GLossary

ANB: "Average Number Belonging" The current funding model used by the state of Montana which utilizes student enrollment count to determine state funding to districts. (Read more here.)

Early Kindergarten: The term that MCPS uses when referring to its two classrooms where general education pre-kindergarten students are served.

IDEA: The "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act," a 1975 federal law which "makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children," (read more here).

KEA: Kindergarten Entry Assessment (also referred to as the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment). This assessment includes a parent questionnaire that describes the child's experiences leading up to kindergarten as well as a an educator observation form which identifies the child's social and academics skills within the first few weeks of kindergarten. (Learn more here.)

MCPS: Missoula County Public Schools

MFPE: Montana Federation of Public Employees

Pre-Kindergarten: In this Capstone, I define pre-kindergarten as the social, emotional, physical, and academic learning of children the year before they enter kindergarten, per the Montana Early Learning Standards or, in the case of programs using ANB funding, Montana Kindergarten Standards. Also referred to as pre-k in this Capstone.