State Superintendent Message
Graduation is nearing and the closure of this great 2021–2022 year of learning. Join all Montana graduates as they are celebrating being Montana Ready!
Please read the Superintendent’s monthly message: Let’s Get Back to Basics
BPE Agrees with Public Comment on Chapter 57 Licensing Flexibilities
CSCT, Student Mental Health - Number of Schools on MOU Update
As of April 18, 2022, 57 school districts have signed the MOU, this is an increase of 9 schools since February 23rd.
In April, 49 claims were submitted, and 47claims were released.
For more information, please contact Deputy Sharyl Allen at sharyl.allen@mt.gov or (406) 444-5648.
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Montana Alternative Assessment Testing Program (MAST)
The Montana Alternative Student Testing (MAST) Pilot Program is an initiative taken by the Office of Public Instruction (OPI) to radically modernize, improve, and ease federally mandated end-of-year student assessments. The Federal Government requires that all school systems conduct student assessments with a single massive end-of-year assessment which occurs each spring.
The MAST program is developing pathways to modernize the traditional testing system while preserving local control, easing the burdens on teachers and administrators, and ensuring that the federally mandated summative assessment can provide both flexibility and actionable data. The OPI is developing future pilots through contracts with New Meridian, the Center for Assessment, and Education First. The goal of the MAST Program is to:
- Promote local control and cultural relevance
- Provide meaningful, actionable information on learning to parents, students, and educators
- Better align assessment and instruction
- Replace existing summative assessments, thereby streamlining testing and setting the stage for modernizing the accountability system
- Ensure systems of assessments, accountability, and reporting work together to inform educational policy
The MAST program includes several phases of piloting, peer review, analysis, and study. Ultimately, the program will develop a peer-reviewed defensibility proposal for the Federal Government that will:
- utilize a through-course model of student testing
- break up the single end-of-year-summative into an autumn, winter, and spring assessment
- measure student growth, development, and maintain scholastic standards that we Montanans can be proud of
The OPI is seeking stakeholder input and support to develop new innovative assessment methods that will improve our student and teacher learning experience. This new school year, in the Fall of 2022, the pilot system will be used in select districts and reviewed by the United States Department of Education.
For more information, please contact Dr. Trenin Bayless, Project Manager, at trenin.bayless@mt.gov or (406) 444-3449.
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Assessment Feedback Group
The Montana Office of Public Instruction has partnered with New Meridian to demonstrate the full potential of an instructionally aligned assessment system in Montana. This new, student-first approach seeks to support more personalized opportunities for students to demonstrate what they’ve learned and ensures that teaching, learning, and assessment work together to support students’ growth towards standards mastery.
The beginning of our journey starts with research and design to prove the concept of this approach. We are seeking to develop a working theory of action that starts with how students develop skills and build knowledge, to elaborate on how an instructionally aligned assessment approach will lead to improved teaching and learning practices and ultimately, improved student outcomes.
We need your help. We believe student, parent, and educator voices are critically important as we seek to drive meaningful change and shape the future of assessment. We are working with New Meridian to conduct a series of stakeholder engagement activities to ensure the reality of the classroom and nuances of student learning are reflected in our approach.
Empathy Interviews. Participants will share motivations, goals, and challenges in using assessments. We’ll gain a better understanding of what needs to change.
Focus Groups. Participants will provide feedback on elements of our new assessment prototype to help inform design, priority learning standards, and reporting. We’ll gain a better understanding of how our system needs to work to better support students and other stakeholders.
If you are interested in participating in either opportunity, please email your name, email address, and phone number to Trenin.Bayliss@mt.gov.
Save the Date! Education Summit on Education Resources on June 20, 2022
Marguerite Roza, Ph.D., is Research Professor and Director of the Edunomics Lab (Edunomicslab.org), a research center focused on exploring and modeling education finance policy and practice. She leads the McCourt School of Public Policy's Certificate in Education Finance, which equips participants with practical skills in strategic fiscal management, finance policy analysis, and financial leadership.
Dr. Roza’s research traces the effects of fiscal policies at the federal, state, and district levels for their implications on resources at the school and classroom levels. Her calculations of dollar implications and cost-equivalent trade-offs have prompted changes in education finance policy at all levels in the education system.
The education summit’s specific audience is School Board Trustees, District Clerk, Superintendents, policy makers, and others leaders who want to learn more about strategies regarding the use of all resources for a specific purpose. This day will be focused on education and include an emphasis on the use of ESSER-ARP funds to truly impact student learning.
Due to limited seating, please reserve your place today by contacting Tristen Loveridge at tristen.loveridge@mt.gov or (406) 444-5643.
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Final 2021-2022 School Enrollment
The final 2021-2022 enrollment data is on the Enrollment Dashboard of GEMS. Preliminary data was released in November. From 2015 to 2020, Montana public schools have seen consistent growth in enrollment. The 2020-2021 school year had a 2.38% reduction in Montana public school enrollment due to COVID. The 2021-2022 school year official fall enrollment numbers showed that students returned to the public school system.
Public school enrollment has increased to pre-COVID levels:
- A total of 149,198 students enrolled, which is a 2.5% increase
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K-8 enrollment is at 103,836, which is a 2.7% increase from the 2020-2021 school year
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High School enrollment is at 44,588, which is a 2.4% increase from the previous school year
For more information, please contact the GEMS Helpdesk at opigemshelpdesk@mt.gov or (406) 444-5222.
Teacher Residency Program
The Montana Teacher Residency Demonstration Project prepares undergraduate college students majoring in education to be effective teachers from day one in their own classrooms. Through a one-year program of deliberate, on-site learning; coaching from an effective teacher-leader; and support from the university and community, residents will gain the skills and confidence they need to support Montana students. The Montana Teacher Residency Demonstration Project is a year-long program that combines coursework, targeted support, and hands-on learning to develop highly effective educators.
The first year of the demonstration project is capped at 30 Teacher Residents. The demand is exceeding our supply for the first year of the project. What a good problem to experience. The University of Montana Western is our predominant Educator Preparation Program partner and will have placed nearly 87 percent of the Residency candidates. District interest in the residency project, targeted to rural and/or high-risk schools is over 30 districts today.
The attached graphic provides more information on the different elements of the project. Partners involved in this project include MTSBA, OCHE, Our colleges and universities’ educator preparation programs, and school districts. In addition, the OPI has visible encouragement from the Board of Public Education and the Governor’s office. The OPI, under the direction of Superintendent Arntzen, created a think-tank of nationwide experts to help us with the research, understanding, and local needs as the teacher residency work as part of the Superintendent’s larger vision of Educator Workforce Redesign.
For more information, please contact Deputy Sharyl Allen at Sharyl.allen@mt.gov or
(406) 444-5658.
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Teacher Residency Program Infographic
Data Modernization Survey
The OPI is conducting a short data modernization survey between April 29 and May 12. The goal of the survey is to:
- Listen to our users' concerns and identify current risk
- Assess and analyze responses to identify commonalities and differences between our users
- Provide the Data Modernization project team visibility of high-level needs and current issues
- First phase of developing a requirements framework and preparing for follow-up requirements gathering sessions
The guiding principle of this program is to:
- Save Time
- Secure Data
- Support Data Use
- Be Sustainable Beyond the Initial Implementation
On May 17 a presentation of the initial data will be given during the Education Advocates meeting.
For more information, please contact Zam Alidina, Project Manager, at zam.alidina@mt.gov or (808) 726-0219.
The 2022 Early Warning System Survey
This survey is targeted to those schools that have experience with the Early Warning System. It will provide valuable data on the implementation of the EWS. The survey will close on May 1st and the results will be released this fall. The survey can be found here.
For more information, please contact Robin Clausen, SLDS Stakeholder Liaison/Analyst, at Robin.Clausen@mt.gov or (406) 444-3793.
School Safety Professional Development Grant
School Safety Professional Development Grants will open for submission beginning at 10:00 am on Tuesday, June 1, 2022. The Legislature has provided a total of $100,000 for the OPI to subgrant to Montana’s K-12 school districts for the 2022-23 school year to conduct school safety training. Districts can apply for grants of $1,000 to $10,000. More information on this competitive grant is available on the School Safety Professional Development Grant web page where applications will be submitted. Grants for allowable activities will be funded in the order in which they are received until funds are exhausted. Training funded through this grant in previous years has included youth suicide awareness and prevention, hazard and emergency planning, professional development in district violence protocols, bullying prevention, and illegal substance use trends. To learn more, please join us for an informational session on the grant via Zoom, register here for May 17 at 10:00 am, or register here for May 25 at 1:00 pm.
For more information, please contact Michele Henson, School Safety Program Manager, at michele.henson@mt.gov, or (406) 595-1058.
Hutterite Attendance Centers
On April 20, 2022, the Assistant Superintendent and other Office of Public Instruction staff met with Hutterite colony members, county representatives, and school district officials for a listening session. The listening session was on the topic of Attendance Centers residing outside of the territorial boundaries of the resident district and being served by a non-located district. Much of the discussion presented was associated with fulfilling the needs of students in these special situations and the financial considerations associated with school funding and special education cooperative burden. The discussion provided much-needed insight into the history and development of Attendance Centers and allowed time to hear various points of view on the situation. This meeting provided the OPI with new information to contemplate possible future considerations with respect to Attendance Center expansion.
For more information, please contact Paul Taylor at ptaylor2@mt.gov or (406) 444-1257.
Lead Remediation
Dear School Administrators,
You may have seen stories in the news recently about lead testing water supplies in public schools. The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) and Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) would like to provide a status update and direct you to important sampling and communication resources. As a reminder, all accredited K-12 schools in Montana are required to conduct periodic lead testing under Administrative Rule 37.111.832, adopted into law on January 17, 2020. The initial round of testing was to be completed by December 31, 2021.
Why Test for Lead?
Lead is a poisonous heavy metal that can affect almost every organ and system in the human body, often with irreversible effects. The Center for Disease Control, American Academy of Pediatrics, and World Health Organization all state that there is no safe level of lead exposure. High lead levels can cause multiple and irreversible health problems, which include learning disabilities, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), developmental or cognitive delays, growth stunting, seizures, coma, or, at high levels, death. Exposure to even low levels of lead can cause reduced IQ, hearing impairment, reduced attention span, and poor classroom performance.
Testing water in schools is important because students spend a significant portion of their days at school, and likely consume water in this location. Many schools and childcare facilities are housed in old buildings with aging plumbing fixtures, fittings, pipes, and solder that contain the lead, which can leach into the drinking water. Even new plumbing may not be entirely free of lead.
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What Have Tests Shown So Far?
As of April 2022, just over 60% of schools have conducted their first round of sampling, with many more in the process. Overall, test results have revealed that about 9% of samples have been in “Bin 1” – the highest concentrations – and have had to be immediately shut off. Another 20%, in “Bin 2,” have needed repairs or upgrades. Of the schools that have submitted official results, 78% found at least one exceedance. Elevated lead concentrations have been found in different types of fixtures ranging from classroom sinks and kitchen sinks to drinking water fountains, bathrooms sinks, and various miscellaneous fixtures.
Resources
DEQ has put together a step-by-step guide to testing which can be found on their water quality website, https://deq.mt.gov/water/programs/dw-lead. Additional resources include, but are not limited to, parent newsletters, a press release template, and guidance on developing a flushing program. Technical assistance to help identify plumbing inventory and draft a floor plan is available through two contractors, Montana Rural Water Systems and Midwest Assistance Program. Contact Greg Montgomery with DEQ to inquire about these technical assistance opportunities.
Funding
DEQ has a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to cover the laboratory costs from the initial testing. The laboratories send the invoice directly to DEQ for payment. There is also funding available for lead remediation. The Office of Public Instruction manages a lead remediation reimbursement program that school can apply to get up to $1,000 per school. Funding is limited and is first come/first serve. Elementary & Secondary School Emergency Relief funding can also be used to address lead remediation activities (fixture replacement, filters, etc). DEQ has received notification that additional remediation funding is coming from the EPA. A timeline and amount is yet to be determined.
For more information on testing and reporting, contact Greg Montgomery, DEQ Lead Reduction in School Drinking Water Rule Manager.
For more information, please contact Greg Montgomery, Drinking Water Scientist, DEQ, at DEQleadinschools@mt.gov or (406) 444-5312.
International Blackfoot Research Conference
Blackfeet Community College will be hosting an International Blackfoot Research Conference on June 14th-16th, 2022. The theme for this year's conference is "Gifts of Scarface- Culture as Medicine."
This conference will feature the traditional research processes of the Blackfoot, while also honoring Westernized (and other) methods of research. The conference is an opportunity for the Blackfoot Confederacy to unite and celebrate educational sovereignty, through the sharing of knowledge among bands, yet under the unification of one nation.
To register, please click here.
For more information, please contact Dr. Karla Bird, President of Blackfeet Community College, at karla.bird@bfcc.edu or (406) 338-5441 Ext. 2202.
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Tribal Regalia at Graduation
As graduation approaches, I would like to remind everyone that in 2017 SB 319 was passed. This bill allows tribal regalia to be worn during graduation ceremonies in our public schools.
§2-1-315. Tribal regalia and objects of cultural significance — allowed at public events.
(1) The purpose of this section is to help further the state's recognition of the distinct and unique cultural heritage of the American Indians and the state's commitment to preserving the American Indians' cultural integrity as provided in Article X, section 1(2), of the Montana constitution.
(2) A state agency or a local government may not prohibit an individual from wearing traditional tribal regalia or objects of cultural significance at a public event.
(3) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(a) "Individual" means a human being regardless of age.
(b) "Local government" has the meaning provided in 2-2-102.
(c) "Public event" means an event held or sponsored by a state agency or a local government, including but not limited to an award ceremony, a graduation ceremony, or a public meeting.
(d) "State agency" has the meaning provided in 1-2-116.
History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 229, L. 2017.
Service Academy Days
Montana’s Congressional Delegation is hosting the 2022 Academy Days. Representatives from the Service Academies will be there to answer questions and connect with students who are interested in applying to a service academy:
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April 30 from 9 AM to 11 AM – Billings. The Academy Day will be held at the American Legion located at 1540 Broadwater Avenue.
For more information, please contact:
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Mary Heller named OPI’s Montana Ready Coordinator
Superintendent Elsie Arntzen welcomes Mary Heller as the Office of Public Instruction’s (OPI) Montana Ready Coordinator. Montana Ready is one of four initiatives that Superintendent Arntzen championed when she was elected as state superintendent in 2016. Montana Ready focuses on Career and Technical Education (CTE) to create partnerships with industries, the military, and the university system to develop Montana’s workforce.
The Montana Ready Coordinator will help strengthen the Workforce Learning Program in CTE at the OPI. Other duties include working closely with the Governor’s office, Department of Labor and Industry, and stakeholders to grow workforce development in our K-12 schools. The coordinator will focus on building relationships between the public and private sectors.
Mary has been a secondary education teacher, an administrator for state and federal regulations at oil refineries, and a Legislative Assistant in the United States Congress. Mary has also been the Director of the Career Center and Industry Relations at Montana State University-Northern, the State Director for SkillsUSA Montana, and a member of the Montana Board of Public Education. Mary will start her new position in June.
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Emergency Connectivity Fund Third Filing Window
AT&T is participating in the FCC’s Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF), which is an approximately
$7.17 billion program that helps schools and libraries provide the tools and services their communities need for remote learning. ECF is providing relief to millions of students, school staff, and library patrons and will help close the Homework Gap for students who currently lack necessary Internet access or the devices they need to connect to classrooms.
For eligible schools and libraries, the ECF Program covers reasonable costs of:
- laptop and tablet computers
- Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, routers, and broadband connectivity purchases for off-campus use by students, school staff, and library patrons.
The FCC announced a third application window in the Emergency Connectivity Fund to help schools and libraries in the upcoming school year. The third application window will open on April 28 and close on May 13.
The third application filing window will provide ECF support for eligible equipment and services received or delivered between July 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023, to help address the unmet connectivity needs of students, school staff, and library patrons during the upcoming school year.
The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) is the administrator of the ECF Program and will review applications. Interested schools and libraries can find more information and apply at www.emergencyconnectivityfund.org [emergencyconnectivityfund.org] or www.fcc.gov/emergency-connectivity-fund [fcc.gov]. [fcc.gov]
For assistance, please an AT&T education expert at ECF@att.com.
2022 Montana Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year
It was wonderful to see all of the young leaders in our state at the 2022 Montana Youth of the Year Celebration Dinner for the Montana Boys and Girls Club. Congratulations to Kasey Reed, 2022 Yellowstone County Youth of the Year, Jesse Richey, 2022 Montana non-Military Youth of the Year, and Sarah Faulk, 2022 Montana Military Youth of the Year!
Click the links below to see updates from OPI's units.
Achievement in Montana (AIM)
Assessment
Career, Technical and Adult Education
Coordinated School Health
Educator Licensure
Elementary & Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER)
Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS)
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
Questions? Contact:
Brian O'Leary, Communications Director, (406) 444-3559
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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