April 2026

As we head into a new month, here's a look back at key news and information from March and important items to know in April.

Dear Colleagues,

Over the past month, there have been many meaningful opportunities to connect, collaborate, and advance education across Montana.

During this time, I attended the Board of Regents meeting in Dillon, where important discussions focused on the future of higher education in our state. These conversations included strengthening career and technical education (CTE) pathways and ensuring students are well-prepared as they transition from K–12 into the workforce or postsecondary education. We also explored the role of artificial intelligence in our schools and how it continues to shape teaching and learning. Meetings like these help maintain strong alignment between K–12 and higher education systems while supporting students, educators, and communities statewide.

In addition, OPI’s Deputy Superintendent and Chief Programs Officer spent time visiting with students and educators in Ekalaka and across southeastern Montana. These visits provided valuable opportunities to hear directly from schools and communities and to better understand the successes and challenges they are experiencing.

The past month also included several key meetings, including a joint meeting of the Education Interim Committee and the Budget Committee, where school funding and other education-related priorities were discussed. The Board of Public Education and the Board of Land Commissioners also convened, continuing their important work shaping policies that impact schools, students, and the resources that support education across Montana.

We appreciate the engagement of those who participated in or followed these meetings. Public involvement remains a vital part of the process, and we encourage continued participation as these conversations move forward. As always, these meetings were made accessible online, helping ensure transparency and connection with communities across the state.

We also held a productive meeting with the Montana Advisory Council on Indian Education (MACIE) board this past month. The Board received updates from the IEFA & Tribal Student Achievement units from OPI as well as heard from students during a panel. Thank you to the Board members and our team for their dedication to tribal education and student experiences. Interested in attending a MACIE meeting for meaningful tribal consultation? Contact Tyler Capece at tyler.capece@mt.gov for information. 

The Indian Education for All Conference, which was held this month, was an engaging and important opportunity to highlight Indian Education for All across Montana's schools and meaningful efforts for educator impact on tribal student achievement. Thank you so much to the OPI staff that spent countless hours planning and putting on the conference. 

March also marked National Reading Month, highlighting the importance of early literacy. Reading at a young age plays a critical role in language development, brain growth, and long-term academic success. We encourage continued support for programs like the Montana Imagination Library, which provides free, age-appropriate books to young children each month and helps foster a lifelong love of reading.

I also had a great time this month engaging with my peers at the Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) meeting in Washington, D.C. During the meeting, I had the opportunity to meet with each member of Montana’s federal delegation and sit down with the U.S. Department of Education to ensure that Montana’s voice was heard on key education priorities.

Best regards,

Superintendent Hedalen

Missing Children Database

https://app.doj.mt.gov/apps/missingPersonDatabase/search/

MAST

As a reminder to all teachers and administrators, the MAST newsletter is packed with important updates, training opportunities, and helpful tips. If you would like to start receiving it, please click this link:

MAST Newsletter Signup

In case you missed it, here is a link to the most recent MAST newsletter:MAST Memo - February 2026 - Vol. 4

Starting Window 3 of MAST on March 30, schools will have access to the new MAST Interactive Reporting platform. This enhanced reporting tool provides dynamic, easy-to-navigate access to student performance data from individual MAST testlets in Math and ELA.

Educators will be able to view testlet reports, explore performance levels, analyze misconceptions in Math, and download reports as PDFs for sharing and planning. MAST reports will continue to be available in Kite.

To support implementation, a live training will be held Monday, March 30, from 3:30–4:30 PM to walk through how to access and navigate the platform.

We look forward to launching this new reporting experience and supporting schools in using MAST data to inform instruction

School Safety Professional Development Mini- Grants

The Office of Public Instruction is excited to announce the release of the School Safety Professional Development Mini Grants. Montana school districts can apply for amounts between $1,000 to $10,000 to support their school safety professional development. The grant application will open at 10am on April 6th, 2026 and will close April 24th, 2026. All activities will need to be completed by October 1st, 2026. For more information visit: School Safety Professional Development Grant

The Montana’s STARS Act (HB 252) offers state-funded incentive to districts that are successful in preparing graduates for postsecondary success.

• Incentive funding is calculated based on the number of graduates earning postsecondary credits, industry-recognized credentials, workplace learning credits, or an associate’s degree prior to graduation.
• Payments are made two years in arrears beginning in FY 2028 (i.e., amounts are based on graduates’ achievements from the 2025–26 school year.
• Payments flow to both the high school district AND the K–8 elementary district where the student completed 8th grade.
• OPI and OCHE are partnering to develop resource tools to support districts in implementing the new legislation and submitting data on student outcomes. 
• Visit OPI’s STARS website to learn more about the legislation.

Montana OPI Partnership: Level All Access

As we approach graduation season, the Montana OPI wants to ensure your graduating seniors have every advantage as they transition to college, the military, or the workforce.

Through our statewide partnership [businesswire.com] with Level All [levelall.com], every student in your district is entitled to free, lifelong access to a professional digital toolkit. While many of your staff have already engaged with the platform, we want to encourage a specific Spring Sprint, focused on your Class of 2026.

The Zero-Lift Spring Approach: We’re encouraging districts to focus on a light-touch Level All implementation for seniors now. This ensures they secure their free accounts before graduation. You can then look toward a formal district-wide strategy for the Fall 2026-27 academic year with the Level All team later on.

How to get your Seniors started: The Level All team is hosting brief Senior Hand-off sessions throughout the spring, to help your staff spin up access in minutes. Please encourage your High School Principals or Lead Counselors to take one of the following steps:

1. Join a 30-minute Webinar: Link to Webinar Registration [docs.google.com]
2. Schedule a 1:1 District Walkthrough: Link to Your Calendar [tinyurl.com]

Level All handles the heavy lifting of onboarding and support. Let’s work together to ensure no Montana senior leaves high school without these essential life and career resources.

Accreditation & Educator Preparation

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

Tribal Relations & Resiliency

As a reminder the OPI has a legislative packet which can be found here: Summary of Legislation Related to K-12 Education 

HJ 53 School Safety Study

Montana’s HJ 53 School Safety Study offers a critical opportunity for districts to communicate the real conditions, challenges, and resource gaps affecting school safety across the state. By completing the statewide survey, schools can help legislators understand the increasing demands placed on schools, from behavioral and mental health needs to aging facilities and limited staffing for safety, training, and emergency preparedness. Broad participation ensures that the study reflects the diverse realities of rural and urban schools rather than a narrow slice of experiences.

The data gathered through this survey will directly inform future legislative decisions, including funding considerations that impact every district’s ability to maintain safe learning environments. When schools participate, they help paint a clear picture of what is working, what is strained, and what investments are needed to support students and staff.

Districts can access and complete the survey at the following link: https://umt.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3gtci5oUJW5huCi [umt.co1.qualtrics.com]

McKenna Gregg, Communications Director

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