State of Montana Newsroom
Let’s Get Back to Basics
An Opinion Editorial by State Superintendent Elsie Arntzen
In education, the work is never done! The last two years put a spotlight on learning and opened the door for opportunities to mend genuine communication between school trustees, school administrators, and our parents. An “us versus them” mentality is harmful to learning. Montana must always put our students first while focusing on quality instruction in the classroom.
The Montana state Office of Public Instruction (OPI) is responsible for the review and preparation of updates to the eleven state learning standards. These standards are the basis of what Montana students should learn. After decades of unrevised state standards, I brought over 100 Montanans together through an all-encompassing negotiated rulemaking process to revitalize five of these learning standards:
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The local school trustees are responsible for selecting evidence-based instructional materials that are in line with state learning standards. The selection of evidence-based instructional materials is one of the most critical decisions a school district can make for student learning. It is the local board of trustees that is responsible for approving and ensuring that all instructional materials align with state learning standards. Regular and frequent review of instructional materials to promote best practices and up-to-date learning is imperative. Teaching materials must be prioritized in a way that best serves our students and that engages, in full transparency, our taxpayers and our parents. Teaching in our Montana schools is a privilege, not a right. The opportunity for teachers to teach and the time for our students to learn is precious.
The upcoming May 3 school board elections will recognize trustees’ accountability to parents in implementing the learning materials in the classrooms. This accountability extends to “the what” teachers are teaching. Our Montana schools are held accountable for the content they expose our children to in the classroom. Montana must elect candidates that prioritize the interests of parents and students over the interests of lobby associations and policies that label Montana’s parents as domestic terrorists.
For Montana schools to offer the highest caliber education, the basics of math and reading must be prioritized. As I have said before, Montanans fiercely believe in local control, which starts with the family. As State Superintendent, I am here to reinforce that fundamental belief. With this control, responsibility must follow. Much like our decades-old state standards, it seems the level of supportive engagement between our local school trustees, our parents, and our communities is also in need of revitalization. To heal these relationships, we must stop pointing fingers. Positive engagement is paramount to the success of our schools and directly impacts the quality of education our students receive.
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