Secondary Teacher Preparation in Social
Studies: Montana

Analysis of Montana's policies

Montana offers secondary certification in broad-field social studies, which must include a concentration in history and government and additional coursework in economics, geography, psychology and/or sociology. Teachers with this license are not limited to teaching general social studies but rather can teach any of the topical areas. Candidates are not required to pass a subject-matter test.

Montana does not articulate any specific coursework or testing requirements for middle school social studies teachers, who are allowed to teach on a generalist K-8 license (see Goal 1-E).

Citation

Administrative Rules of Montana 10.57.412; 10.58.523

Recommendations for Montana

Require secondary social studies teachers to pass tests of content knowledge for each social studies discipline they intend to teach.
Although coursework plays a key role in teachers' acquisition of content knowledge, it should be accompanied by the requirement of an assessment, which is the only way to ensure that teachers possess adequate knowledge of the subject area.

Require middle school social studies teachers to pass a test of content knowledge that ensures sufficient knowledge of social studies.

State response to our analysis

Montana declined to respond to NCTQ's analyses.