The US Department of Education has approved the Montana Office of Public Instruction under the Every Student Succeeds Act | Pixabay
The US Department of Education has approved the Montana Office of Public Instruction under the Every Student Succeeds Act | Pixabay
The U.S. Department of Education has approved the Montana Office of Public Instruction under the Every Student Succeeds Act to update the English learner proficiency and exit standards to align with more rigorous academic standards.
English learners make up two percent of the state's student body population according to Montana.gov. American Indian languages make up 61% of the primary language of these English learners while German and Spanish make up the rest.
To be considered proficient and exit the English learner (EL) program, an EL student must now achieve a composite score of 4.7 instead of 5.0 on the State's English Language Proficiency assessment, the WIDA ACCESS. EL students with cognitive disabilities must reach an achievement level of P2 on the state's alternative English Language Proficiency assessment. These new standards will take effect in the 2020-2021 school year.
Before submitting the amendment, the Montana Office of Public Education consulted with several stakeholders including school administrators, school Title coordinators, English Learner specialists, math and ELA teachers, cultural experts, and parents.
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