 Save the Date for this year's OPI Summer Institute, June 16-19, 2025 hosted at Montana State University in Bozeman.
Watch for information and registration coming this spring!
 The OPI Special Education Team is excited to announce the opening of the Para Pathways Project and access to the online learning modules! The agency has contracted with LRP Publications for Montana’s use of their LRPDirectStep online professional learning modules. Access to these modules is available to all Montana public school district employees for FREE!
- Zero cost to the district or individual employee.
- The modules are online and available 24 hours a day.
- Completion time for the learning modules averages between 45 minutes and one hour.
Professional development modules exist for administrators, general education teachers, special education teachers, paraprofessionals, and any staff working with students with disabilities.
Many topic areas are available for professional learning. IDEA, IEPs, 504s, and Autism are just a sampling of the LRP courses. There are more than 100 courses available.
- Complete modules on an individual basis for professional learning.
- Learn in teams/departments.
- Plan district professional development.
- Earn professional development units.
Special Education Paraprofessionals - If you are currently working in a special education role for all or part of your day and interested in professional growth, you qualify for the incentive pay ($20/module) for the Special Education Technician set of modules. Completion of the identified 40 modules is also one of the pre-requisites to entering Dawson Community College’s (DCC) Special Education Technician courses.
Find more information on our website regarding:
- Tips on how to create an account and access courses
- General information on the Special Education Technician program
- Special Education Technician modules for incentive pay and pre-requisite for DCC.
Included on the flyer above is a technical assistance phone number and email if you need help setting up your account. For any questions regarding the Special Education Technician program, please contact Patrick Cates (Sr. Mgr. for Student Support Services) at patrick.cates@mt.gov or (406) 594-9993.
 MEC Upcoming Empower Me Lunch Series
Mar 20- Communicating with Schools- Register here
Apr 17- What Happens if We Don't Agree on the IEP? Register here
Registration Now Open "Choose Your Path"
APRIL 2-3, 2025 | BUTTE, MT
Don't miss the Montana Council of Exceptional Children's 2025 Conference in Butte, Montana at the Copper King Hotel April 2nd and 3rd, 2025
Featuring:
Tim Odegard, Murfree Chair of Excellence in Dyslexic Studies, Middle Tennesee State University | Elizabeth Kaleva, Kaleva Law Firm | Rob Watson, SAM Executive Director | Danielle Thompson, Transformative Reading Teacher Group | Susie Hedalen, OPI Superintendent of Instruction | Genevieve Thomas, School Services of Montana | Shawna Heiser, Montana State University | Hank Bohanon, Loyola University of Chicago | Danni McCarthy, Montana State Director of Special Education | Marci Parks, Side by Side Consulting | Jessica Veach, Epilepsy Foundation | and more!!!
Montana Autism Education Project
The OPI Montana Autism Education Project offers free autism trainings and consultations to Montana public schools educating students with autism. For trainings, consultations or other needs please contact Katie Mattingley.
You can find information and registration links for MAEP Trainings here.
Presented by: Rhonda Birnie
Virtual | March 19, April 2, & April 23, 2025 | 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
How can we develop and support numeracy in our students as they progress through the grades? In this training series, participants will look closely at the progressions of big ideas, models, and strategies that develop as students become more numerate. Participants will walk away with a better understanding of the progression of models in the K-6 experience as well as tangible strategies they can use in the classroom to ensure student mastery of critical mathematical foundations.
Session 1: Exploring Best Practices and High Impact Routines in K-6 Math Instruction Session 2: Numeracy Basics (Part 1): Understanding Base Ten and Addition and Subtraction Progressions
Presented by: Eliza Thomas
March 20, 2025 | 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. | Havre -Best Western Inn & Suites | 1425 2nd St. NW
Join Eliza for a fast-paced day of Math instruction where participants will learn about how to enhance their math instruction through intentional Math routines, procedures, and vocabulary. Participants will actively engage in warm-up activities, games, and problem-solving throughout the day.
Participants will:
-- Experience and plan for data-driven routines,
-- practice and plan for student opportunities for productive struggle,
-- play and plan for games that can support routines and productive struggle,
-- experience a problem-solving strategy that can support productive struggle, student discourse, and the opportunity for students to write about their mathematical thinking.
March 28, 2025 | 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM | Miles City Sleep Inn & Suites
Presented by: Becky Berg
A full day of math to include Multiplication Strategies and Facts rooted in Relationships and Strategies, Strategies to Fluency and Number Sense for any and all elementary and up to 5th grade educators.
Solving Word Problems with Read-Draw-Write & Tape Diagrams in Grades 1-6
This training will help teachers engage their students in the Read-Draw-Write process & and how to use tape diagrams as "tools to make sense & solve problems". Through various activities, participants will learn more about the progression of tape diagrams throughout the grades. They will engage in the Read-Draw-Write process in a way that supports student learning.
Making the Most of Math Games for K-5
Do you want to leverage your math game time for even more learning and sense making? How is it we can make the most of math game time? Participants will walk away with ideas that improve engagement, accountability, & provide “formative evidence” in realistic ways while students play fun math games. Participants will also leave with a variety of new math games and strategies to improve learning!
March 28 & 29, 2025 | 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM | Great Falls Hampton Inn
The Mandt System builds on skill development through a system of gradual and graded alternatives for de-escalating and assisting people using a combination of interpersonal communication skills, conflict resolution strategies, and physical interaction techniques. The goal is to assist others in managing themselves and the safety of all involved through skillful and nonphysical means. Physical strategies are also taught to provide additional “least restrictive” options in the event the person poses a clear threat of substantial harm to self or others if physically unassisted. The Mandt System focuses on prevention.
April 25, 2025 | 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. | Great Falls Hampton Inn
Presented by: Daniel Hyson
This session will review and discuss the 5 key tenets of a data-driven school and provide additional tools for and practice in engaging in systems-level data-driven problem solving, including especially with respect to problem analysis. Participants will also be introduced to a model for culturally-responsive problem solving and prompted to reflect on their own data-driven practice using the model. Finally, data on the potential impact of systems-level data-driven problem solving on student outcomes will be shared and participants will be provided an opportunity to consider how they can plan for assessing the impact of their work.
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August 6, 2025 | 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM | Havre Best Western Inn & Suites
Presented by: Stephanie Lester
Part 1: Developing Children’s Number Sense
The first part of the training will dive into the developmental progression of number sense in young children. Participants will explore key predictive indicators for school readiness in mathematics and numeracy, such as subitizing, counting, one-to-one correspondence, cardinality, and hierarchical inclusion. This session will provide targeted instructional strategies to help teachers effectively introduce, reinforce, and build these critical concepts, setting the stage for academic success in mathematics.
Part 2: Math EVERY Day for EVERY Child!
The second part of the training will focus on integrating math into everyday classroom activities and routines. Teachers will be introduced to a variety of instructional strategies that give students continuous opportunities to practice and reinforce essential math skills throughout their day.
Participants will learn about inclusionary practices that ensure all students, regardless of their learning needs, have access to meaningful math experiences. The session will also cover developmentally appropriate strategies for knowledge and skill acquisition, making math accessible and engaging for every child.
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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