Federal Programs Team 2026-27 ESEA Application Coordination and Support

The OPI Federal Programs Team has revised their method(s) of delivering support for districts to complete their ESEA Consolidated Application.  Due to costs and low attendance, they will no longer be offering the E-Grants Tour in late July and Early August.  Instead, they will be offering the following support events:

Virtual Events for Overview of Title Programs and ESEA Consolidated Application: These events will be strictly informational to provide critical information regarding Title programs, the ESEA Application, and application support and logistics.  For those familiar with the E-Grants tour, this will be similar to the morning portion of a tour event. They will be offered at the following dates and times:

Wednesday June 24^th 2:00-3:00 PM

Thursday June 25^th: 8:00-9:00 AM

Tuesday July 14^th: 2:00-3:00 PM

Wednesday July 15^th: 8:00-9:00 AM

Virtual Events for Technical Assistance with Completion and Submission of ESEA Consolidated Application: These events will offer technical assistance from the team for districts that attend online.  They will take place on the second and third Tuesday of the month, July-September, from 3:30-5:00 PM.  Here are the links:

July 14^th

July 21st

August 11^th

August 18^th

September 8^th

September 15th

In-Person Regional Events Specifically for ESEA Consolidated Application Technical Assistance: These events will focus strictly on application work and will not be informational.  They will run from 12:00-4:00 PM at the following locations:

Kalispell @ Glacier High School Tuesday July 28^th

Laurel July 29 or 30 (Final date and location info. TBD)

Missoula @ (MCPS Learning Lab, 909 South Ave W) Thursday August 6^th

Great Falls (Week of Aug. 3.  Date and location TBD)

Registration will be required for all virtual and in-person events to determine numbers and needs of attending districts.  Further information on registration will be forthcoming. 

Individual Appointments with Federal Program Team Member(s) for Virtual ESEA Application Support: Districts can schedule a virtual appointment with a member(s) of the Federal Programs Team to receive online technical support and assistance with their ESEA Consolidated Application.  Team members will be available for appointment July 13th-September 30^th.  Prior to July 13^th, districts will receive information regarding which team member(s) they will be working with as they complete their 2026-27 application.  The goal will be for schools to work with the same team member(s) throughout the process for increased familiarity and understanding. 

If you have questions regarding the 2026-27 ESEA Consolidated Application and the supports being offered by the Federal Programs Team, please contact Zach Hawkins @ Zachariah.Hawkins@mt.gov or 406-444-3083. 

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Federal Grants Unit Contacts:

Zach Hawkins, Title I and Federal Programs Director, 406-444-3083

Angela Branz-Spall, Title I Part C MEP Director, 406-444-2423

Marisa Britton-Bostwick, Federal Programs Coordinator, Title I D, Title II A, Title III, Title V B.  406-444-0794

Richard Hanley, The Title IV A Coordinator 406-444-3519

Justine Guthrie, State Coordinator for Homeless Education, McKinney Vento 406-444-2036

Kimberly Rebich, Federal Grants Coordinator, 406-410-4578

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.