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The OPI is providing this newsletter every month for an update on current events and ongoing education-related issues in Montana. The next Navigator will be sent to you in
August 2023.
For previous editions of the Navigator click here.
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As the Interim Committees begin, we wish everyone safe travels as you cross the BEAUTIFUL State of Montana serving your constituents. As always our staff at OPI is here to provide you with educational expertise you may need!
Please visit out website for additional information and updates opi.mt.gov
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Legislative Updates
To read 2023 68th Legislative Session Summary of
Legislation Related to K-12 Education please click here.
The Gavel provides updates on implementation of new laws, in-depth research, links to interesting topics, and timely items about the Legislature.
Upcoming Meetings
July 11, 2023 Economic Affairs Committee
July 12-14, 2023 Montana Board of Public Education
July 12, 2023 IIJA Communications Advisory Commission
July 12, 2023 Local Government Committee
July 13, 2023 Transportation Interim Committee
July 13, 2023 Children, Families, Health and Human Services Committee
July 13, 2023 Revenue Interim Committee
July 17, 2023 Land Board
July 19, 2023 State-Tribal Relations Committee
July 21, 2023 State Administration and Veterans Affairs Committee
July 24, 2023 Law and Justice Committee
July 24, 2023 Water Policy Committee
68th Legislative Session Education Interim Committee
 To watch the June 28, 2023 Interim Education Committee Meeting click here
June 28, 2023 was the first Education Interim Committee. I look forward to working with our interim committees to continue to better our public education system and support parents, teachers, and students. Click here to view the meeting materials.
Parent Discussions
Local Accountability: How Recent Legislation Affects Families, Students, and Communities.
All discussions will take place from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM via Zoom and will be moderated by the Office of Public Instruction’s Chief Legal Counsel.
The discussions times and topics are:
 To watch the first discussion held June 21, 2023 -Comparing Charter School Bills click on the link below:
Recording | Meeting Agenda | Comparison of Charter School Bills
For future agendas and materials click here.
Join us in Celebrating
Family Day At the Capitol
 OPI staff participated in a Family Fun Day at the Capitol. There was a tour of the Capitol, cake, Native American games hosted by our Indian Education Unit, and lunch from Rockstar BBQ. Celebrating family is an integral part of who OPI is.
Montana Youth Leadership Forum
 It is always a pleasure speaking with the high school juniors and seniors participating in the Montana Youth Leadership Forum. Many of these students want to serve the next generation by becoming teachers in our public schools.
National Conference on Student Assessment
 Last week the Superintendent spoke to over 1,000 attendees at the National Conference on Student Assessment. Her message was that Montana is leading the way in developing innovative student assessments that focus on true academic growth while putting students first.
Alicia Doney, TSARR’s Tribal Youth Coordinator
 Alicia Doney, TSARR’s Tribal Youth Coordinator, has been out making as many community connections as possible in preparation for the upcoming school year for the RISE Youth Leadership group! She recently was in Harlem attending a MAPS Media training where they taught digital arts and filmmaking for a week. She built many new relationships with staff and students and even learned to shine in her own creative tech skills! Overall, Alicia felt it was an awesome experience that she will keep with her as her career builds in working with the youth!
OPI Summer Institute
 Superintendent Arntzen with representatives from New Meridian during the OPI Summer Institute
OPI submitted a Field Testing Waiver to the US Department of Education (DOE) at the beginning of May. Governor Gianforte, Senator Daines, Senator Tester, Representative Zinke, and Representative Rosendale submitted letters of support for the waiver to the DOE. OPI is patiently awaiting the final “yes” from the DOE so that districts participating in MAST will not be double tested.
For more information. please contact Krystal Smith at Krystal.Smith@mt.gov.
Montana Association for Pupil Transportation Conference
 I spoke at the Montana Association for Pupil Transportation Conference in Great Falls. Wonderful to see all of our great Montana school bus drivers. Thank you for keeping our students safe to and from their families and classrooms!
Montana Youth Leadership Forum participated in a job shadow program
 Our children are our future! Three students, with dreams of becoming Montana teachers, from the Montana Youth Leadership Forum participated in a job shadow program with our office. What an honor to meet these future teachers.
It is always an honor to speak with the delegates at Girls State. These young women were very interested in how teaching, learning, and testing can be made better for future generations. Thank you to Fort Harrison for hosting this great event!
June/July 2023 Press Releases
Superintendent Arntzen Announces New Partnership Bringing Dynamic Digital Tools and Resources to Students Statewide
Superintendent Arntzen Reopens Applications for Stronger Connections Grant to all Districts
Superintendent Arntzen Announces Start of 2023 Summer Food Service Program
Superintendent Arntzen Opens Applications for Three Negotiated Rulemaking Committees
Superintendent Arntzen to Host Monthly Parental Updates on Education Legislation
Superintendent Arntzen Reminds Educators to Register for the 26th OPI Summer Institute
Superintendent Arntzen to Open Automatic Enrollment Through Medicaid for Free and Reduced-Price School Meals
Superintendent Arntzen Announces Math and Reading Extended Opportunity Learning Grant for Summer
Superintendent Elsie Arntzen Hosts the 2023 Summer Virtual Teacher Job Fair
Superintendent Arntzen to Offer Commencement Remarks to the 48th Graduating Class of the Montana Youth Challenge Academy
Superintendent Arntzen Welcomes United States Office of Special Education Programs Director, Valerie Williams, to the 26th OPI Summer Institute
Superintendent Arntzen Offers Work Sessions on New Accreditation Process
Superintendent Arntzen Thanks Dick Anderson Construction for Hosting Regional Career Coach Training
Superintendent Arntzen Continues Innovative Teacher Residency Program
For more information, please contact Brian O’Leary, Communications Director at Brian.O’Leary@mt.gov or 406-444-355
Superintendent's Message
 I am thankful that more parent and family voices were sincerely heard during this legislative session. Parents are the first teachers and our students are the future of our great state. Montana graduating classes of 2024 and beyond will be celebrated by the many gifts of this legislature. Click here to watch message video
Applications to Serve on Negotiated Rule Making Committees Needed
 I am seeking applications from parents, teachers, school leaders, and community members to serve on one of three State standard Negotiated Rulemaking Committees for:
- English
- Language Learners Math
- World Languages
If you or someone you know is interested please visit our website link
Montana Ready-Career Coaches
 Office of Public Instruction Work Based Learning Regional Career Coaches
1. Expand funding to support Work Based Learning (WBL) Career Coaches that will work in designated regions of the state
2. Continue and expand working with schools, parents, counselors, students, businesses, and industries to have students sign up for Montana Ready
3. Collect data including and not limited to:
a. Number of students exposed to WBL opportunities
b. Number of students registered for WBL
c. What CTE program or class designated for earned credit(s)
d. How many credits, half-credits, etc.
e. How many students are registered in
i. Pre-apprenticeship
ii. Apprenticeship
iii. Dual Enrollment with a post-secondary institution
f. How many are aligned or participating in a CTSO
g. What and how many businesses and industries are participating
h. Post-graduation placement
4. Expand contacts with all participating districts and students throughout school year
5. Expand partnership and continue to work collectively with the DLI Business and Education Engagement team and Registered Apprenticeship program
6. Work collaboratively with OCHE and 2-year colleges
7. Expand partnership and continue to work collaboratively with private sector businesses and associations and other partners including, but not limited to:
a. Reach Higher Montana
b. Montana Digital Academy
c. Accelerate Montana
d. Montana Contractors Association
e. Montana Chamber of Commerce
f. Montana Automobile Dealerships Association
g. Montana Hospital Association
Residency Update
The Montana Teacher Residency Program is continuing for a second year. The Residency program is a one-year paid student teaching experience during the fourth year of undergraduate studies for education majors. Residents will be paired with a teacher-leader, and receive a stipend, district-provided housing, and partial tuition support. Resident teachers will also commit to teaching in a Montana school district for a minimum of three years.
To date, 18 residents in 8 school districts have been placed for the 2023-2024 school year, with more placements pending:
- Browning – 5 residents
- Cayuse Prairie – 1 resident
- Dayton – 1 resident
- Frontier – 1 resident
- Great Falls – 3 residents
- Hardin – 4 residents
- Harlem – 1 resident
- Vaughn – 2 residents
The 2022-2023 and 2023- 2024 Residency Program is funded through the federal ESSER Covid relief dollars. Thanks to Representative Brad Barker's HB 833, the Residency Program will be funded with state dollars beginning with the second half of the next biennium in 2025.
Website Link: https://opi.mt.gov/Educators/Teaching-Learning/Montana-Teacher-Residency Contact: Krystal Smith, OPI Innovations Manager Krystal.smith@mt.gov
Assessment Summaries
Montana Alternative Student Testing (MAST) Pilot Program
The recruitment phase for the second year of the MAST pilot program has closed.
Year two will include grades 3-8 in Math and English Language Arts (ELA), or Reading. Participation numbers in Year II will be:
- 127 schools
- 53 school districts
- over 20,000 students.
A comparison map between year I and year II:
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Chapter 55: School Accreditation
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OPI held a Graduate Profile Educational Summit on April 14, 2023 for Montana schools. Watch the recording here.
A Stakeholder Review comprised of school and community leaders will convene to discuss the new 4-point system to ensure that Montana schools can understand the new system.
The 4-point includes:
- Family and Community Engagement
- Professional Development
- Academic Programming including how the education program enables students to recognize the district and unique cultural heritages of American Indians
- Assurance checklist for required accreditation policies
The Stakeholder Review will meet eleven times between July 2023 and March 2024 via Zoom:
- July 27, 2023
- August 9, 10, and 15, 2023
- September 11 and 18, 2023
- October 16, 2023
- November 20, 2023
- January 8, 2024
- February 12, 2024
- March 11, 2024
OPI will offer multiple work sessions offered to parents, teachers, and school leaders:
- July 25 and 26, 2023 at the Great Northern Hotel in Helena
- August 14, 2023 via Zoom
- September 28 and 29, 2023 at Lockwood High School
- October 18-20, 2023 during the Montana Conference of Education Leadership (MCEL) Conference in Helena
- November, TBD at Montana Tech in Butte
- January 25 and 26, 2024 at the Great Falls Public Schools Office
- February 20-22, 2024 via Zoom
- March 1 and 5-7 via Zoom
More details on the work sessions are available here.
For more information, please contact Crystal Andrews, Accreditation and Licensure Manager, at crystal.andrews@mt.gov.
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Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief Funds - ESSER
ESSER II, III, After School & Summer Enrichment Success Stories:
Career Tech, Vocational, Trades Programs Eureka MT- Students spend part of the day off-site building ‘tiny houses’ and practicing math, communication, and marketing skills while also creating a real-world product and incentivizing students to do well academically. ESSER funds have enabled creativity and engaged student proficiency-based learning that everyone in the community can embrace. The students have been involved in every aspect of the building process - from initial plans all the way through the finished work.
Afterschool/Summer Support for Learning Loss, Focus on Math Skills Billings MT- Focusing on math skills among grades 2-3 during spring, and grades K-5 during summer. Respond to students’ lack of interest in mathematics by showcasing daily uses/encounters with mathematics through games, free play, and field trips. Through continued exposure and usage, students persevere in making sense of and solving problems with mathematics.
Afterschool/Summer Support for Learning Loss, Focus on Math and Literacy Skills Livingston MT- Garden- and cooking-based math and literacy enrichment education. Children learn about nutrition and the environment through hands-on activities while focusing on math, literacy, and social-emotional development.
As a reminder, ESSER II must be expended by September 30, 2023, and ESSER III must be expended by September 30, 2024.
The state-wide ESSER allocation through May 31, 2023, is:
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For more information on ESSER please click here or contact Wendi Fawns at wendi.fawns@mt.gov.
The OPI ESSER Team
Variance to Standards Review Board
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Superintendent Arntzen appointed six new members to the Variance to Standards Review Board:
Abby Moscatel is the Family and Community Representative. Abby is a lawyer at the Blacktail Law Firm in Lakeside, Montana. She is admitted to practice in California, Montana, and some federal court jurisdictions.
Nancy Stiffarm is the Tribal Representative. Nancy is a Junior High Math teacher at Harlem Public Schools on the Fort Belknap Reservation in Montana.
Hannah Nieskens is the District Superintendent Representative. Hannah has been an educator for 24 years. She is entering her fifth year as the district superintendent in Whitehall, Montana. She was formerly a 6-12 principal in Whitehall. Prior to that she was an intermediate principal and HS dean of students in Wolf Point and elementary teacher in Billings.
Ashley Olson is one of the Elementary School Teacher Representatives. Ashley has been a classroom teacher for over 20 years and is currently pursuing her Master's in Educational Leadership. Her family includes her supportive husband and 3 active children: one each in elementary, middle, and high school. During the '21-'22 school year, she received the elementary teacher Golden Apple award for Billings Public Schools in Montana.
Jay Phalen is the Board of Trustees Member Representative. Jay was elected to the Glendive Board of Trustees in 2021 and serves on the board’s policy committee. He was raised in Dawson County Montana where he lives with his wife and three children.
Cammie Knapp is one of the High School Principal Representatives. Cammie started her career at Corvallis High School over two decades ago. She has been principal for five years, and since then, has turned the football program around, revamped the homecoming festivities and made sure every student was cared for and had a mentor to go to, according to her students. In 2023 she was named the Montana Association of Secondary Principals Principal of the Year.
The Board is comprised of:
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Questions? Contact:
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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