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Dear Colleagues,
I hope the school year is off to a great start for everyone!
This week, I had the opportunity to attend a national policy forum alongside many of our valued education partners from around the country. It was an enriching experience to collaborate with colleagues from various states, including superintendents and officials from Idaho and Wyoming, exchanging ideas, and hearing a wide range of perspectives on the pressing issues facing education today. Topics included educator preparation, CTE, and special education. These discussions continue to reaffirm the importance of working together as a united field to support our students, educators, and communities.
Deputy Superintendent Barringer attended the SAM (School Administrators of Montana) conference in Bozeman, where he had the opportunity to connect with fellow educational leaders, share insights, and contribute to strategic discussions.
Last week, we had the privilege of hosting Secretary McMahon for a special visit. During her time with us, we held a productive roundtable discussion that included the Secretary, the Governor, and several key industry partners. It was a valuable opportunity to highlight the incredible work happening in Montana education and to discuss ways we can continue to strengthen our partnerships across the state. I continue to provide federal officials constructive feedback on ensuring that critical federal formula funds flow to the state and that state education governance structures are respected.
If you’d like to stay informed and see weekly highlights about our work, and events, be sure to follow us on Facebook or X (formerly Twitter)!
Additional Information
Achievement in Montana (AIM)
Assessment
Career, Technical and Adult Education
Coordinated School Health
Gifted and Talented
Indian Education for All
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
Transformational Learning & Advanced Opportunities
Tribal Relations & Resiliency
Legislative Update
As a reminder, OPI’s summary of 2025 legislation can be found HERE. This week we would like to highlight some bills authorizing tangible physical safety measures for students and staff including:
HB 600 - Authorize emergency use of albuterol in a school setting: Allows a school to maintain a supply of stock albuterol and the emergency use of stock albuterol in a school setting by a trained individual.
HB 651- Allow for temporary door locks during emergency situations: Amends current law and fire code to allow for the use of temporary door locks during shelter-in-place or emergency lockdown situations.
HB 745 - Require background checks for certain school employees and volunteers: Requires school districts to adopt a student protection policy that requires background checks for any individual who may have unsupervised contact with students.
HB 869 - Provide for the sudden cardiac arrest prevention in youth sports: Requires coaches to undergo training on cardiac arrest and to hold informational meetings on cardiac arrest. Creates a reimbursement grant program for the cost of automatic external defibrillators to be administered by the office of public instruction.
SB 211- Revise emergency use of epinephrine in school setting to include nasal spray
SB 503 - Allow use of expired opioid antagonists: Provides for the use of expired opioid antagonists, and provides partial immunity to school employees, to eligible recipients, and to medical practitioners and pharmacists for using expired opioid antagonists.
MACIE Board Meeting
Next Wednesday, October 1st members of the Montana Advisory Council on Indian Education (MACIE) will be gathering for their board meeting. Please join us for this wonderful opportunity to hear updates from OPI staff, learn more about the mission of the board and a special presentation on the Montana Digital Academy’s Class 7 and language revitalization efforts. If you are interested in attending as a member of the public, please email Tyler Capece at tyler.capece@mt.gov for meeting information.
OPI School Technology Resource Program
This program is administered by the OPI and collects computer equipment from state and federal sources, and private donations to distribute at no cost to Montana's K-12 public schools. The equipment is stored in Clancy, MT and is operational, but all data (including operating systems) is removed for security purposes. Equipment available may include desktops, laptops, tablets, chromebooks, monitors, and printers.
Contact opiboneyard@mt.gov to find out more about what inventory is available or schedule a time to visit:
Please provide the following info in your email: name, school district, school and phone number.
Teacher workshop explores Indigenous histories through primary sources
BISMARCK, N.D. — The State Historical Society of North Dakota in collaboration with the Montana Historical Society invites grades 6-12 social studies educators to participate in a free professional development workshop, “Teaching Historical Thinking Through Indigenous Histories,” Thursday, Oct. 16, at Sidney High School in Sidney, Montana.
Educators will explore the tribal histories of the upper Great Plains using primary sources aligned with the North Dakota Native American Essential Understandings standards and Montana’s Indian Education for All standards. Participants will also learn strategies to guide student-led historical research.
North Dakota educators will earn five professional development hours, and Montana educators will receive five Office of Public Instruction renewal units. Lunch and a travel stipend are included. This workshop is sponsored in part by the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Great Plains Region, coordinated by the National Council for History Education.
Space is limited. Learn more and register for the workshop by Oct. 7 at ndstudies.gov/teacher-workshops [history.us5.list-manage.com]. For more information, contact Education Outreach Supervisor Madison Milbrath, shsprograms@nd.gov or 701.328.2794.
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CONTACT Kara Haff, Public Information Officer shspio@nd.gov 701.328.3547
See More News Releases [history.us5.list-manage.com]
Outside Opportunities
Albuterol
Stock Albuterol
Stock Albuterol in Montana K-12 Schools Frequently Asked Questions
The 2025-26 United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) Scholarship application deadline is almost here!
Two students from Montana will be selected to receive one $10,000 scholarship each, along with a trip to Washington, D.C., March 7-14, 2026. Attending the entire Washington Week public service and leadership program and the college scholarship are one, inseparable award!
The application is available right now on the OPI Student Scholarships & Student Exchange webpage, and complete application packets must be submitted electronically by 11:59 pm, October 6, 2025.
Questions? Contact Kristen Bokovoy, USSYP Coordinator, at Kristen.Bokovoy2@mt.gov or 406-444-2417.
EconoQuest Conference
The Montana World Affairs Council is excited to invite your school to the 2025 EconoQuest Conference, happening October 27–28 at Montana State University in Bozeman. This free, two-day event is designed to help students explore career opportunities in some of Montana’s fastest-growing industries, including bioscience, agriculture, photonics and quantum, and more! Through interactive panels, MSU lab tours, and hands-on simulations, students will connect directly with industry leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs who are shaping the future of our state.
Conference highlights include a scavenger hunt at the Museum of the Rockies, an international trade competition with a $1,000 grand prize, and an industry banquet featuring keynote speakers and Montana trivia. There is no registration fee with all meals provided and schools can apply for scholarship support to help cover the cost of transportation, lodging, and substitute teachers. The scholarship application deadline is Friday, September 19. Register your school today at montanaworldaffairs.org/econoquest [montanaworldaffairs.org] and give your students a one-of-a-kind opportunity to connect classroom learning with real-world career pathways in Montana and beyond!
Start Preparing Now for Red Ribbon Week with the Montana Meth Project
The Montana Meth Project is taking on the Fentanyl crisis, offering educators a new Fentanyl Prevention Lesson [montanameth.org]. The 10-minute video and accompanying resources share the life-saving #OnePillCanKill facts teens must know about illegal Fentanyl. As part of their October Red Ribbon Week initiative, the Meth Project will be working with schools to engage students in the lesson and ask teens to take a #NotEvenOnce #OnePillCanKill pact. Students who take part will be entered to win a one-of-a-kind LABUBU. More information coming soon at MontanaMeth.org [montanameth.org].
Parent Powered Texting Program
Thanks in part to this funding from DPHHS we are happy to offer early literacy and learning tips along with fun activities for you and kids aged 0-4.
Please share this graphic with parents to help spread the word about this program! You can access a larger version of it on the Lifelong Learning Ready2Read page.
This texting program comes through a vendor called Parent Powered. They have a history of working with Head Start programs. It was built through a research based parenting curricula that helps parents prepare their little ones to learn.
Parents, preschool teachers, and caregivers can text MSL to 70138 or complete the form at https://forms.office.com/g/T0gB7YBPmF to get started.
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Civics Bee
The Mansfield Center is partnering with the National Chamber of Commerce Foundation to host the 2026 Montana Civics Bee for middle school students. Students who participate will strengthen their civics, writing, and public speaking skills, and form friendships with other young leaders along the way!
A brief overview of the Montana Civics Bee:
- 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students must submit a 750-word (max) essay proposing their ideas for improving their community by February 3rd, 2026.
- Top-scoring essays will be invited to participate in a regional bee near them in spring 2026 for the chance to win cash prizes. Finalists from each regional bee will be invited to compete in the Montana State Civics Bee in Helena in late spring/early summer 2026 for the chance to win cash prizes at the state level.
- The winner of the State Bee will be sent on an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, DC to compete in the National Civics Bee in fall 2025 for the chance to win $100,000 towards college.
The United States is experiencing a crisis in civic education among younger generations, and the Mansfield Center is working to combat this issue by offering opportunities for young Americans to engage with civics and strengthen our democracy moving forward. We are thrilled to gather students from across the state for these exciting events!
To apply, visit the National Civics Bee webpage [my.reviewr.com] and create an account to access the application portal.
For additional resources to prepare your students visit our resource platform [drive.google.com].
Reach out to Kate Koenig at kate.koenig@mso.umt.edu with questions!
2026 Civics Bee Flyer
The Frontier Learning Lab
Montana Digital Academy's Frontier Learning Lab explores what’s next in education: artificial intelligence, extended reality, and the tools reshaping teaching and learning. To cut through the noise, we’re launching the nation’s first AI Help Desk for educators, based in Montana. It’s run by K-12 professionals who work with teachers every day. We help with real questions, real tools, and real classrooms. Email your question to ai.help@montanadigitalacademy.org. We’ll reply as quickly as we can. Subscribe to Frontier Learning Lab Field Notes [frontierlearninglab.substack.com] for updates and practical guides.
The Frontier Learning Lab Flyer
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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