Montana Students to be Tested on Common Core

Montana students for the first time will take a test linked to the Common Core standards this school year.

Office of Public Instruction Superintendent Denise Juneau says education officials conducted field tests using the exam, called the Smarter Balanced Assessment, last spring.

Juneau says some schools are behind in curriculum development, teacher training and acquiring textbooks or other equipment to teach to the new standards. But, she says, the state is well situated to implement the standards.

The 2013 Legislature rejected proposals to allocate money for training and equipment.

State Sen. Roger Webb has requested that legislation be drafted for the 2015 session that would bar any funding for the standards.

Common Core standards emphasize critical thinking and state the reading and math skills students should grasp at grade levels.