The Department today presented proposed Missouri Learning Standards to the State Board. The standards define what students know and are able to do in each grade level and course.

The Department received more than 3,000 comments on the standards from the public, the legislative Joint Committee on Education and academic researchers. The results have been incorporated into the proposed standards, which must receive Board approval by May 2016.

“What we’re seeing here are Missouri standards, developed by citizens of our state,” said Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven. “We now must make sure these are the best standards possible for our students.”

The Board is scheduled to take action on the proposed standards at its March meeting*

Work groups consisting of educators and parents developed the proposed standards over the past year. Once new standards are approved by the State Board, they will go into effect with the 2016-17 school year. The Department will develop new assessments aligned to the standards for the 2017-18 testing season.

* The Board action has been rescheduled for the April meeting.