June 2022 Education Compass

Please read the Superintendent’s monthly message: Montana Students Deserve Educational Excellence

State Superintendent Message

Congratulations to all of our Montana seniors who will walk across the stage and receive that honorable Montana Diploma. We are all Montana Proud. Our graduates are Montana Ready to take the next steps in their life thanks to the dedication of their parents, teachers, and school leaders. I extend my appreciation to our education community for preparing our students for their adult life. Thank you for putting our Montana students first.

Memorial Day

This weekend we honor all of the patriotic men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Please click here to watch our Memorial Day video featuring Vietnam Veteran John Quintrell.

CSCT, Student Mental Health - Number of Schools on MOU Update

As of April 18, 2022, 57 school districts have signed the MOU, this is an increase of 9 schools since February 23rd.             Claim information:

For more information, please contact Deputy Sharyl Allen at sharyl.allen@mt.gov or (406) 444-5648.

Flexible Educator Licensing Rules Adopted

The Montana Board of Public Education (BPE) voted to finally adopt Superintendent Arntzen’s innovative, recommended changes to educator licensing. The BPE voted unanimously this afternoon during their May 12, 2022, meeting, which was held at the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind in Great Falls. The transparent process of revising the Chapter 57 educator licensing rules began in November of 2020. This long and engaging two-year process included Montana educators and community leaders representing our state’s unique populations. The recommended revisions were open for public comment through the Montana Administrative Procedure Act (MAPA) process. The flexible licensing revisions were submitted to the Secretary of State for publication in Montana Administrative Register, they will become effective on May 27, 2022. Some of the flexible licensing revisions include: Creating pathways to allow an educator to add additional endorsements to their license Defining military dependent to include in licensure reciprocity for military spouses and dependents Defining approved educator preparation program, as an umbrella term for traditional and alternate educator preparation programs Returning the unusual cases authority to the State Superintendent Keeping the words “credible source” as a rule to ensure members of the public are able to file a complaint about official misconduct Expanding pathways to licensing beyond the Praxis including GPA, portfolio, and experience Increasing access for expired licensees to reenter the classroom Increasing career technical educators by accepting diverse degrees, allowing associate degrees, and work experience equivalencies Allowing school counselors to pursue administrative licenses Recognizing licenses for nationally board-certified teachers   For more information, please contact Dr. Julie Murgel, Chief Operating Officer, at julie.murgel@mt.gov  or (406) 444-3172.

New Educator Licensing System

On June 1, 2022, the new educator licensing system will go live. This new system will be called Teach Montana (TMT).

Some key highlights of TMT are:

• Educators are self-guided to the correct application through a questionnaire.
• This reduces overhead for the end-user and reduces mistakes made by applying for the wrong application.
• ETS Praxis test data is automatically retrieved for educators and digitally applied to their license applications.
• Educators no longer have to manually retrieve and upload Praxis documentation.
• Licensing specialists can quickly confirm the requirement is met when evaluating the application.
• NASDTEC records for all 50 States, US territories, and Canada are automatically retrieved and reported to Montana for review by the legal team.
• The license and/or application are automatically flagged for review.
• This prevents licensing specialists from accidentally issuing a license prior to a review by the legal team.
• Payments are now associated directly with the application.
• The system can easily confirm that a payment has been made for the application.
• Documentation uploaded by educators is directly associated with the application.
• This reduces overhead for the time it takes licensing specialists to determine which documents were used to meet the requirements of the application for the license.
• Software support tools are directly integrated into TMT.
• Educators can generate a support request directly with an online form built directly into TMT.
• Dashboard to monitor application backlog and processing efficiency is now visual.
• Reports and access to data are ad-hoc and can be quickly created by point and click actions.
• Data from RUPS (renewal units providers) is automatically retrieved and stored on the educators’ profiles.
• Teacher experience (from TEAMS) is automatically retrieved and stored on the educators’ profiles.

For more information, please contact Crystal Andrews, Educator Licensure Program Manager, crystal.andrews@mt.gov, or (406) 444-6325.

OPI Summer Institute

SAVE THE DATE: OPI Summer Institute – June 20 – 24, 2022 WHERE: Montana State University- Bozeman The OPI Summer Institute is five days of learning and professional conversations around a variety of educational topics.  The Summer Institute has a long-standing history of sessions around a tiered framework for behavior, academics, and mental health.  Session topics include: Multi-tiered System of Support (MTSS) Diagnostic Tools, Data, Assessments, Statewide Assessment Literacy, Writing, Mathematics, Science & Social Studies Culturally Linguistically Responsive Family and Community Engagement, Youth Voice Integrated Mental Health Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports School Climate, Counseling, Leadership, School Safety Special Education  Summer Institute Vision and Mission To promote a sustainable system using effective data collection alongside decision-making procedures and evidence-based practices to improve student outcomes in the areas of social/emotional/behavioral competencies and academic achievement for ALL students. To provide quality training to Montana school personnel in promoting a positive and safe school climate that provides a multi-tiered system of support for students, families, and staff focusing on social/emotional/behavioral competencies and academic achievement. Learn more about the OPI Summer Institute   For more information, please contact Tammy Lysons, CETA Unit Manager Tamara.Lysons@mt.gov, or (406) 431-2309.

2022 Financial Summit

To register, please click here.

Teacher Leader Academy II

The Montana Teacher Leader Academy is designed to empower teachers to lead in learning in the classroom. TLA participants develop skills and competencies focused on leadership, engagement, advocacy, problem-solving, and instructional coaching. Teacher leaders will help facilitate future TLAs. Teacher leaders will also serve as mentors to the teacher residents in the Teacher Residency Demonstration Project.

During the first TLA, teacher leaders participated in five 8-hour courses directed by world-renowned faculty such as:

• Karen Mapp, Harvard University
• Liz City, Harvard University
• Peter Liljedahl, Simon Fraser University
• Marguerite Roza, Georgetown University
• Missy Elmer, Modern Learners

The TLA courses include:

• Family and Community as Partners in Education
• Leading Great Instruction
• Montana Tribal Cultural Understanding
• The Thinking Classroom
• Coaching for Learning

The second TLA will take place June 21-24, 2022. Participating teacher leaders can receive up to 60 renewal units towards their licensure recertification. Applicants must complete a three-answer application and a Leadership Behavior Grid. Applications are available here.

For more information, please contact Tristen Loveridge at tristen.loveridge@mt.gov,  or (406) 444-5643.

Chapter 55 – School Quality

Please follow the process of revising our School Quality rules, which are housed in Chapter 55 of Montana’s Administrative Rules. All past meeting information including minutes, the agenda, a summary, and the recorded meeting can be found here.         For more information, please contact Dr. Julie Murgel, Chief Operating Officer, at julie.murgel@mt.gov  or (406) 444-3172.

Summer Enrichment Grant

The Montana Summer Enrichment Grant will fund math-based summer programs for Montana students. These math-based summer programs integrate math skills into innovative projects that address the academic needs of Montana students.

The $3.8 million grant is available to qualifying, established non-profit organizations and schools over three years. Qualifying programs include:

• anticipated student participation is at least 40% low-income qualifying
• the organization has at least 3-5 years of past summer programming experience
• program/project focuses on Math and includes pre/post-testing of students

The initial award level for this grant is $15,000. The grant was provided through the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Funding. The Summer Enrichment Grant opened on May 18 and will close on June 7, 2022. Grant award recipients will be notified by June 10, 2022. To apply for this grant, please click here.

For more information on the grant, please contact Wendi Fawns, ESSER/EANS Director at wendi.fawns@mt.gov or (406) 437-8595.

2021-2022 EGrant Deadlines

Please read below carefully regarding important 2021-2022 Grant deadlines

Cash requests are due on the 25^th of each month and paid on the 10^th of the following month. This process changes during the months of June and July.

• Cash requests submitted from April 26th through May 25th will be processed and paid on June 10th.
• Cash requests submitted from May 26th through June 17th will be processed and paid on June 22nd.
• There are no payments in the month of July, the next grant payment will be made on August 10^th

Grants Ending June 30^th

• Last day to create amendments: June 1^st
• Last day to obligate funds: June 30^th
• Last Date to liquidate funds: July 31^st
• Final Expenditure Reports Due: August 10^th

Grants Ending September 30^th

• Last day to create amendments: September 1^st
• Last day to obligate funds: September 30^th
• Last Date to liquidate funds: October 31^st
• Final Expenditure Reports Due: November 10^th

 Grants Ending June 30^th

• ABLE Extension
• ABLE, El Civics
• State ABLE
• Carl Perkins and Technical Education
• Title IV, 21st Century Community Learning Centers
• Indian Education for All
• In-State Facilities: Significant Needs Schools

Grants Ending September 30^th:

• IDEA, Part B
• Regional CSPD
• IDEA, Preschool
• IDEA, Part D: MTSS
• Title I, Part A, Improving Basic Programs
• Title I, Part A, Schoolwide
• Title I, Part C, Migrant Education
• Title I, Part D, Neglected and Delinquent
• Title I, School Support
• Title I, Targeted Support & Improvement
• Title II, Part A, Improving Teacher Quality
• Title III, Part A, English Language Acquisition
• Title III, Part A, Emergency Immigrant
• Title IV-A, Student Support and Academic Enrichment
• Title VI, Part B, Rural Low Income
• Title X, Part C, McKinney-Vento Homeless Education
• Montana Comprehensive Literacy State Development Project (MCLSDP)
• Project AWARE Mental Health
• School Improvement: Indian Ed
• Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds (ESSER I)
• Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds (ESSER Related Service)

IMPORTANT NOTES: 

After the final expenditure report deadline, new year grant payments will not be processed and paid until all final expenditure reports for the prior year are received. Final expenditure reports received by the OPI after the due date must have Centralized Services or the OPI’s approval prior to submittal.

Please remember that payments can be made on final expenditure reports for those who have submitted at least one cash request within the grant period. If you have not submitted a cash request over the duration of the grant period, you must submit a cash request AND a final expenditure report. 

ESEA Consolidated - If the district transferred funds to Schoolwide or Title IA, $0 final expenditure reports are still required to be submitted to OPI for ALL originating programs. The grant will not be considered closed out until all reports have been received. The $0 reports will be created/submitted the same way, the only difference is the accumulated expenditures will be $0. Submitting these reports ensures that any carryover remaining within the grant is transferred into the new year correctly. 

Example - If a district received Title IA, Title IIA, Title IVA, and Title VB funds, but partial or all funds were transferred into Schoolwide, OPI would need a report for Schoolwide, as well as $0 reports for Title IA, Title IIA, Title IVA, and Title VB. The same process would apply if funds were transferred into Title IIA. 

Instructions for completing the final expenditure report:

Final expenditure reports are located within the payments section of E-Grants, below where users create cash requests. Create a final expenditure report and fill out the accumulated expenditures to date column with final totals, listing how funds were expended. If you are requesting a final payment of the Final Expenditure Report, please add the funds already released to the funds being requested in the accumulated expenditures column. On the bottom left of the report, the “Funds on Hand” amount should reflect the amount you are requesting. If your District finds that it over requested funds throughout the year, this can be corrected on the final expenditure report by reducing the amount in the accumulated expenditures column. 

EXAMPLE: If the number is negative- "($458.00)"- this is the payment OPI will be sending. If the amount is a positive number- "$458.00"- this is the refund due to the OPI. 

Once this has been completed, select the End Period Expense Date: 9/30/2022.

Check the Final Expenditure check box on the bottom left of the page.  

Select calculate totals. If no errors appear, save, and submit to OPI

For Questions, Please Contact: 

Whitney Williams: wwilliams2@mt.gov or 444-3408

Becky Belling: rebecca.Belling@mt.gov or 444-2561

Paula Clinch: paula.clinch@mt.gov or 438-3675

Catlin Clifford: catlin.clifford@mt.gov or 444-3692

E-Grants Security: egrants@mt.gov

CSD Senior Manager

Deann Willcut: deann.willcut@mt.gov or 444-2563

State Systemic Improvement Plan and Graduation Calculation

The Montana Office of Public Instruction is required by law to report to OSEP that we are working on behalf of students identified with special needs. Montana’s SSIP (State Systemic Improvement Plan) is a federal mandate under IDEA that is part of this accountability. The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has categorized the SSIP as Indicator 17 within our State Education Annual Performance Report (APR).

The Montana SSIP focus is on a single State-identified Measurable Result (SiMR): The number and percent of American Indian students with disabilities who successfully complete their secondary education will increase.

 The SSIP is a collaborative partnership anchored in grace and intentionality with schools on or near our Montana tribal nations as we work to achieve our SiMR.

The OPI is pleased to announce that we have recently changed the graduation calculation rate used within Indicator 17. The Montana SSIP is now using the DG 698 Cohorts for the five-year adjusted cohort graduation rate table. EDFacts defines this graduation rate as: The number of students in the adjusted cohort for the five-year adjusted cohort graduation rate who did or did not graduate (1) in five years or less with a regular high school diploma awarded to a preponderance of students or (2) a State-defined alternate high school diploma for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities.

Honoring the excellent educational opportunities, the current SSIP schools provide their scholars as they track to graduation is one of the many aspects of the Montana SSIP. We recognize that there is a myriad of reasons a scholar may need extra time to achieve their graduation goal.

If you would like to become a collaborative partner with the Montana SSIP, please contact Annette Young, at ayoung3@mt.gov or 406-444-0299, to learn more.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Allocations

The Preliminary IDEA Allocations have been posted to the OPI website (https://opi.mt.gov/Educators/School-Climate-Student-Wellness/Special-Education/IDEA-Fiscal/Allocation-Reports). 

Please contact Danni McCarthy at dmccarthy@mt.gov for questions.

Lead Remediation

According to the Department of Environmental Quality during the American Rescue Plan Infrastructure Advisory Commission meeting on May 26, 2022:

“As of May 10, 2022, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality has received lead sampling results from 363 out of the 593 schools. 265 schools (73%) have had at least one fixture that exceeded the Montana Action Level (AL) of 5.0 micrograms per Liter (ug/L) or parts per billion.”

A list of schools that have not been tested for lead can be found on pages 24 – 27 of the committee handout.

The OPI is encouraging all schools to take advantage of lead sampling and reminds schools that Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds can be used to upgrade drinking water systems.

For more information, please contact Greg Montgomery, Drinking Water Scientist, DEQ, at DEQleadinschools@mt.gov or (406) 444-5312.

Family Assistance Training

To register, please click here.

Clean School Bus Grant

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $500 million is now available for school districts and other eligible school bus operators and contractors to begin replacing the nation’s fleet of school buses with clean, American-made, zero-emission buses. This $500 million represents the first round of funding out of the unprecedented $5 billion investment for low and zero-emission school buses over the next five years.

The EPA is accepting applications from May 20, 2022 until August 19, 2022. Questions about applying may be directed to CleanSchoolBus@epa.gov.  

This is the first competition that EPA is running through the Clean School Bus program. The Agency will also launch a grant competition later this year. Further Clean School Bus competitions funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will be run every year over the next five years.  

To learn more about the rebate programs, applicant eligibility, selection process, and informational webinar dates, visit www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus [nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com] 

Montana Supports Uvalde, TX

Please click here to watch the Superintendent’s message.

Click the links below to see updates from OPI's units.

Accreditation & Educator Preparation

Achievement in Montana (AIM)

American Indian Student Achievement

Assessment

Career, Technical and Adult Education

Coordinated School Health

Educator Licensure

Elementary & Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER)

Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS)

Gifted and Talented

Indian Education for All

Montana Autism Education Project

School Finance

School Nutrition

Special Education

Standards, Instruction & Professional Learning

Title & Federal Programs

Traffic Education

Transformational Learning & Advanced Opportunities

Tribal Relations & Resiliency

Questions? Contact: 

Brian O'Leary, Communications Director, (406) 444-3559

The OPI is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation, require an alternate format, or have questions concerning accessibility, contact the OPI ADA Coordinator, 406-444-3161, opiada@mt.gov, Relay Service: 711.