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STANDARDS-BASED INSTRUCTION (SBI)

ADMINISTRATIVE RULES OF MONTANA

To learn more about Curriculum and Assessment and the Administrative Rules of Montana, please click the link below:

Curriculum and Assessment Administrative Rules

TERMS

  • Standards-Clear statements of what we expect students to know and be able to do.
  • Instruction-Teaching focused on the specific learning targets in the standards and application of that learning to new situations. 
  • Assessment-Measurement of student evidence of learning. 

THE VISION

The move to standards-based instruction is deliberate in order to:

  1. Increase clarity for teachers and parents about what is learned and reported.
  2. Use assessment to guide instruction rather than just provide an averaged grade.
  3. Provide an improved tool for communicating student achievement to families.
  4. Separate academic achievement from behavior and other factors.

The full implementation of standards-based grading practices is an ongoing process. The district will strive to improve communication with parents about their students' performance in school.

 

Parent Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why are we changing how we report grades in K-8?
Our current grading system was originally designed to separate students into categories: college students vs. laborers. A single letter isn’t effective in communicating a student’s performance and achievement. Our challenge is to prepare all students with a standard of knowledge and skills, to provide feedback that informs instruction and to communicate with parents about their child’s strengths and deficits.

Q: Don’t the textbooks companies hire experts to do all this work for us?
Textbook companies include as many standards and activities as possible to make the book attractive to certain states and all teachers. They make no effort to prioritize and operate on a “one size fits all” approach. While we can use texts and online resources, we want to adjust materials based on student needs.

Q: Can a student advance to the next grade if they have not demonstrated a 2.0 level of performance on the standards?
Yes, the record of what specific standards the student has mastered and/or needs more work on will be a great advantage for next year’s teachers so they can accommodate needs much earlier than in a traditional model. If students are significantly behind, then perhaps further testing needs to be done to see if the student needs additional support.

Q: What does a teacher do with the student who passes the standard on the very first try?
It is the perennial challenge of education: effectively supporting students at opposite ends of the learning spectrum simultaneously. To bridge this gap, teachers can implement independent activities tailored to different skill levels.
Many schools have also seen success by utilizing enrichment groups for those demonstrating early mastery and reteaching groups for those requiring additional support. Furthermore, tapping into specialized staff-such as the school librarian or the Gifted and Talented coordinator-can provide the targeted resources necessary to meet every student’s needs.
 

Q: Has Standards Based Instruction been successful?
Yes, the highest achieving schools in the world use this approach to increase student achievement. This isn't a new approach in education. 

Q: How do PLC's work into the Standards Based Instruction plans?
PLC's (Professional Learning Communities) are a process that helps us structure our conversations about what we want students to know, how we'll assess them and how we'll follow up if they know it or haven't learned it yet. They go hand in hand.

Q: Is time available for learning content other than standards?
Absolutely---think of standards as the minimum competencies we want students to have so they can extend their learning in interactive units, blended learning, and self-directed projects. The curriculum and instruction are much larger than the set of standards that are housed under the curricular umbrella.