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Dear Colleagues,
We have submitted the signed Title VI assurances from each of our Local Education Agencies to the Department of Education. Thank you for signing and returning them. We are still collecting Certifications for submission, if you have not yet submitted yours, please do so. Title VI certification
For clarification, we have received inquiries regarding Indian Education for All and collaboration with tribal governments, staff, and students. While the OPI cannot provide legal guidance to local school districts, we are not aware of any programs in Montana that would violate Title VI. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that tribal status is a political classification rather than a racial one. As long as school districts do not implement programs or policies that discriminate or provide preferential treatment based on race, color, or national origin, they should remain in compliance with Title VI.
We also have a staffing announcement to make. Please welcome to the OPI team:
As graduation approaches, I would like to remind everyone that in 2017 SB319 was passed. This bill allows tribal regalia to be worn during graduation ceremonies in our public schools.
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2-1-315. Tribal regalia and objects of cultural significance — allowed at public events.
(1) The purpose of this section is to help further the state's recognition of the distinct and unique cultural heritage of the American Indians and the state's commitment to preserving the American Indians' cultural integrity as provided in Article X, section 1(2), of the Montana constitution.
(2) A state agency or a local government may not prohibit an individual from wearing traditional tribal regalia or objects of cultural significance at a public event.
(3) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(a) "Individual" means a human being regardless of age.
(b) "Local government" has the meaning provided in 2-2-102.
(c) "Public event" means an event held or sponsored by a state agency or a local government, including but not limited to an award ceremony, a graduation ceremony, or a public meeting.
(d) "State agency" has the meaning provided in 1-2-116
If you have questions or need help, please feel free to reach out to my office.
Sincerely,
Susie Hedalen
Superintendent of the Office of Public Instruction
Additional Information
Achievement in Montana (AIM)
Assessment
Career, Technical and Adult Education
Coordinated School Health
Gifted and Talented
Indian Education for All
Montana Aligned to Standards Through-Year (MAST)
Montana Autism Education Project
Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)
School Finance
School Nutrition
Special Education
Standards, Instruction & Professional Learning
Title & Federal Programs
Traffic Education
OPI Reminders
Updating School Contact Information with OPI
District Clerks are responsible for keeping contact information up to date. In accordance with , Trustee Contact information is required to be updated within 14 days following the qualification and oathtaking of a newly elected trustee, or for the filling of vacancy on the board. The county superintendent is responsible for providing information to the district clerk for the purpose of updating the Trustee Repository. Contact information also affects the Budget and TFS reports as well as how the AR for OPI and E-Grants updates. The instructions on how to update your schools’ information can be found at the following link: .
PERSONNEL CHANGES: All school districts please go to the OPI website - - to verify your schools’ information.
Changes must be made by the Clerk in for:
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Trustees (required by ).
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Board chair.
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Clerk/business manager.
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Superintendent.
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Principal.
For more information, please contact Amanda Zigan at (406) 444-3096, or contact us by email at .
Special Education Savings Account (ESA)
OPI is preparing to open another round of Education Savings Account (ESA) applications, which will go live on the ESA website May 1, 2025. Students who are not currently enrolled in the ESA program will have the opportunity for their application to be submitted for the ESA program from May 1, 2025, through June 1, 2025. Applications are not required for students currently enrolled in the ESA program.
The program has had a strong and impactful start, supporting Montana families as they take an active role in their children’s educational journey. We are proud to currently support 46 students, building a foundation for continued growth and success. We look forward to welcoming new applicants and continuing the growth of this valuable program.
If you know someone who might benefit from this program, please share the ESA flyer below to help them learn more about the benefits.
Education Savings Account Flyer
Outside Opportunities
Looking for information about the National Indian Education Association's online learning opportunities? Please see below and contact hthomas@niea.org with any additional questions.
For MONTANA educators to register, use this link: MT Registration for NIEA Professional Learning Series: Community Based Education [forms.office.com]
As a strong supporter for Native Education for All, NIEA values the work that our Montana relatives are doing to advance understanding and truth of Native peoples through solid instructional supports and resources for schools. Thanks to a recent grant from the Administration for Native Americans, NIEA is offering free access for the first 250 Montana educators to sign up to attend our professional learning series: Community-Based Education through a Native Lens. This is a three-part series developed in partnership with the University of Phoenix that includes an additional bonus course on virtual instruction. Each course comes with a certificate of completion as well as up to 30 hours of seat time for license renewal. Each course has a series of brief check point assessments/quizzes; however, there are not assignments embedded but rather recommended readings for extended learning.
The attached flyer provides information on the courses and registration. Please share this opportunity with any administrators and educators whom you believe would most benefit from and be invested in taking these courses. These courses are self-paced, and educators can save their progress and return any time. Once learners fill out the registration form, they will receive further information about joining the course platform and beginning the courses. If anyone goes to our website for more information on registration, that link will require payment.
We are happy to answer any additional questions you may have. You are welcome to reach out to Helen Thomas (hthomas@niea.org) if need any additional information.
We need your help with a pressing challenge: How, specifically, should schools manage student cell phones to maximize learning and well-being?
To date decisions about where and when students are permitted to use their phones have been made with limited evidence on what actually works. The Phones In Focus survey (phonesinfocus.org) aims to change that by:
- Creating a statewide and national map of phone policies
- Connecting policies to academic and well-being outcomes to identify what works best and for whom
What's required: Just 5 minutes of your time as a school leader–and as many teachers and staff at your school as possible–to complete a survey about your school's current and past phone policies.
Why this matters to you:
- At the end of the survey, you’ll receive a real-time snapshot of how educators across the U.S. are answering the same questions
- At the conclusion of the study, you'll receive evidence-based recommendations for effective phone policies
- Every educator who completes this survey is automatically entered into a weekly raffle ($100 for the educator and a $100 donation to the school). One lucky educator will be chosen as the winner of the grand prize raffle: a gift basket that includes a $500 VISA gift card, a $500 donation to their school, personalized and signed copies of Mindset by Carol Dweck and Grit by Angela Duckworth, and a personalized professional development workshop or in-person school assembly with Angela Duckworth.
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All school leaders who successfully get at least 5 educators to complete the survey will be invited, along with their staff, to an online, invitation-only professional development webinar on the science of self-regulation with Angela Duckworth in fall 2025
- Your participation ensures our state's unique contexts are represented
This non-partisan research is led by the psychologist Angela Duckworth (University of Pennsylvania) and the economists Hunt Allcott and Matt Gentzkow (Stanford University).
Next steps:
- First, complete the online Phones in Focus survey using this link: phonesinfocus.org
- Next, forward this email to your teachers and staff and encourage them to take the same survey (at the same link, which is phonesinfocus.org).
Thank you for contributing to research that will benefit schools across our state.
Questions? Contact:
McKenna Gregg, Communications Director
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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