Mathematics Standards Revisions

The Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI) is pleased to announce that new math standards have been adopted by the Board of Public Education with a set implementation date of July 2025! While change can be met with challenges and burdens, it can also become an opportunity for innovation and better outcomes for students. The new math standards provide an opportunity for multiple benefits, including: 

  • The documents developed by the OPI for Montana’s new math standards will provide clear, structured guidance that eliminates ambiguity and empowers educators.
  • The new standards support multiple pathways to success, preparing students for careers, college, trades, and military service.
  • These standards encourage mathematics education that is meaningful and connected to students' identities, culture, and lived experiences by embedding references to Montana's Indigenous Peoples and local communities. 
  • These standards come with real support—not just expectations. Our math instructional coordinator is working diligently to provide materials, documents, and professional learning requested by teachers to support the implementation process. 
  • An understanding that math education is not just for schools—it impacts families, businesses, and communities. 

From the start of the revision process, each of our expert volunteers, members of the Board of Public Education, employees of the Office of Public Instruction, educators in the field, and the Superintendent herself, have advocated for clear guidance documents that are relevant to the work educators are doing in Montana's schools. 

Work developing these guidance documents is underway. As new guidance documents are drafted, you will see them appear here.

Two important notes when engaging with these documents: 

  • The standards are now adopted. 
  • Although the development of these documents has begun, it is not concluded. Guidance documents will continue to be developed over the next few years and through implementation as new needs are identified from the field. Our math instructional coordinator will post new documents as soon as they are drafted for public viewing.

Due to the previous notes and the ongoing nature of this work, it is recommended that individuals check this webpage and its documents for updates as they occur.

 

UPDDATE - Standards Schedule638627294282088508

 

 

 

New Standards Resources and Guidance

Mathematical Practices

Digging Deeper Series: Exploring the Montana Mathematics Practice Standards (2026)

In each digging deeper video, we explore the significant changes, define proficiency, describe the traits of rich learning tasks, and articulate what teachers can model to support student success, for each mathematical practice. Each video includes sections for you to stop and reflect, apply the concepts to your own practice, reflective prompts, and a reflective activity designed to support educators in this work. We feature a new math practice each month and we will be creating a Teacher Learning Hub Course on each of these in the future, so be on the lookout! 

  • Math Practice #1: Problem Solve and Persevere 
    • MP #1 - Pre-Recorded Training Video  
    • MP #1 - Facilitator Guide: This document provides guidance to Montana's educators regarding the use of this video as a professional development opportunity which results in OPI Professional Development Units (PDUs). Additionally, this document contains a participant guide to support educators engaging in learning.

More Coming Soon! 

Thank you for your patience.

K-12 Drafted Resources

The Office of Public Instruction (OPI) is committed to supporting educators in preparing for the implementation of new standards by providing guidance and resources as they become available. These documents are shared in stages and represent drafts that may be revised periodically to incorporate additional information and updates. While we strive to ensure accuracy in all shared materials, they may not yet encompass all potential guidance or examples that educators may find helpful.

Our Mathematics Instructional Coordinator is working diligently to develop and refine these resources to ensure they are practical and relevant to educators’ needs. This work is ongoing and reflects our commitment to supporting educators throughout the implementation process.

We understand the urgency educators feel as they begin preparing for these changes, and our goal is to provide practical resources that support their efforts. However, these materials are part of an ongoing process, and additional, more detailed guidance will follow as development continues.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work diligently within our available resources to provide timely, comprehensive, and practical support for Montana educators.

 

Each of the following are pending final decisions from the Board of Public Education: 

K-12 Standards Excel File and Correlated Common Core State Standards - 

This document lists all K-12 mathematics standards pending final action by the Board of Public Education for formal adoption as a CSV Excel format. Each standard is accompanied by its relevant Administrative Rule of Montana (ARM), a reference code that will be used in all guidance documents, the standard language, and the corresponding Common Core State Standard (2011). It is important to note that correlation with a Common Core standard does not imply equivalence. In most cases, the Montana standard has undergone significant changes.

K-12 Standards PDF File and Correlated Common Core State Standards - 

This document lists all K-12 mathematics standards pending final action by the Board of Public Education for formal adoption as a PDF file. Each standard is accompanied by its relevant reference code and the standard language. An appendix is provided which lists the corresponding Common Core State Standard (2011). It is important to note that correlation with a Common Core standard does not imply equivalence. In most cases, the Montana standard has undergone significant changes. This document will be expanded to include more comprehensive guidance. 

Suggested Uses for These Documents:

  • Curriculum Alignment: Identify where Montana standards may align with content in existing Common Core-aligned curricula to assess coverage.

  • Gap Analysis: Compare the expectations of Montana standards with their Common Core counterparts to pinpoint gaps, non-aligned concepts, and areas needing supplemental instruction.

  • Facilitating Discussions: Use this document as a tool to guide conversations about upcoming changes to standards, curriculum selection, vertical alignment efforts, or prioritization of instructional goals.

  • Professional Development Planning: Use the standards to design training sessions or workshops that address shifts in expectations and instructional practices.

  • Assessment Alignment: Review current assessment items to ensure they align with Montana standards and revise or supplement as needed.

  • Instructional Material Review: Use the standards as a benchmark when evaluating textbooks, digital tools, and other resources for their alignment and appropriateness.

  • PLC Collaboration: Support collaborative discussions in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) to develop shared understanding and strategies for teaching the updated standards.

These Documents Should Not Be Used as: 

  • Direct Substitution for Curriculum Updating: Teachers should not simply replace Common Core references in their current scope and sequence documents with the new Montana standards without evaluating the substantive changes. This may lead to misalignment if instructional practices and materials are not adjusted to meet the updated expectations.

  • Assumption of Equivalence: Educators should avoid assuming that the correlated Common Core standards are fully equivalent to the Montana standards. The document explicitly notes that many standards have undergone significant changes, and instruction must reflect those differences.

  • Defining Comprehensive Guidance: This document is not intended to serve as comprehensive instructional guidance or a complete curriculum map. It should be viewed as a reference tool, not a substitute for curriculum development or instructional planning tailored to the updated standards.

  • One-Size-Fits-All Application: The document is not designed to address every possible instructional scenario or individual classroom need. Educators must critically evaluate their unique contexts, students, and resources when applying the standards.

  • Standalone Resource for Implementation: While useful for identifying changes and gaps, this document should not be the sole resource for implementing the new standards. Educators will need additional guidance, professional development, and collaborative planning to fully align instruction.

More coming soon! Thank you for your patience. 

Recommended Pathways for High School

The Revision Process: Historical Context

Economic Impact Statement

Proposed Standards Draft and Relevant Research

Standards Summary Document Draft:

Draft Summary K-12 Standards - January 2024 Draft. 
 
This draft was submitted to the Board of Public Education during their May meeting. The Board of Public Education (BPE) has adopted these drafted standards with a projected implementation date of July 2026! All BPE meeting agendas and recordings are publically accessible for viewing. 
 
An 8-minute video has been created to demonstrate how to navigate the drafted summary document for ease of use by the public. Please watch the video for a brief tutorial that will support your navigation of the standards proposals. 

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: 

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. 
 
 

 

Historical Documents

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. 

 

 

Meeting Documents

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
November 14, 2023 - Rulemaking Session #1 - Hybrid
October 25, 2023 - NRC Orientation - Virtual
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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)
October 12, 2023 - 9-12 Development Team Meeting (Virtual)
October 11, 2023 - 3-5 Development Team Meeting (Virtual)
October 10, 2023 - 6-8 Development Team Meeting (Virtual) 
October 6, 2023 - K-2 Development Team Meeting (Virtual)
September 27, 2023 - Math Practices Sub-Committee Meeting (Virtual)
August 10, 2023 - Feedback Session
 
August 7, 2023 
August 3, 2023 - Review Day
July 19 - 21, 2023 - Development Days
June 16, 2023 - Orientation
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 


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Committee Information

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

 

OPI Staff are here to help:

Marie Judisch, Teaching and Learning Senior Manager
Katrina Engeldrum, Math Instructional Coordinator
Michelle McCarthy, Science Instructional Coordinator

 

 

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