ELA
The English Language Arts and Literacy Content Standards Revisions have completed Negotiated Rulemaking and were presented to the Board of Public Education as an informational item during their May 2025 meeting.
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.
Satchel - Montana Content Standards
Check out all current Montana content standards on Satchel! Satchel allows you to see standards in 13 separate content areas. Content standards are organized by grade level and feature drop-down menus to locate individual standards and easily navigate among them without having to scroll through pages-long documents. Content standards also feature links to related documents, such as proficiency descriptors for English language proficiency.
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
Reminder: 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
Please join us June 16th-19th at Montana State University for these great professional learning opportunities offered by OPI’s Content Specialists:
Michelle McCarthy - Science Instructional Coordinator
Katrina Engeldrum - Math Instructional Coordinator
Claire Mikeson - ELA Instructional Coordinator
Monday, June 16th
- Differentiation in Place-Based Mini-units: Practical Examples for 4th - 8th Grades
Wednesday, June 18th
- Math and Literacy Through Stories: Using Reading Time to Build Mathematical Understanding
- Aligning Your Curriculum: Preparing for Montana’s New Mathematics Content Standards (2026)
- Bringing Curriculum to Life with Digital Storytelling
- An Introduction to the ELA Literacy Practices
Thursday, June 19th
- Shaping Mathematical Thinkers: Engaging Montana’s New (2026) Mathematical Practice Standards
- Integrating Culture and Content: Hands-On Workshop for Math and IEFA Alignment
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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ALL IN! Collaborative Teaching for Equitable Classrooms, with special guests Dr. Nancy Frey and Dr. Doug Fisher
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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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Social Emotional Learning: More than Just Chair Yoga with Principal Rhiannon Beery and Superintendent Darin Hannum of Bainville Public Schools
Previous Episodes
Click the link below to see the full list of podcasts, featuring Montana educational experts speaking on topics of English language acquisition, hometown mentorship, and self-care!
Library Media
K-16 Library Work Group
TRAILS is seeking to form a work group focused on developing a more collaborative relationship with the academic, special, technical and public libraries throughout the state to better serve students K-16, with the goal of beginning the group in June!
The goals for this work group are to:
- Provide a more structured delivery of information media literacy standards for K-12 through post-secondary education in order to prepare Montana students for the rigorous expectations of accessing, using, and creating information at the college level; and
- Improve the access to and use of shared resources throughout the state for K-16 students.
If you’re interested in joining this work group, please contact Helena High School Librarian Joanne Didriksen at jdidriksen@helenaschools.org.
Math
Our Math Coordinator has been developing a series of resources designed for educators to delve into new mathematical practices. Each video will focus on one practice standard, highlighting the key differences between the 2011 and 2026 math practice standards. We will define student behaviors that exemplify each practice and provide clarity on effective learning tasks and teaching strategies that foster engagement with these practices.
The most recent episodes are linked below, with more available on the Mathematics Revision Webpage. Each comes with an accompanying facilitator guide to help you explore how to leverage these for professional learning. New episodes of the series will be released monthly on the Mathematics Revision Webpage.
EPISODE 6: Montana Mathematical Practice #6: Collaborate Mathematically
PT. 1 - Differences & Opportunities (4:54)
PT. 2 - Unpacking the Standard (5:06)
PT. 3 - Proficiency (5:43)
PT. 4 - Emerging and Proficient (7:53)
PT. 5 - Building Rich Tasks (6:24)
PT. 6 - Consolidating Learning (4:11)
MP#6 Facilitator Guide
EPISODE 5: Montana Mathematical Practice #5: Represent
PT. 1 - Identifying Differences (5:20)
PT. 2 - Unpacking the Standard (4:08)
PT. 3 - Representations (5:01)
PT. 4 - Proficiency (11:07)
PT. 5 - Building Rich Tasks (8:55)
PT. 6 - Consolidating Learning (6:04)
MP#5 Facilitator Guide
COMING SOON!
May 2025: Mathematical Practice #7: Mathematically Connect
Summer 2025: Updates to Ep. 1 - 4
Fall 2025: Teacher Learning Hub Course
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