ELA
The Negotiated Rulemaking Committee has completed its work revising the English Language Arts (ELA) and Literacy Content Standards. Recordings, agendas, and meeting minutes for all sessions can be found on the ELA Standards Revisions Webpage.
Check out the Montana ELA & Literacy Standards Revision Overview one-pager for an overview of the proposed revisions!
OPI presented the proposed standards at March’s MACIE meeting on Tuesday, March 25. After review by Superintendent Hedalen, the standards will be proposed to the Board of Public Education (BPE) for adoption.
More information can be found on the OPI’s ELA Standards Revisions Webpage.
Math
The Board of Public Education has determined that more time should be allotted for district implementation of the new math standards. The new implementation date is July 2026!
Professional learning is ongoing! Keep an eye out for opportunities at conferences and on the mathematics revision webpage to learn more about the new standards.
Guidance is being developed as we speak. To stay informed, visit the mathematics revision webpage. All published guidance documents will be visible on this page as they become available.
Professional Development Requests
Fill out the PD Request Form to request specialized professional development from the Standards, Instruction, and Professional Learning Team at OPI (expected time: 10-12 minutes). This request form serves as an opportunity for school districts to communicate their needs for additional professional development opportunities in the area of K-12 Education.
Once a request is submitted, OPI's Standards, Instruction, and Professional Learning Team will review the request and consider the next steps. Follow-up communication will be had directly with the party submitting this form unless otherwise indicated. If this request is being made less than thirty days from the requested professional development day, please understand that there is a small chance our specialists will be available.
Professional Development News
Exciting News: OPI Learning Opportunities Portal!
The OPI Learning Opportunities Portal was designed to create a one-stop hub for professional development opportunities available to educators across Montana. This platform brings together workshops, training sessions, and events from the OPI as well as a variety of other professional learning providers from around the state.
Since its launch, the portal has become an invaluable resource for connecting educators with the development opportunities they need. We invite administrators, school staff, and external providers to share their upcoming events on the portal, helping to consolidate all available resources in one easy-to-access location. We also encourage you to share this information with your educators, ensuring they have the opportunity to explore and take advantage of the many professional learning events available to them.
Explore the portal here: OPI Learning Opportunities Portal
Summer Institute
The Last Best Learning Podcast
The mission of the Last Best Learning Podcast is to deliver digestible and relevant professional learning that honors educators’ capacity in an increasingly busy world.
We believe that our state’s educators empower minds, elevate futures, and inspire self-discovery - and we walk beside them.
We invite you to join us in this innovative approach to professional development, tailored to address the unique challenges faced by educators in Montana's ever-changing educational landscape. At the end of each month, the podcast will be uploaded to the K-12 Content Standards webpage.
Coming Soon
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Releasing Monday April 28 - Ep. 9 - "Learning is Human:" AI in Education, with special guests Jason Neiffer and Connor Mulvaney
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Indigenous Knowledge in Action: Harnessing the Power of Play with Special Guests Rebecca Goff and Megan Callahan from Native Teaching Aids
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ALL IN! Collaborative Teaching for Equitable Classrooms, with special guest Lee Ann Jung, educator, consultant, and author of eight books and over fifty journal publications
Previous Episodes
- Ep. 8 - Data Matters: Protecting Student Privacy in a Digital Age with special guests Cathleen Kuchera, West Valley School District and Kiki Moses, Cayuse Prairie School District
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Ep. 7 - Every Voice Every Day: Embracing Diversity Through Inclusive Instruction with special guests, Carrie Owen, Rebecca Turk, and Aria Peters
- Ep. 6 - Family and Community Engagement: Building a Sense of Belonging with Special Guest Nichole Pieper
- Ep. 5 - Every Voice, Every Day: Addressing an Expanding Need in Montana With Special Guests Serena Wright and Allyson Fraser
- Ep. 4 - Hometown Mentorship: The Teacher Residency Program - Applying theory into action with special guests Angie, Carol, and Marci from Browning School District
- Ep. 3 - Hometown Mentorship: A Polson Case Study with Special Guest Michael Sitter
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Ep. 2 - Bridging the Gap: Self-Care, Resiliency, and Educator Retention
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Ep. 1 - Self Care for Educators with Special Guest John Sommers Flanagan
Math
March’s volume of the MT Math Minute is live and ready to view! Each month, our Math Coordinator compiles relevant features, classroom resources, IEFA implementation ideas, and sometimes, teacher spotlights! This month's features include episode 6 of our Digging Deeper Series, where we cover mathematical practice standard #6 Collaborate Mathematically (2026), classroom-ready resources for using data talks at the PK-12 level, exciting grant opportunities, and relevant and helpful resources. Future editions will include district and school spotlights when available. Districts, schools, or teachers interested in being featured in future Math Minute editions can fill out this form.
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