A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

APPLICATION NO     :    R215G30044 APPLICANT          :    Office of Public Instruction                         State Capitol                         Helena, Montana  59620 CONTACT PERSON     :    Jan Hahn                         Christine Pena TELEPHONE          :    (406) 444-3714                         (406) 444-4442 AWARD TO DATE      :    $507,429 PROJECT PERIOD     :    08/01/93-07/31/96 

This project is designed to develop and pilot a curriculum that integrates English and the arts through a framework that includes:

1. Curricular goals, teacher preparation standards, certification waivers coupled with teacher training opportunities for fine arts requirements, and staff inservice.
2. Instructional units for elementary schools and course outlines for secondary schools.
3. The establishment of model school sites to pilot the total curriculum. This project will be directed by the Language Arts and Arts Education Specialists at the Montana Office of Public Instruction and will employ as consultants elementary, middle school, secondary, and college level teachers, as well as practicing artists.

During year one of the project, the curricular framework, instructional units and course outlines will be written by a team of educators and artists from throughout the state. Resources for implementation of these units and courses will be made available through a variety of cooperating private and public entities.

Year two will be devoted to awareness sessions and training in the new curriculum, and submission of proposals, awards, and planning for the model sites. High schools that are struggling to provide a "fine arts" course as required by Montana Accreditation Standards will be able to implement fine arts courses with assistance from cooperating entities and the Accreditation and Certification Divisions of the Office of Public Instruction.

During the third year, three model schools will implement this Arts/English Curriculum and serve as demonstration and training sites for educators statewide. Through these examples and the active pursuit of continuation funding, the framework's capacity to undergird restructuring in other schools and other disciplines will be built. In order to honor the art, dance, and literature of Montana's American Indian people, Montana's largest minority will be represented in all phases of the project. Subgrants will be awarded to the model school sites for the purchase of equipment and educational materials, to hire additional staff as necessary to provide team planning time, and to provide staff development, including travel.

[FACS - Frameworks...]

[Statewide Frameworks for K-12...]