State of Montana Newsroom
Superintendent Arntzen Offers Work Sessions on New Accreditation Process
HELENA – Superintendent Arntzen is ensuring that Montana public schools are prepared to implement the new school accreditation process. This new accreditation process is a result of the BPE approving changes to Chapter 55 of Montana’s Administrative Rules on School Accreditation Standards. School accreditation standards include rules on curriculum, class sizes, teacher, and staff qualifications, Indian Education for All, and student learning assessment to ensure all students receive a quality education. The new school accreditation rules take effect on July 1, 2023.
A Stakeholder Review comprised of school and community leaders will begin in July to discuss the new 4-point system. The 4-points includes:
- Family and Community Engagement
- Professional Development
- Academic Programming including how the education program enables students to recognize the district and unique cultural heritages of American Indians
- Assurance checklist for required accreditation policies
“Linking all Montana voices in these work sessions will set our Montana schools up for success as they navigate the new accreditation process,” said Superintendent Elsie Arntzen. “The new process will focus on how our schools deliver the constitutional promise of developing the full educational potential of our children.”
There will be multiple work sessions offered to parents, teachers, and school leaders on the new accreditation process:
- July 25 and 26, 2023 at the Great Northern Hotel in Helena
- August 14, 2023 via Zoom
- September 28 and 29, 2023 at Lockwood High School
- October 18-20, 2023 during the Montana Conference of Education Leadership (MCEL) Conference in Helena
- November, TBD at Montana Tech in Butte
- January 25 and 26, 2024 at the Great Falls Public Schools Office
- February 20-22, 2024 via Zoom
- March 1 and 5-7 via Zoom
More details on the work sessions will be available here.
The Stakeholder Review will meet eleven times between July 2023 and March 2024 via Zoom:
- July 27, 2023
- August 9, 10, and 15, 2023
- September 11 and 18, 2023
- October 16, 2023
- November 20, 2023
- January 8, 2024
- February 12, 2024