Academic Standards

Notice of Pupil Academic Standards

Per Wisconsin Act 55, the Board of Education provides the following notice, which clearly identifies the pupil academic standards in the Mequon-Thiensville School District:

The Mequon-Thiensville School District is committed to maximizing the academic growth of all students through the implementation of rigorous academic standards. Academic standards in the Mequon-Thiensville School District are leveraged as a tool to determine the proper level of instructional rigor, evaluate the organizational effectiveness, benchmark student and teacher output and assist in the ongoing assessment of curricular resources.

Standards are viewed as the foundation for instructional expectations. Instructionally, it is the goal of the Mequon-Thiensville School District to ensure that every student experience annual growth every school year enrolled. It is through the use of instructional standards in which we are able to gauge student academic growth.

In establishing academic standards for students in the Mequon-Thiensville School District, it is the expectation that:

All instructional standards are implemented with fidelity across the District
Thoughtful review of student performance data is conducted to ensure that all students are fulfilling their academic promise
High quality instructional practices are used to best meet the needs of each student

In order to best equip our students to fulfill their post-secondary aspirations through exemplary performance on state assessments coordinated by the Department of Public Instruction and post-secondary access assessments like the ACT, the Mequon-Thiensville School District Board of Education has adopted the following academic standards:

Subject Area	Standard
English Language Arts (PK-12)	Common Core State Standards
Mathematics (PK-12)	Common Core State Standards
Science (PK-12)	Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
Social Studies	Wisconsin State Standards
Art	Wisconsin State Standards
Music	Wisconsin State Standards
Physical Education and Health	Wisconsin State Standards
Computer Science	Wisconsin State Standards
Financial Literacy (PK-12)	Wisconsin State Standards

The District has reviewed all of the above-mentioned standards and deems said standards to be rigorous and appropriate for instruction. The aforementioned standards are consistent and in alignment with the District’s educational philosophy, organizational goals and strategic plan.

Compliance Documents

WI Act 20 - Early Literacy Instruction

Act 20 states that all Wisconsin schools are required to provide science-based early literacy instruction in both universal and intervention settings. Science-based early literacy instruction is defined as the following.

Instruction that is systematic and explicit and consists of all the following:

Phonological awareness
Phonemic awareness
Phonics
Building background knowledge
Oral language development
Vocabulary building
Instruction in writing
Instruction in comprehension
Reading fluency

Phonics is defined as the study of the relationships between sounds and words; this includes alphabetic principle, decoding, orthographic knowledge, encoding, and fluency.

Note that the Wisconsin Standards for ELA 2020 defines fluency as being comprised of accuracy, automaticity, and prosody.

Click here to view the MTSD Act 20 Compliance document.

WI Act 30 - Holocaust and Genocide Curriculum

WI Act 31 - American Indian Studies Curriculum

WI Act 31 - American Indian Studies in Wisconsin (often referred as Wisconsin Act 31) refers to the requirement that all public school districts provide instruction on the history, culture, and tribal sovereignty of Wisconsin’s eleven federally-recognized American Indian nations and tribal communities.

Wisconsin Act 31 supports efforts to address existing stereotypes, and historical omissions and inaccuracies concerning American Indian people and communities. Beginning at the elementary level and continuing through high school, the expected outcome for instruction is that all Wisconsin students will become more informed about the history, culture, and tribal sovereignty of the eleven federally-recognized American Indian nations and tribal communities in the state.

Through the promotion of inclusive education, students in MTSD will learn about, experience, understand, and appreciate another culture, an essential lesson required to ensure students become successful, contributing members of our changing, diverse, and global community.

Click here to view the MTSD Act 31 Compliance document.

WI Act 60 - Personal Financial Literacy Graduation Requirement

WI Act 60 - 118.33 (1) (a) 1. f. At least 0.5 credit of personal financial literacy that includes financial mindset, education and employment, money management, saving and investing, credit and debt, and risk management and insurance.

(1) This act first applies to pupils graduating from high school in 2028.

Compliance:

MTSD requires the course Personal Financial Literacy for graduation for all students beginning with the class of 2028.

WI Statue 118.019 Human Growth & Development Instruction

WI Statue 118.019 encourages all school boards to provide students in grades K to 12 with human growth and development instruction. The purpose is “to promote accurate and comprehensive knowledge in this area and responsible decision making and to support and enhance the efforts of parents to provide moral guidance to their children.” Students can be exempted from HGD instruction if the student’s parent files a written request with the teacher or school principal.

The Mequon-Thiensville School District has made a commitment to provide health education to all students. One vital element of health education is the instruction of Human Growth and Development. While the parent/guardian is and will continue to be the primary educator, the Mequon-Thiensville School District will provide accurate and current information and materials that promote health and awareness to the students. Mequon-Thiensville School District firmly believes that a comprehensive Human Growth and Development curriculum is about the development of the whole student. The curriculum emphasizes the individual's safety, respect, responsibility and sexual risk avoidance.

Click here to view the MTSD Human Growth & Development Course Scope and Sequence.

Statue 118.06 - Pledge of Allegiance Act

Statute 118.06 requires every public school to display the U.S. flag every school day and offer the pledge of allegiance or national anthem in grades one to twelve every school day.

As per MTSD Board Policy 8800, every school in the District shall offer the Pledge of Allegiance or the national anthem in Kindergarten and, as required by State Statutes, in grades 1 to 12 each school day. No student may be compelled against the student’s objections, or those of the student’s parents, to recite the pledge or sing the national anthem.

WI Statue 118.02 - Special Observance Days

Wisconsin's 21 special observance days are part of state statutes governing general school operations (Wis. Stat. sec. 118.02). On the following days when school is held or, if the day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, on a school day immediately preceding or following the respective day, the day shall be appropriately observed.

MTSD schools recognize these days, at a minimum, with an announcement on the video boards in each school building.

(1) January 15, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

(2) February 12, Abraham Lincoln's birthday.

(3) February 15, Susan B. Anthony's birthday.

(4) February 22, George Washington's birthday.

(5) March 4, Casimir Pulaski Day.

(5m) March 17, for “The Great Hunger" in Ireland from 1845 to 1850.

(5r) April 9, Prisoners of War Remembrance Day.

(6) April 13, American Creed Day.

(6m) April 19, Patriots' Day.

(7) April 22, Environmental Awareness Day.

(7g) The last Friday in April, Arbor Day, except that if the governor by proclamation sets apart one day to be designated as Arbor and Bird Day under s. 14.16 (1), that day shall be appropriately observed.

(7r) June 14, if school is held, Robert M. La Follette, Sr. Day.

(7w) September 11, a day to remember the attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, and to honor law enforcement officers and fire fighters.

(8) September 16, Mildred Fish Harnack Day.

(9) September 17, U.S. Constitution Day.

(9g) Wednesday of the 3rd week in September, as part of Wonderful Wisconsin Week under s. 14.16 (8), Wisconsin Day.

(9r) Friday of the 3rd week in September, POW-MIA Recognition Day.

(9t) Wednesday of the 4th week in September, Bullying Awareness Day.

(10) September 28, Frances Willard Day.

(11) October 9, Leif Erikson Day.

(12) October 12, Christopher Columbus' birthday.

(13) November 11,Veterans Day.