State of Montana Newsroom
Superintendent Arntzen Seeks Members for Montana English Language Arts and Literacy Standards Revision Task Force and Negotiated Rulemaking Committee
HELENA - Superintendent Arntzen is seeking parents, teachers, school leaders, and community members to participate in the English Languages Arts (ELA) and Literacy Content Standards Task Force and Negotiated Rulemaking Committee (NRC). Those interested in joining the Task Force or NRC must complete the application by January 15, 2024. This process will ensure that Montana students and teachers have the best quality content standards to guide their instruction in preparation for college, career, and world-readiness upon graduation.
“Reading and writing is the foundation of educational excellence,” said Superintendent Elsie Arntzen. “Revising this decade-old teaching and learning standard will help our children achieve academic success. I encourage all parents, teachers, and community members to apply for this opportunity to put our Montana students first.”
The ELA Standards Revision Task Force includes two teams: The Writing Team and the Review Team. The Writing Team will use the research and data analysis provided by the OPI and the Regional Educational Laboratory West (REL West) at WestEd to inform the development of our Montana ELA Content Standards. The Review Team will then review the work of the Writing Team and provide feedback to the Writing Team on the proposed changes or developments. The Writing Team will meet to reconcile additions or alterations suggested by the Review Team before the newly developed standards are sent to the Negotiated Rulemaking Committee during the next phase of the Montana ELA Standards revision process.
The ELA Standards Review Task Force will meet throughout the Revision Phase which runs from April through August of 2024. The proposed timeline for the ELA Content Standards review is:
- January 15, 2024: Applications Due
- February 2024-March 2024: Review of Task Force Applications
- April 2024: Orientation for all Revision Task Force Members (Virtual)
- May- June 2024: Virtual Revision Team Research Review and Preparation Meetings
- July 2024 Writing Team Workshop (In person at the Montana State Capitol, Helena) Review Team Workshops: July, and August 2023 (virtual)