growth and proficiency of content standards and content-specific grade-level or grade-band learning progressions in all program areas.

(c) The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall develop criteria and procedures for the selection of appropriate multiple measures and methods to be used to assess student growth and proficiency of content standards and appropriate content-specific grade-level or grade-band learning progressions in all program areas.

(d) The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall provide technical assistance to districts to meet the criteria and procedures in (5)(c).

History: Mont. Const. Art. X, sec. 9, 20-2-114, 20-2-121, 20-7-101, MCA; IMP, Mont. Const. Art. X, sec. 9, 20-2-121, 20-3-106, 20-7-101, MCA; NEW, 1989 MAR p. 342, Eff. 7/1/89; AMD, 1997 MAR p. 1185, Eff. 7/8/97; AMD, 1998 MAR p. 2707, Eff. 10/9/98; AMD, 2001 MAR p. 953, Eff. 6/8/01; AMD, 2012 MAR p. 2042, Eff. 7/1/13; AMD, 2023 MAR p. 255, Eff. 7/1/23.