The applications for the Teacher Incentive Program, better known as the TEACH Act, are open through December 1, 2024, per § 20-9-324(3), MCA . The Teach Act was established during the 2021 legislative session to incentivize and enhance competitive base pay for early-career teachers. The 2024-2025 school year will be the fourth year for the TEACH Act. Districts must submit separate applications for each school, or Legal Entity, applying for the program.

Districts must complete the application for the Teacher Incentive Program funding to demonstrate:

• 2nd and 3rd class districts: Base pay equal to 10 times the Quality Educator Component amount for the application year.
• 1st class districts: Base pay requirements above and base pay not less than 70% of average teacher pay. 

A virtual training session for districts was held on October 8, 2024. Click here to view the training.

Important Reminder for Schools

Principals and Superintendents, please follow up with your teachers to ensure their licensing is up to date. All licensing and verifications must be complete by the December 1st deadline. This will impact the Quality Educator Component Payment.

If you have questions, please contact Laci Novark at (406) 444-4401, or Autumn Belmont at (406) 444-9852, or by email at opischoolfinance@mt.gov.

As of 10/25/24, 198 districts applied and 125 are preliminarily eligible. 

The first scheduled MAST testing window opened on October 14, 2024, and will close on November 22, 2024. This statewide assessment for grades 3-8 in math and ELA during the 2024-2025 school year offers flexibility in test administration, provides timely feedback on student learning to enhance instructional practices and assesses students closer to the time when learning occurs. In addition to its instructional benefits, the MAST assessment meets federal testing requirements.

MAST Student Score Reports:

Educators receive weekly MAST score reports on completed and submitted student testlets, which serve as valuable tools for understanding students' academic strengths and areas for improvement. These reports offer insights into both individual and group performance in math and ELA, enabling teachers to tailor their instruction to address the unique needs of each student. For more information on interpreting or utilizing the MAST Student Score Report, navigate to the Score Report section of the MAST Portal.

ESSER Close-Out Process: In partnership with the district, the ESSER Team is closing out the ESSER Grant.  The aim of this process is to ensure district documentation and processing is in compliance with grant regulations and best accounting/grant management practices.  Thank you to the 154 districts who have already completed their full ESSER Closeout.  We greatly appreciate your working with us to ensure compliances are met. 

Please schedule and view the ESSER Close Out resources (video and pdf) before your meeting. Note this process is different than the E-Grants Final Expenditure Report (FER). It includes a full review of ESSER I, II & III Budget Pages and other relevant documentation. To schedule Close Out please contact Allison Agostino at allison.agostino@mt.gov. Please complete a Return Funds form if you are returning awarded funds for any reason.

• An email on ESSER spending and compliances for each District was sent in July to start the Close-Out Process.
• If you did not receive an email by July 15, 2024, check your spam and contact ESSER Meet the Team.

ESSER III Closeout Deadlines

• Cash Requests(final request for reimbursements) are due by October 25, 2024.
• Final Expenditure Reports(FERs) due by November 10, 2024.

The state-wide ESSER allocation through October 23, 2024, is:

Purple Star School Designation is a recognition for military-friendly schools that show a major commitment to students and families connected to our nation's military. Schools that earn the award will receive a special Purple Star recognition plaque to display onsite. Purple Star Champion is a designation for a military-friendly administrator, educator, community supporter, or school staff member that has shown a major commitment to military connected students and/or families. The Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission (MIC3) is accepting Purple Star Champion and Purple Star Designation nominations from September 1st through November 30^th, 2024. 

Link for Purple Star Campion Nomination: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScWNumSICglgoJDzJeLe5c72cylbiqOuWfhy4_kBL46QtNAow/viewform?usp=sf_link

Link for Purple Star Designation Nomination : https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfWGKjxfFnY45NSHW3talpibANV_HqswEsO3XCwEKYyWFr-Fw/viewform?usp=sf_link

For additional information, please contact Ms. Lisa Sapp, School Liaison Specialist for Malmstrom AFB at lisa.sapp.1@us.af.mil  (406-217-1173) or Katie Bloodgood, OPI Legislative Liaison at katie.bloodgood@mt.gov.

Superintendent Arntzen has partnered with Jason DeShaw and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana (BCBSMT) to sponsor another school tour to 10 Montana high schools this fall. The Serenity in the Storm tour, which first took place in 2018, will focus on reducing mental health stigmas, increasing student willingness to seek help for mental health issues, and increasing student willingness to work in a mental health field. Serenity in the Storm is a story of hope, set to the soundtrack of DeShaw’s life. BCBSMT awarded a Blue Impact^SM grant to the nonprofit mental health organization, Realize Hope, to help fund this tour. It is one of nine grants awarded in 2024 through the Blue Impact program.

The upcoming Serenity in the Storm high school tour dates, locations, and start times are:

• November 5 at Red Lodge Senior High School, 10:30 AM
• November 21 at Billings West High School, 1:45 PM
• December 9 at Chester-Joplin-Inverness High School, 2:30 PM
• December 11 at Plentywood High School, 3:00 PM
• December 12 at Scobey High School, 2:30 PM

The 2025 Session is quickly approaching, and legislators without a general election challenger or holdover senators are already working hard to introduced legislation. 

As of November 1, 2024, 720 pieces of legislation are in the process of being drafted or being held as placeholders. 38 of these are education related. 

As legislators or candidates, please know that OPI is here to provide information on education as you consider as education related legislation. 

You can find legislative updates and priorities from OPI here. 

Please contact Katie Bloodgood, Legislative Liaison, if you need any assistance: katie.bloodgood@mt.gov

2025 Montana Teacher of the Year, Dawn Sievers recorded a video on why she became a teacher. Dawn teaches 7^th-12^th grade Spanish and Art and 7^th grade English at Power Schools. Mrs. Sievers obtained her Bachelor of Arts in English with minors in Spanish and Art Teaching from the University of Great Falls and attended the Montana Writing Program at the University of Montana. She will go on to represent Montana in the National Teacher of the Year competition.

Visit OPI’s website for more information about the Montana Teacher of the Year Program: http://opi.mt.gov/Educators/Teaching-Learning/Montana-Teacher-of-the-Year.

During the November meeting the Land Board is expected to:

• Revisit of the Green Diamond-FWP Conservation Easement on 32,981 acres in Lincoln, Sanders and Flathead Counties.
• Fish, Wildlife and Parks is bringing three additional Conservation leases to the Board for approval.
• There will be four Timber Sales - Powell, Flathead, Sanders and Missoula Counties.
• A Land Exchange in McCone County.
• And, a Renewable Energy Option to Lease Agreement with NextEra Energy/Glendive Wind, LLC will be reviewed and voted upon.

Upcoming Meetings:

• 11/18 - Supreme Court Chambers, Mazurek Justice Building, Helena, MT - VIEW
• 12/16 - Supreme Court Chambers, Mazurek Justice Building, Helena, MT - VIEW