Standards Revision
The purpose of the standards review process is to ensure that Montana public schools are setting high academic standards for all children of our great state. Our goal is to serve our Montana students and educators with the best possible standards to guide instruction and prepare our students for their lives beyond the classroom.
Here you will find a variety of resources regarding the current standards revisions including:
- Current Standards in Revision
- Legacy Documents
- Agendas and Minutes
- Meeting Recordings
- Working Documents
- Task Force Members
Montana Content Standards Revisions Current Cycles of Standards Revisions
| Cycle | Content Standards | Review/Research | Revision | Negotiated Rulemaking | Adoption Phase | Adoption | School Implementation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | English Language Proficiency | January 2023 - February 2023 | March 2023 - April 2023 | May 2023 - August 2023 | September 2023 - March 2024 | May 2024 | July 1, 2025 |
| II | Mathematics | September 2022 - March 2023 | April - October 2024 | November 2024 - March 2024 | March 2024 - January 2025 | January 2025 | July 1, 2026 |
| III | World Languages | January - March 2023 | April - August 2023 | September - December 2023 | January - June 2024 | September 2024 | July 1, 2026 |
| IV | English Language Arts/Literacy | September 2023-March 2024 | April - October 2024 | December - March 2025 | March - June 2025 | September 2025 | July 1, 2027 |
As of July 2025, the following content standards’ revisions timelines are TBD: Health and Physical Education, Arts, Science, Social Studies, Career and Technical Education, Technology Integration, Computer Science, and Library Sciences. The Board of Public Education determines the content standards revision schedules in coordination with the Office of Public Instruction.
The Montana Content Standards can be found within Title 10, Chapter 53 of Administrative Rules of Montana. Guidance documents to support educators in the implementation of standards can be found at the Montana Office of Public Instruction K-12 Content Standards website.
Adoption, Revision, and Repeal History for Montana Content Standards
English Language Arts (ELA)
English Language Arts/ Literacy Content Standards Revisions have been passed on to the Board of Public Education for formal adoption.
Resources & Information
Standards Summary Document Draft
Revision Drafts
- NRC Draft of Proposed Changes (V4)
- Reconciliation Team Draft of Proposed Changes (V3)
- Review Team Draft of Proposed Changes (V2)
- Writing Team Draft of Proposed Changes (V1)
The Board of Public Education (BPE) has not adopted these drafted standards.
Research
Research for the ELA Standards Task Force was put into briefs by researchers at the Regional Educational Laboratory - Northwest.
Funded by the US Department of Education's Institute of Educational Sciences, the ten Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs) partner with educators and policymakers nationwide to provide support for the development of programs, services, and guidelines. For nearly 60 years, the RELs have collaborated with school districts, state departments of education, and other education stakeholders to help generate and apply evidence, to improve learner outcomes. REL work is change-oriented, rigorous, and high-leverage, supporting consequential local, regional, or statewide decisions about education policies, programs, and practices. RELs contribute to the growing body of research on how experiences within the nation's education system differ by context and student group, impacting outcomes and identifying potential solutions.
WestEd operates Regional Educational Lab Northwest in partnership with Marzano Research to serve the states of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington.
Research Briefs
- Brief #1 - Reading Instructional Practices and Models
- Brief #2 - Relationship Between Reading and Writing
- Brief #3 - Stages of Emergent Literacy and Language Development
- Brief #4 - Adolescent Literacy
- Brief #5 - Disciplinary Literacy
Additional Resources
Although the Task Force considered many key pieces of research and evidence while writing the proposed standards, some key items that may be of public interest are presented here.
- Project Excellence 2009 Montana Standards
- NAEP 2026 Reading Framework
- NCTE-ILA Standards
- IEFA Considerations for ELA Standards
- The Intersection of Indigenous Language and Culture Considerations
- State and Federal Assessment Considerations for ELA Standards Revisions
- Supporting Multi-Lingual Learners in ELA Standards Revisions
- Understanding the Science of Reading for ELA Standards Task Force
- Standards Structure: A Case Study of National and State Standards for ELA
- Interdisciplinary Literacy Considerations for ELA Standards Revisions
- Supporting and Integrating CTE in ELA Standards Revisions and The Uses and Implications for AI in ELA and Standards Revisions Considerations
Economic Impact Statement
Montana stakeholders were surveyed to gather critical information about the economic impact of the proposed amendments to the English Language Arts and Literacy (ELA) Content Standards Revisions - Administrative Rule of Montana (ARM) Title 10, Chapter 53, Subchapter 4. Determining an economic impact for revised standards is in accordance to 2-4-405, Montana Code Annotated (MCA). This information is shared with Montana Legislators as they determine potential costs aligned with the formal adoption of the revised content standards.
Grades K-2 Writing Team
| Name | Location | Credentials |
|---|---|---|
| Dana Fitzgale | Florence | EdD in Literacy Education |
| Genevieve Thomas | Whitefish | MA in SPED, and School Psych, BA in Spanish |
Grades 3-5 Writing Team
| Name | Location | Credentials |
|---|---|---|
| Amber Byrd | Helena | MA in Elementary Education |
| Abby Kuhl | Helena | MA in Elementary Ed., BA in Elementary Ed. |
| Will Dickerson | Bozeman | MEd in Educational Leadership |
Grades 6-8 Writing Team
| Name | Location | Credentials |
|---|---|---|
| Dana Haring | Kalispell | EdD in Curriculum and Instruction, MEd in Educational Leadership, MA in English Teaching, BA in Literature |
| Karen Polari | Sidney | MA in Curriculum & Instruction, MA in Library Media Science, BA in Elementary Education, BA in Special Education, BA in Secondary ELA Education |
| Antonia Malchik* | Whitefish | MFA in Creative Writing- Non-Fiction, BA in Mathematics and English |
| Kristina Matthews* | Highwood | MA in Philosophy, BS in Psychology, MA in English Teaching Candidate |
| Jeff Ross | Lolo/Belt | MFA in Creative Writing, MA in Secondary English Teaching |
| Kathy Pfaffinger | Billings | MA in Teaching, BS in Secondary Education, English |
| Erin Hunt* | Helena | MA in Science Education, BS in Biology, Education Option |
| Caitlin Chiller* | Livingston | MEd in Curriculum and Instruction, BA in English Literature |
K-12 Review Team
| Name | Location | Credentials |
|---|---|---|
| Jeanne Wdowin | Kalispell | MA in School Administration, BA in Early Childhood through Grade 6 |
| Andrea Meiers | Billings | MEd in Leadership, BA in English Education |
| Beverly Chin | Missoula | PhD in Curriculum and Instruction, MA in English and Higher Education, BA in English and Education |
| Kari Dahl Huff | Billings | PhD in Critical Literacy and English Education, MA in Curriculum and Instruction, BA in Secondary English and Theater |
K-12 Reconciliation Team
| Name | Location | Credentials |
|---|---|---|
| Dana Haring | Kalispell | EdD in Curriculum and Instruction, MEd in Educational Leadership, MA in English Teaching, BA in Literature |
| Andrea Meiers | Billings | MEd in Leadership, BA in English Education |
| Abby Kuhl | Helena | MA in Elementary Ed., BA in Elementary Ed. |
| Casey Olsen | Columbus | MA in Secondary English Teaching, BA in Secondary English Teaching |
| Kathy Pfaffinger | Billings | MA in Teaching, BS in Secondary Education, English |
| Kristina Matthews* | Highwood | MA in Philosophy, BS in Psychology, MA in English Teaching Candidate |
* Denotes Interdisciplinary Literacy Caucus member
The following table presents the meeting agendas retained from the Task Force Development processes of the English standards revision. Viewing these will provide greater insight into the rationale and motivations of the expert volunteers who contributed to this work.
Task Force Meetings
| Meeting Details | Agenda & Slides |
|---|---|
| October 7-8 - Reconciliation Meeting - In person | Agenda |
| August 13, 2024 - Reconciliation Meeting - Virtual | |
| July 29-30, 2024 - Task Force Review Team Meeting - In person | Agenda & Slides |
| July 15-18, 2024 - Task Force Writing Team Meeting - In person | Agenda & Slides |
| June 10-12, 2024 - Task Force Collaboration and Calibration meeting - Virtual | Agenda & June 10 Slides, June 11 Slides, June 12 Slides |
| May 3, 2024 - Task Force Research Deep Dive Meeting - Virtual | Agenda & Slides |
| April 19, 2024 - Orientation - Virtual | Agenda & Slides |
The Negotiated Rulemaking Committee for English Language Arts began work December 2024. To follow along with the progress of the negotiated rulemaking, please see the meeting information below.
Negotiated Rulemaking for ELA Content Standards
Orientation
- December 18, 4:00-6:00pm - Virtual - Agenda
Rulemaking Sessions #1, #2, #3
Doubletree Inn - Helena, MT or Virtual
- January 6, 2025 - 12:00pm - 5:00pm - Agenda - Recording - Minutes
- January 7, 2025 - 8:30am - 4:30pm - Agenda - Recording - Minutes
- January 8, 2025 - 8:30am - 1:00pm - Agenda - Recording - Minutes
Rulemaking Sessions #4 & 5 (Virtual Only)
- January 30, 2025 - 8:30am - 12:30pm - Agenda - Recording - Minutes
- January 31, 2025 - 8:30am - 12:30pm - Agenda - Recording - Minutes
Rulemaking Session #6 (Virtual Only)
Facilitator: Diane Groves - Committee Approved Facilitator
| Name | Location | Representing | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Justine Alberts | Helena | K-12 School Administrators, Parents, Taxpayers | Helena SD Curriculum Director, Former Elementary Principal and Higher Education, Served on NRC for Assessment |
| Nicole Simonsen | Culbertson | K-12 School Administrators | Former 1st Grade and Elementary Teacher, School Administrator in Culbertson School District |
| Tawny Cale | Great Falls | K-12 Educator, MT Tribe Representative | HS English Educator and current Indian Education for All Instructional Coach for Great Falls Public Schools |
| Jodi Carlson | Billings | Higher Education Faculty | Director of Education and Teacher Preparation at Rocky Mountain College, previously a 1st Grade teacher for bilingual students |
| Clifton Grilley | Power | Parent | Montana parent, has served on prior committees for agency |
| Janelle Beers | Dillon | Parent, Taxpayer, K-12 Educator | MT Small Schools Alliance Executive Director, Previously a school administrator and secondary ELA educator |
| Barbara Frank | Missoula | K-12 Administrator, Parent, Taxpayers | Montana Educator for 20+ years, former Elementary principal, and current Curriculum Director for MCPS |
| Crystal Kain | Polson | K-12 School Administrators, K-12 Teachers, Parents | 7-12 Educator, Taught in Class C-AA, Innovation Coordinator for Polson Schools |
| Erin Ellis | Missoula | School Administrator, K-12 Educator | Hellgate Elementary Director of Pk-8 Assessment and Curriculum, P-6th Grade and Higher Education experience |
| Logan Brower | Boulder | K-12 Educator | HS Teacher in Jefferson School District, State Writing Project in Idaho |
| Sue Corrigan | Kalispell | School District Trustees, K-12 Teachers, Parents, Taxpayers | Retired Nationally Board Certified Special education teacher, MTSBA President |
| Allissa Christensen | Whitehall | Business Official | Business Manager for Whitehall School District |
| Jacie Jeffers | Billings | K-12 Educator, MT Tribe Representative | Indian Education Instructional Coach, K-12 Educator, Billings SD |
| McCall Flynn | Helena | Montana Board of Public Education | Executive Director of the Montana Board of Public Education |
| Christy Mock-Stutz | Helena | OPI | OPI Assistant Superintendent |
| Marie Judisch | Ledger | OPI | Senior Manager of Teaching and Learning |
English Language Proficiency
The ELP Standards are aligned with Montana's academic content standards and the Indian Education for All Essential Understandings, and they serve as a guide for schools and districts to implement high-quality instruction, integrated literacy strategies, and community-centered supports. These standards reflect Montana's commitment to ensuring all students thrive in school, graduate with confidence, and are prepared for college, careers, and lifelong learning.
The Montana ELP Standards began the revision process in 2022 and were adopted by the Board of Public Education in 2024. These standards are effective July 1, 2026 for implementation.
The following resources listed below preserve the process of revision for public access. All relevant resources and guidance related to the new standards is available on the ELP Standards main webpage.
Any questions about the revision process, current resources, or the standards themselves can be directed to the OPI Instructional Coordinators.
Resources & Information
Meetings Concluded
- All information on NRC processes can be viewed under 'Previous Meeting Information'
- Amanda Burkhart - Parent, Taxpayer - Helena, MT
- Sue Furey - Parent, Taxpayer, Retired Teacher - Missoula, MT
- Bruce Tribbensee - Parent, Taxpayer - Missoula, MT
- Sonja Verlanic - Parent, Taxpayer - Missoula, MT
- Julie Williams - Parent, Taxpayer, Higher Ed - Livingston, MT
- Ragna Thorne Thomsen - Parent, Taxpayer, Business Owner - Missoula, MT
- Danielle Morrison - K-12 Teacher - Bozeman, MT
- Kathy Milodragovich - Parent, Taxpayer, Retired Teacher, School Board Trustee - Butte, MT
- Rebecca Rappold - Director of Curriculum, Montana Tribe Representative - Browning, MT
- Kristen Brook - K-12 Teacher - Billings, MT
- Melit Flynn - School Business Official - Shelby, MT
- Dr. Julie Murgel - Chief Program Officer, OPI - Helena, MT
Mathematics Standards Revisions
The following resources listed below preserve the process of revision for public access. All relevant resources and guidance related to the new standards is available on the Mathematics Content Standards main webpage.
Any questions about the revision process, current resources, or the standards themselves can be directed to the Mathematics Instructional Coordinator, Katrina Engeldrum.
Resources & Information
Standards Summary Document Draft
The following drafted version of the standards were presented to the Board of Public Education for review in May 2024. This version presents the item by item, word by word proposed revisions at that time. A brief video is available to support the navigation of this resource.
- Draft Summary K-12 Standards (PDF) - January 2024 Draft.
The standards for mathematics were implemented effective July 1, 2026. The following resources present the final draft of these standards:
- PK-12 Mathematics Standards Guidance Document (PDF)
- Stachel Mathematics Standards Framework (Machine-Readable & Dynamic)
Research
These research reports were prepared by the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Northwest from the National Center for Education Evaluation at the Institute of Education Sciences. These reports guided the standards revision process.
Additional Resources
- NAEP Mathematical Practices (PDF)
- Case Studies of Other States' Math Content Standards (PDF)
- NCTM - Ability Labels: Disrupting "High," "Medium," and "Low" in Mathematics Education
- More Math, Less Worth Abstract and Publication
Although the Task Force considered many key pieces of research and evidence during their writing of the proposed standards, some key items are presented here that may be of public interest.
The proposed changes to the Montana Mathematics Content Standards have been presented to the Board of Public Education to review and conduct its adoption protocol.
You may wish to view the critical documents folder, which houses the compilation of historical materials for public view. These materials are historical and by no means are meant to represent an end product. These documents have been provided to allow the public and the Board of Public Education to view the work as it progressed. These documents were updated periodically as needed by the Task Force. Due to the variable nature of these documents, they have been linked as Google documents where the collaboration of the task force members took place. Please keep these things in mind as you review the materials.
Some accessibility may be limited in the Google Documents presented within the critical documents folder necessitated by the collaboration requirements as the work was being conducted. If you have specialized accessibility needs that prevent your engagement or access to the documents provided in the Drive Folder, please email the OPI and we will work with you to accommodate your accessibility needs.
The following tables present the meeting minutes and recordings retained from the Negotiated Rule Making and Task Force Development processes of the math standards revision. Viewing these will provide greater insight into the rationale and motivations of the expert volunteers who contributed to this work.
Negotiated Rulemaking Meetings
| Meeting Details | Agenda & Recording Links |
|---|---|
| January 22, 2024 - Rulemaking Session #7 - Virtual | Agenda | Recording |
| January 10th, 2024 - Rulemaking Session #6 - Hybrid | Agenda | Recording (Passcode: @D5+0nQ5) |
| January 9th, 2024 - Rulemaking Session #5 - Hybrid | Agenda | Recording (Passcode: C5S5&jv@) |
| January 8th, 2024 - Rulemaking Session #4 - Hybrid | Agenda | Recording (Passcode: 6h#EiN?b) |
| December 1st, 2023 - Rulemaking Session #3 - Virtual | Agenda | Minutes | Recording (Passcode: &Z+1kCFu) |
| November 15, 2023 - Rulemaking Session #2 - Hybrid | Agenda | Minutes | Recording |
| November 14, 2023 - Rulemaking Session #1 - Hybrid | Agenda | Minutes | Recording |
| October 25, 2023 - NRC Orientation - Virtual | Agenda | Recording |
Task Force Meetings
For a complete list of task force meetings agenda and minutes, please visit the critical documents folder.
| Meeting Details | Agenda & Minutes Links |
|---|---|
| October 18, 2023 - K-5 Review Team Meeting (Virtual) | Agenda and Minutes |
| October 16, 2023 - 6-12 Review Team Meeting (Virtual) | Agenda and Minutes |
| October 12, 2023 - 9-12 Development Team Meeting (Virtual) | Agenda and Minutes |
| October 11, 2023 - 3-5 Development Team Meeting (Virtual) | Agenda and Minutes |
| October 10, 2023 - 6-8 Development Team Meeting (Virtual) | Agenda and Minutes |
| October 6, 2023 - K-2 Development Team Meeting (Virtual) | Agenda and Minutes |
| September 27, 2023 - Math Practices Sub-Committee Meeting (Virtual) | Agenda and Minutes |
| August 10, 2023 - Feedback Session | |
| August 7, 2023 | Minutes |
| August 3, 2023 - Review Day | Minutes |
| July 19 - 21, 2023 - Development Days | Agenda | Minutes |
| June 16, 2023 - Orientation | Minutes |
The following expert volunteers participated in the various roles of developing the proposed Montana Mathematics Content Standards.
Negotiated Rulemaking Committee Members
- Brooke Taylor - Billings - K-12 Teacher, Parent
- Brooke Tuft - Whitefish - Grandparent, Taxpayer
- Carrie Fisher - Belgrade - School District Business Official
- Dr. Chris Olszewski - Billings - School Administrator
- Elaine Cummins - Billings - School District Business Official, Montana Indian Tribe Representative
- Dr. Julie Murgel - Helena - Office of Public Instruction
- June Ellestad - Lolo - Taxpayer, Retired Educator
- Kathy Milodragovich - Butte - School District Trustee, K-12 Teacher, Retired Educator
- Katie McCrea - Pryor - Higher Education, K-12 Teacher, Parent
- Dr. Lynne Rider - Kalispell - Higher Education, K-12 Teacher
- Robert Griffith - Great Falls - Taxpayer, Retired Educator
- Teri Dierenfield - Kalispell - K-12 Teacher
Development Task Force Members
- Nicole Casper - Kalispell - K-2 Development
- Shay Kidd - Dillon - K-2 Development, Vertical Alignment, Mathematical Practices
- Andrea Meiers - Lockwood - K-2 Development
- Thomas Redmon - Hamilton - K-2 Development, Mathematical Practices
- Carla Swenson - Glasgow - K-2 Development
- Lei-Anna Bertelsen - Bozeman - 3-5 Development
- Elizabeth Burroughs - Bozeman - 3-5 Development
- Kris Gardner - Missoula - 3-5 Development
- Melissa Shiffer - Lambert - 3-5 Development
- Tina Blair - Anaconda - 6-8 Development, Vertical Alignment
- Jennifer Brackney - Billings - 6-8 Development
- Jennifer Luebeck - Bozeman - 6-8 Development, Mathematical Practices
- Matt Roscoe - Missoula - 6-8 Development
- Cliff Bara - Troy - 9-12 Development
- Beth Cooney - Harlowton - 9-12 Development
- Deanne Gemmil - Billings - 9-12 Development
- Marisa Graybill - Helena - 9-12 Development
- Janice Novotny - Big Timber - 9-12 Development
- Frederick Peck - Missoula - 9-12 Development
Review Task Force Members
- Becky Berg - Billings - K-5 Review
- Jenny Combs - Laurel - K-5 Review
- Kayla Ryan - Helena - K-5 Review
- Amy Jones - Forsyth - K-5 Review
- Pat Baltzley - Gardiner - 6-12 Review
- Sharon Carroll - 6-12 Review
- Lisa Scott - 6-12 Review
Tribal Panel Feedback Consultants
- Roger MadPlume
- Jacie Jeffers
- Karry Woodard
World Languages Content Standards
The World Language Content Standards are currently in the Professional Learning Phase of the revision process. The links below give access to review the work being done in these revisions and stay tuned for more information on professional learning for these standards.
Task Force Resources
| Task Force Member | Location of Representative | Task Force Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Adrienne Barnes, M.A. | Polson | Writing and Review Teams |
| Dr. Galen Brokaw | Bozeman | Writing and Review Teams |
| Dr. Patricia Catoira | Bozeman | Writing Team |
| Lachelle Davis-Monnett | Kalispell | Writing Team |
| Naomi Delaloye, M.A. | Whitefish | Writing Team |
| Brooke Gardner, M.A. | Whitefish | Writing Team |
| Dr. Dora LaCasse | Missoula | Review Team |
| M. Alice Nation, M.A. | Billings | Writing and Review Teams |
| Dr. Velma Pretty On Top | Crow Agency | Writing Team |
| Brandy Reinhardt | Missoula | Writing Team |
| Tabitha Smail, M.A. | Helena | Writing Team |
| Lisa Werner, M.A. | Lewistown | Writing and Review Teams |
| Dr. Cecily Whitworth | Missoula | Writing Team |
| Dr. Megan Wong | Bozeman | Writing Team |
Montana Office of Public Instruction Project Leadership
- Elsie Arntzen, Superintendent of Public Instruction
- Julie Murgel, Chief Operating Officer
- Marie Judisch, Teaching and Learning Senior Manager
- Matthew Bell, American Indian Culture and Language Immersion Specialist, Consultant, and Project Development Support
- Stephanie Swigart, English Language Arts and Literacy Coordinator, World Languages Standards Revision Project Lead
Negotiated Rulemaking Committee
- Charlene Jonsson - K-12 Teacher - Savage
- Carolyn Rusche - Instructional Coach, Montana Tribe Representative - Shepard
- Norah Barney - K-12 Administrator, Curriculum Director - Anaconda
- Garth Sleight - Higher Education - Miles City
- Erik Pritchard - K-12 Teacher - East Helena
- Kerri Norick - School District Trustee, K-12 Educator, Parent - Bozeman
- Kevin Kicking Woman - K-12 Teacher, Montana Tribe Representative - Browning
- Carrie Fisher - School Business Official - Butte
- Kathy Milodragovich - Taxpayer, Retired Educator - Butte
- Julie Murgel, OPI
- Christy Mock-Stutz, OPI
World Languages Content Standards Revisions
OPI Staff are here to help
Cody Olson, Science Instructional Coordinator
Katrina Engeldrum, Math Instructional Coordinator
Claire Mikeson, ELA and Literacy Instructional Coordinator