Administrative Rules of Montana
Department 10 - EDUCATION
Chapter 10.56 - ASSESSMENT
Subchapter 10.56.1 - General Information
Rule 10.56.101 - STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT

(1) The Board of Public Education adopts rules for statewide assessments in the public schools and those private schools seeking accreditation.

(2) The Board of Public Education recognizes that the primary purpose of assessment is to serve learning. An assessment system that includes multiple measures and is aligned to state content and program delivery standards will provide an integrated approach to inform student learning, progression, growth, and proficiency. An assessment system is structured to continuously improve teaching and learning and to inform education policy.

(3) The obligation for funding statewide assessments is the responsibility of the state. This chapter may not be construed to require a school district to provide these assessments if the state does not have a current contract with test vendors for provision of these assessments to Montana school districts.

(4) The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall recommend in writing to the Board of Public Education any modifications to the single system of statewide assessments as set forth in (2). The Board of Public Education may consider recommended modifications as an information item on an agenda at a Board of Public Education meeting. At that meeting, the Board of Public Education may vote to list the recommendations as an action item on the agenda of a subsequent Board of Public Education meeting. Unless approved by the Board of Public Education, no recommended modifications are effective and no accredited schools may implement the recommended modifications.

(5) When developing a recommendation to the Board of Public Education for adopting statewide assessments the Superintendent of Public Instruction will include implications including alignment to content standards.

(6) The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall: