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Hello!
As we approach the final stretch of the school year, we want to take a moment to celebrate you. Your energy, dedication, and resilience continue to inspire everything we do here at the Learning Hub. As you reflect on the past school year you may be inspired to dive into some online learning. We will continue to add courses over the coming months.
As many of you know The Office of Public Instruction’s Summer Institute is coming up. The Learning Hub will be there and we hope to see you too!
Sincerely,
Your Learning Hub Coordinators
Tuesday, June 16th, 2026 7:15-8:15am
Learning Hub Summer Institute Sessions
Unsession: Using Online Learning to Support Professional Development Plans
An unsession is an unplanned session with a general title. Participants arrive understanding that the session is about developing Professional Development plans. Once the group shows up participants will anonymously write some ideas for topics. The instructor will gather the ideas and create three groups based on common themes. Participants will have the choice to participate in 2 of the 3 groups which is a discussion where teachers with experience with the topic share and others ask questions.
- The objective of this session is to highlight achieving school-wide goals through the use of a Professional Development Plan where online learning can be used.
- Teachers will hear from educators in the field regarding what has worked for them and understand how it can be applied to their site.
Tuesday, June 16th, 2026 10:15-12:15pm
From Hub Courses to Collective Practice: Elevating Online Professional Learning Through In-Person Discussion & Professional Goal Setting
Online professional learning becomes transformational when paired with intentional in-person dialogue and structured professional development planning. In this interactive session, participants will explore the Hub Course Study model—a hybrid approach that combines self-paced online learning with facilitated discussion, equitable participation structures, and goal-aligned professional development planning. Grounded in adult learning theory and collaborative reflection, this session demonstrates how structured reflection, brave dialogue, and aligned professional development plans can move learning from course completion to sustained collective practice. Participants will leave with practical tools, facilitation templates, and a framework for designing a professional development plan that ensures ongoing growth and impact.
Participants will:
- Identify facilitation strategies that promote equitable participation and psychological safety in professional learning discussions
- Examine reflection structures that support individual growth, collective learning, and the application of strategies to classroom practice
- Design in-person discussion structures that intentionally pair Hub course learning with inclusive, meaningful dialogue
- Apply practical tools for facilitating brave, collaborative professional learning spaces that strengthen educator effectiveness
- By the end of this session participants will be able to employ the use of the Learning Hub to support Professional Development goals among their colleagues.
Enter a Help Desk ticket!
Call Us: (406) 444-9019
email us: OPILearningHub@mt.gov
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Early Targeted Interventions
The Early Learning Series
The Early Learning Series- View previously recorded sessions
August 10 Registration Link
9:00-10:00 Liaison Training
10:00-12:00 Getting Started for Teachers and Paras in the Early Learning Classroom program
Early Numeracy Guidance which includes the early numeracy skills and approved early numeracy evaluation methodology tools
Visit our Google Site to find resources and links for professional learning opportunities. The site is growing every day and we are excited to share it with you!
Early Targeted Intervention Home-based program (new enrollment process)
Enrollment Steps for Waterford License Eligibility:
- The district representative indicates their intent to offer the home-based program for the 26/27 school year on Data Collection #2.
- Students must have a valid eligibility record for the 26/27 school year to be eligible for a Waterford license.
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Attention! A home-based record is now required for any eligible student to be enrolled in the home-based program. This record must contain parent contact details along with the specific date parental consent was granted for the student's participation. To streamline this requirement, we recommend using the home-based consent/eligibility letter. Districts will use the information collected to generate home-based records during the Infinite Campus update planned for this summer.
- The OPI generates a weekly report of eligible students. Waterford licenses are allocated to districts on a first-come, first-served basis.
- The OPI sends a report (including student name, school, grade level, and parent contact information) of students eligible for a license to Waterford.
Call for ETI Program Highlight Videos
Memorandum – Let us highlight your Early Targeted Intervention programs.
Professional Development Opportunities
Check out these links for upcoming events and courses:
Contact Information
Jackie Ronning, Early Learning Specialist
(406) 438-0522
jackie.ronning@mt.gov
Kimberly Evans, Early Learning Research Analyst
(406) 594-7053
kimberly.evans@mt.gov
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Professional Development
Professional Development Updates
Getting Ready to Apply in the New System
To support a smooth application process for the new Professional Development system, hosts and instructors are encouraged to prepare in advance.
As part of this transition, the term “provider” has been retired to clarify roles within the system:
Host: The organization responsible for organizing, overseeing, and ensuring that a professional development event meets all ARM requirements and for issuing OPI PDU certificates.
Instructor: The individual(s) who design and/or facilitate the professional learning experience on behalf of the host.
User: An individual associated with a Host account who supports the management and submission of events within the system.
Readiness checklists, overview videos, and one-page guidance documents for both hosts and instructors are available on the PDUPS Application Resource Google Site. These resources are designed to help applicants prepare for the upcoming application process and include guidance on:
- Required organizational information
- Professional development descriptions
- Alignment to ARM expectations
- Supporting documentation
Please note the menu options in the top left of the site to navigate between resources. Reviewing and preparing these materials now will help ensure a timely and accurate submission once applications open in June.
Free Opportunity to Share
(please note this is not an approved provider of PDUs but is a free resource to share)
FT Schools, Free Access to the Financial Times
The Financial Times offers FT Schools, which provides free digital access to FT journalism for students aged 16–19, as well as their teachers, at secondary schools and further education colleges worldwide.
The program supports the development of news literacy, critical thinking and informed discussion by bringing trusted reporting on business, economics, politics and culture into teaching and learning. Students also benefit from weekly newsletters, curriculum-aligned content and opportunities to participate in competitions.
If you know of schools, colleges, teachers or students who would benefit from this access, we encourage you to share this opportunity with them: ft.com/schoolsarefree [ft.com]
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.
Conferences and Calls for Proposals
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Content Area Updates
Art
Looking for some professional development opportunities that cater to the arts? Check out these approved providers:
Math
Year one of the math implementation series is at a close, and we hope you will continue to join us in year two where the goal is to move from awareness → application.
 Register now!
If you missed the year one sessions, don’t worry! Recordings are available!
1 PDU is available for each live session engagement.
New Math Resources
New Resources have been added to the math standards revision website including:
Math Minute
May’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 edition features contextual ideas for integrating math into horse culture, professional learning opportunities, and helpful classroom 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.
Want to receive these in your mailbox each month? Subscribe now!
Instructional Strategy Spotlight
Check out this short overview of 3-act math tasks - a powerful instructional strategy that can get students exploring and discussing math. Want to learn more about these strategies?
Check out these additional resources:
Want some classroom-ready lessons?Give these resources a try:
Social Studies
 MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Culture Keepers, Catalysts, and Cowboys: the 53rd Annual Montana History Conference will be held September 24-26, 2026, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in downtown Billings.
We’re planning a fabulous line up of workshops, tours, lectures and discussions focused on Billings and Eastern Montana history. Conference registration will open in mid-July.
Check the MTHS History Conference webpage often for updates on conference highlights and registration information. If you would like to revisit a past conference, click here to listen to and watch past conference lectures.
Not sure what the History Conference is all about? It's a three-day Montana history festival full of lectures and panel discussions, practical workshops, networking opportunities, and in-depth bus and walking tours. You don't have to be a professional historian or an academic to love it. It's a public history conference with something for everyone. Attendees have multiple options to attend workshops, tours, and/or lectures in small doses, or jump in and attend the whole three-day extravaganza. Check out this highlights video from last year to see what it's all about.
Questions? Contact Christine Brown at christine.brown@mt.gov.
RESERVE YOUR ROOM
The conference will be headquartered at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, 27 N 27th St, Billings, MT 59101. Group rates start at $169 per night plus tax, city fee, and parking. Reserve your room online under the conference block or call (406) 252-7400 to make your reservation. When calling use the group name and code: Montana History Conference Attendees & CDT935. Group rates expire on August 24.
Science and STEM
Find out about opportunities on OPI’s science website!
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Keep updated on:
Find many other resources and opportunities on the Montana OPI Science Page.
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Standard Revisions Updates
ELA Standards
Montana’s new English Language Arts and Literacy Content Standards have been formally adopted by the Montana Board of Public Education! The implementation date is July 2027, selected to allow school districts adequate time to prepare between the implementation of new math and ELA standards. More information about the standards revision process can be found on the OPI’s ELA Standards Revisions Webpage.
You can access the new standards here:
Math Standards
Montana’s updated standards have an implementation date of July 2026!
Q: What does this mean?
A: All instruction in Montana schools is expected to be aligned with the state curriculum standards beginning July 2026.
Q: Will my textbook cover all the standards?
A: Your textbook likely covers the majority of the curriculum standards; however, educators should review the revised standards and conduct a curriculum audit to assess for gaps. For example, an existing gap that every educator will notice is the lack of IEFA alignment in “off the rack” textbooks. Montana’s standards have required mathematics instruction to embed contexts relevant to Indigenous Peoples of Montana for over 15 years, a need that textbooks rarely meet.
Q: Can I just keep teaching what I have always taught? The standards haven’t changed that much, have they?
A: Continuing practices without reviewing the revised standards could lead to a misalignment with state assessments, limited time in the classroom to cover all content, or gaps in instruction. Additionally, state law mandates that teaching and learning adhere to state curriculum standards. Therefore, educators are strongly encouraged to conduct an audit.
Q: What resources are available to help me with this change?
A: OPI offers tons of resources on our Math Revisions Website. Additionally, OPI is offering two professional learning webinars that occur monthly. You can watch recordings of past webinars, or register for future sessions on the website, or by clicking on the links provided later in this compass.
Additional 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.
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