The Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI) is pleased to invite you to collaborate on the revision of Montana’s English Language Proficiency Standards. We want our task forces to be representative of the unique voices and perspectives in Montana! As a key education partner, we hope you will consider filling out the Montana English Language Proficiency Standards Task Force Application.
Additionally, we would be grateful if you would share this opportunity to participate in the standards revision process with your colleagues and networks.
We need the help of our Montana education leaders to make sure teachers have an excellent framework through which to serve our Montana English Learners (ELs) and Multilingual Learners (MLs). The work you do is so important, and we’d love for you to seize this opportunity to make a broader impact.
The application is now open and closes on April 16th. Here is a timeline for the process:
Application Collection: March 15 through April 16, 2023
Application Review: April 16 through April 21, 2023
Writing/Revision Team Meets Virtually: April 22 through May 15, 2023
Interested parties can also visit the MT OPI's Montana English Learner Website or the MT OPI's K-12 Content Standards for up-to-date information and announcements or contact the English Language Proficiency Standards Review Team:
Michelle McCarthy, MT OPI Science Instructional Coordinator and Project Lead, mmccarthy5@mt.gov
Destin Markland, MT OPI EL Coordinator, destin.markland@mt.gov
The World Languages Standards Revision Task Force Application deadline has been extended to April 10th at noon. If you have expertise in World Languages instruction and best practices, please consider applying to serve on the World Languages Revision Task Force. Thank you to our incredible educator leaders who have already applied to serve in various capacities in this important process.
Superintendent Elsie Arntzen, with approval from the Montana Board of Public Education, has opened the Montana Mathematics Standards for review. The purpose of the standards review process is to assure that Montana public schools are setting high academic standards for all children of our state. The goal is to serve our Montana students and educators with the best-possible mathematics standards to guide instruction and prepare our students for their lives beyond the classroom.
We are currently in the Research and Review Phase of the Standards Review Process. We solicited applications for the Mathematics Standards Review Task Force, with the application period closing on February 10, 2023. We had a great response to the call for applications. Thank you to all who applied to participate in this important work.
Currently, we are in the process of reviewing applications for the Math Task Force with two teams of reviewers made up of members of major stakeholder organizations, respondents to the Mathematics Standards Review Interest Survey, and internal reviewers. The Task Force members will be chosen from applicants representing a variety of stakeholders who are involved with K-12 mathematics instruction across Montana. Thank you to all who are participating in application review, supporting our goal of forming excellent teams of educators to complete the revision and review process.
The Task Force includes both a Writing Team, as well as a Review Team. During the Revision phase of the standards review process, the Writing Team will use the research and data analysis provided by the Regional Educational Laboratory West (REL West) at WestEd to inform revision of our Montana Mathematics Content Standards. The Review Team will review the work of the Writing Team, and provide feedback that will inform the work of the Negotiated Rulemaking Committee during the Negotiated Rulemaking phase of the review process.
Thank you to all who have expressed interest in participating and/or have supported the review process through application review. If you have questions, please contact Sonja Whitford, OPI Mathematics Instructional Coordinator at sonja.whitford@mt.gov
Please visit the Montana Mathematics Standards Website for up-to-date information and announcements.
OPIRUPS@mt.gov is now OPIPDUPS@mt.gov
The Professional Learning Team continues to transition our language and documents from "Renewal Units" (RUs) to "Professional Development Units" (PDUs) in alignment with the new Administrative Rules of Montana Chapter 57, 10.57.216 APPROVED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND RENEWAL ACTIVITY.
The former Renewal Unit Provider System (RUPS) has successfully transitioned to the Professional Development Provider System (PDUPS) and we are in process of updating documents, webpages, and systems to reflect the change.
Notably, Renewal Unit Certificates, or RUs, have been transitioned to Professional Development Unit Certificates (PDUs). The certificates remain the same and certificates that bear the term "Renewal Units" will still be valid for educator license renewal.
Please contact the Professional Learning Team at OPIDUPS@mt.gov with any questions.
Professional Learning Portal Closed for Maintenance
The Professional Learning Portal remains closed for maintenance. During this time we are unable to add new events to the calendar and catalog, however, the existing Professional Learning Portal events can still be viewed and searched by interested participants. Please contact OPIPDUPS@mt.gov with additional questions.
Questions about Professional Learning?
Contact the Professional Development Unit Provider System Staff | OPIPDUPS@mt.gov or 406.444.3538
Teacher Learning Hub News
#1 - Hop onto the Hub – for FREE PD!
Spring is a time of renewal and we hope all of you are excited about the spring season in your classrooms AND experiencing a renewed interest in ‘hopping’ into some great facilitated courses to maintain your positive and innovative energies as you head down the home stretch of the school year! Enrollment opened on March 12th for the following April courses:
There are no facilitated courses running in May due to the busy end of the school year. Please check out those that run in June here: future facilitated courses. Enrollment for these courses will open on May 14th!
#2 - April Showers Bringing Self-Paced Hours!
Need less structure and flexibility in due dates? Shower your professional self with self-paced course options that are ready to roll when you are!
Check out our Hub Course List for additional learning opportunities!
#3 - Future Pathways to Expertise!
The OPI Professional Learning Team is putting together some Professional Pathways which will be available for participants in the not-too-distant future! These Pathways are designed to be a compilation of content-specific courses that allow teachers to gain valued expertise in a concentrated area. Our first pathway will center around Whole-Child Wellness and will allow participants choices within a multitude of courses that will grow their expertise while gaining multiple professional development units in that one specific area! It is our hope that these pathways will be beneficial for your resume, obtaining expert recognition within your school or district, and assisting you with a solid knowledge base for highly effective teaching. Stay tuned……!
#4 - MS/HS Science Teachers: Spring Into This Opportunity for a FREE 4-Part Workshop!
Ecology Project International is sponsoring a Montana Science Teaching Institute through the Governor's Emergency Education Relief Grant (GEER). 30-50 teachers will be formed from schools and districts representing the diversity of Montana's communities!
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Spring Cohort Module Schedule: Modules hosted from 4:30 –6:00 PM each Wednesday afternoon from April 5 - 26 (6 OPI PDUs)
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www.ecologyproject.org - 315 S. 4thStreet E., Missoula, MT 59801
- Call 406.721.8784 for more information (Mari Houck)
Helpful Hub Tips of the Month:
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Hub Integration with Licensure: Please continue to save your completion certificates by downloading them. Glitches still remain in regard to the new tech integration with Licensure but we continue to work with the tech company that created the integration to get these resolved. Updates will be available on our Hub homepage as they become available (Important: Only PDUs that were achieved after the integration was in place will transfer once all is working as it should.)
Please take a minute to complete this Professional Development Survey! We are always seeking to produce new coursework on the Hub that will optimally benefit the needs of Montana educators. You are our BEST resource! We appreciate your time and effort to visit and complete this survey and share your input!
Visit us at www.opi.mt.gov/learninghub to set up an account and sign up for courses.
Click here for the course list, catalog & calendar.
Course List | Catalog | Calendar
Questions? Contact Allyson Briese or Kimberly Evans
opilearninghub@mt.gov | 406.444.3557
English Language Arts & Literacy News
ELA Standards Revision: Save The Date!
The Montana Board of Public Education has approved Superintendent Arntzen's proposed standards review timeline in which the English Language Arts and Literacy Standards will open in September of 2023. Please save the date and be prepared to lend your expertise and serve our state through the revision process. We need all hands on deck to support the revision process of the ELA and Literacy across the disciplines standards that will guide our teachers and students to succeed in the years to come!!
Montana Poet Laureate Nominations Now Open
The Montana Arts Council is excited to announce that nominations for the position of Montana’s Poet Laureate are now open.
Montana celebrates the written and spoken word through the offices of our state's Poet Laureate. Chosen every two years by the Governor from among qualified nominations made by Montana citizens, the Poet Laureate represents the arts through performance, contributions to our quarterly newspaper State of the Arts, teaching in schools, judging the annual Poetry Out Loud student recitation competition, and other avenues.
The Poet Laureate is chosen on the basis of three criteria:
• Artistic excellence and achievement
• Ongoing contributions to the cultural community
• Worthiness of statewide recognition
If you, or a poet you admire, should be our next poet laureate let the Montana Arts Council know. You can make a formal nomination now; information about the post and a link to the nomination form can be found on the Montana Poet Laureate website. Nominations are open until Friday, April 7 at 5:00 pm MST.
The OPI ELA Webpage is Your Source for Montana ELA Announcements, Opportunities, Resources, and Current Events
Keep up to date on high-quality professional learning conferences and workshops. Stay in touch with our Montana community and nationwide education partners' programs, resources, and news. Learn how to participate in exciting challenges and competitions for your students and school. Your ELA webpage is updated weekly to keep you in the loop on our ELA community’s events and opportunities.
Have an event you want to share with our Montana ELA community? Looking for resources or professional learning collaboration? Contact ELA Instructional Coordinator Stephanie Swigart for assistance!
Questions for our ELA & Literacy Instructional Coordinator?
Contact Stephanie Swigart | stephanie.swigart@mt.gov or 406.444.0736
Please visit the Montana Mathematics Standards Website for up-to-date information and announcements.
Questions for our Mathematics Instructional Coordinator?
Contact Sonja Whitford | sonja.whitford@mt.gov or 406.444.0706
The OPI Science webpage offers the following information for educators:
- Grant or paid opportunities,
- Challenges and competitions,
- Student and classroom opportunities,
- Conferences and professional development
- Connect with the STEM community!
Also available are:
- Science Fair Information across the state
- Refereed Curriculum
- Resources
- Science Content Standards
- News in the world of Science
Questions for our Science Instructional Coordinator?
Contact Michelle McCarthy | mmccarthy5@mt.gov or 406.444.3537
Professional Learning Manger Susan Catapano is leaving the agency to return to higher education. She will be missed. Thank you for your service Susan, we wish you the best in your next adventure! Please direct questions to OPICSI@mt.gov
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.
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