July 2022 Education Compass

Please read the Superintendent’s monthly message: Achieving Educational Excellence through Local Control

State Superintendent Message

Happy 4^th of July! Independence Day celebrates our freedom and liberty as our founders united under the Declaration of Independence which laid the groundwork for our Constitution. These original documents are the very foundation of our great nation. This is why I updated our Social Study Standards to include classroom learning that focuses on our original documents. I also recommended civics courses be a requirement for our high school graduates while revising our state accreditation standards in Chapter 55.

During the 4^th of July, many proudly display our wonderful American flag. Our flag should have a prominent place in all of our classrooms. Through my Stars and Stripes Initiative, in partnership with the American Legion, all classrooms have the opportunity to display our great American flag.

ATTENTION 5TH AND 7TH GRADE MATH AND READING/LANGUAGE TEACHERS

Are you an innovator? Do you believe that a one-size-fits-all end-of-the-year assessment does not accurately reflect student learning?

If you answered yes then you are needed in Denver, Colorado for an all-expense-paid Item Writing Workshop that will reshape Montana’s assessments. Stipend included!

WHEN: July 11-15, 2022

WHERE: Denver, Colorado

COVERED COSTS: Flight, Hotel, Breakfast, Lunch, and a per diem for Dinner

STIPEND: $1,000

 Please assist the OPI in the development of the Montana Alternative Student Testing (MAST) program for the children of the state of Montana by joining the New Meridian Item Writer Workshop. Travel and Per Diem expenses will be reimbursed by New Meridian.

To sign up, please click here.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Trenin Bayless or Ashley McGrath.

CSCT, Student Mental Health - Number of Schools on MOU Update

There are 57 school districts that signed the MOU for this school year. As of May 23, 2022: Number of students in CSCT:       2,612 Number of CSCT Teams:              205       Claim information:

For more information, please contact Deputy Sharyl Allen at sharyl.allen@mt.gov or (406) 444-5648.

Chapter 55 – School Quality

The School Quality Task Force began meeting on January 11, 2022, and held its last meeting on May 19, 2022. The Negotiated Rulemaking Committee (NRC) began meeting on February 24, 2022, and will meet through June 30, 2022. All of my recommended changes have been submitted to the committee. In Chapter 55 there are 63 individual rules and the NRC has reached consensus on 58 of the proposed changes. Of the 63 rules, 13 have no recommended changes and five are new rules. An economic impact survey of 10 proposed rule changes was sent to school leaders, trustees, teachers, parents, and community members and will close on July 5. As of June 23, 102 people have completed the survey. This survey will be used to create the economic impact statement that will be forwarded to the Board of Public Education. The economic impact survey focused on proposed changes to 10 of the 63 rules: 10.55.601 (3) Replacing the continuous School Improvement Plan (CSIP) with an Integrated Action Plan. 10.55.603 (3)- Including multiple measures in the district assessment plans. 10.55.712 – Providing flexibility for local school districts to determine the resources needed when elementary classrooms are overloaded. 10.55.714 – Updating the Professional Development section including defining a graduate profile. 10.55.723 – Enhancing the Mentorship and induction plans that must be implemented by local boards.  10.55.801 – Adding a tool to measure perceptions of stakeholders for school climate. 10.55.803 (1) (d) Within the learner access section-adding the need to appropriately assess and supply the hardware and software for each student. 10.55.806 - English Language Learners, a distinct student group, has been added.  This recommended addition aligns with current federal requirements for districts to provide educational services for English learners. 10.55.904 (3) and 10.55.905 (2): Enhancing High School program offerings and graduation requirements to include Civics/Government and Economic or Financial Literacy.  10.55.908 (3) - Addition of state to federal accessibility standards for facilities. The 13 rules with no recommended changes are: 10.55.713:  Teacher Class size middle and high school 10.55.715:  Para-professional qualifications and supervision 10.55.719:  Student protection procedures 10.55.720:  Suicide Prevention and Response 10.55.805:  Special Education 10.55.910:  Student Discipline Records 10.55.911:  High School Transcripts 10.55.1201:  Arts Program Delivery Standards 10.55.1401:  Math Program Delivery Standards 10.55.1501:  Science Program Delivery Standards 10.55.1601:  Social Studies Program Delivery Standards 10.55.2201:  Computer Science Program Delivery Standards 10.55.2301:  Technology Integration Program Standards The five new proposed rules are: 10.55.608   Charter School Application 10.55.722:  Family and Community Engagement 10.55.723:  Mentorship and Induction 10.55.724:  Evaluation 10.55.806:  English Language Learners For more information, please contact Julie Murgel, Chief Operating Officer at julie.murgel@mt.gov or (406) 444-3172.

New Educator Licensing System

Our new educator licensing system, TeachMontana (TMT) launched on June 1. Between June 1 and June 22, the licensing unit approved and issued 895 licenses.  TMT offers educators: Self-guided application Streamlined access Portal for professional development and storage of all records Convenient link to employer

For more information, please contact Crystal Andrews at crystal.andrews@mt.gov, or (406) 444-6325.

OPI Summer Institute

The 25^th Summer Institute took place from June 20 – 24 at Montana State University in Bozeman. This year’s theme was Putting Montana Students First. The Institute featured over 150 sessions that focused on my Montana Hope, Montana Teach, Montana Learn, and Montana Ready initiatives.

There were 518 attendees and 121 presenters including 36 OPI staff. There were four keynote addresses by:

• Peter Liljedahl – Building Thinking Classrooms
• Tessie Rose Bailey – Lessons Learned from 20 Years of MTSS Implementation
• Bella Bikowsky – Mental Health Embedded into MTSS
• Tribal Elders and Youth Panel – Youth Like to Run, Our Elders Know the Path

For more information, please contact Tammy Lysons, Continuing Education Unit Manager Tamara.Lysons@mt.gov, or (406) 431-2309.

Report Card Update

The OPI released the federally mandated report card data from the previous 2020-2021 school year in March of 2022. After the data was released, the United States Department of Education requested that more information be added to the report card. Superintendent Arntzen decided to enhance the report card while the data and information were reviewed and updated. During these updates, additional information such as the Covid ESSER allocation and expenditure will be added to ensure complete transparency for our schools and our communities. The updated 2020-2021 report card data became available on June 23.   For more information, please contact Chris Sinrud at christopher.sinrud@mt.gov or (406) 444-4451.

Lead Remediation

Lead testing is still available for our schools. The OPI is encouraging all schools to take advantage of lead sampling and reminds schools that Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds can be used to upgrade drinking water systems.

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.

For more information, please contact Greg Montgomery, Drinking Water Scientist, DEQ, at DEQleadinschools@mt.gov or (406) 444-5312.

EANS-GEER Funding

The federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSA Act) and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP Act) provide funding for Governor's Emergency Relief (GEER) Fund. The Montana Governor's Office is accepting applications for GEER III grants to be distributed following the GEER federal guidance.

Non-public schools can continue to apply for EANS-GEER funding through the Governor’s office. Applications will be accepted through June 30, 2022. Award recipients will be notified by July 29, 2022.

Questions can be directed to Nancy Hall, Lead Budget Analyst, Governor’s Office of Budget and Program Planning at 406-444-4899, or email NHall@mt.gov or to Dylan Klapmeier, Governor’s Education Policy Advisor, 406-444-3188, or Dylan.Klapmeier@mt.gov.

OPI Secure Portal – Single Sign-On

As part of Data Modernization, the OPI is going live with Release 1 of the OPI Secure Portal which will personalize the user experience for authorized system access. This will be live on Monday, July 11^th, 2022.

A single URL, https://apps.opi.mt.gov/osp/portal using a single username and password…

will grant single-click access to OPI applications that you have access to that are converted to utilize single sign-on technology!

The portal is integrated with automated password reset, user access request forms, and software feedback tools. You will use your familiar username and a new password that you will set using the Reset Password link on the portal page. Early reports indicate secure, efficient, intuitive, and operationally successful!

Release 1 will include approximately 50% of the OPI applications that will be converted. From July 2022-March 2023, the rest of the applications that can be converted will be converted and put on the portal as they become available.

Click here to view a webinar that provides an overview of the OPI Secure Portal functions and features. Please take the time to watch it so you have the information you need for the applications you use to serve Montana students!

For more information, please contact Bitsey Draur at BDraur@mt.gov, or (406) 444-2521.

OPI Proposed Legislation

The OPI submitted the following for proposed agency-requested legislation:

1. Fulfill Legislative “Promise is a Promise” - Base Aid Plus Inflation:

The Montana public school district system of funding is primarily calculated from what is termed BASE aid defined in section §20-9-306, MCA.  BASE aid is made up of various components and includes the following:

(a) direct state aid for 44.7% of the basic entitlement and 44.7% of the total per-ANB entitlement for the general fund budget of a district;

(b) guaranteed tax base aid

(c) quality educator payment;

(d) at-risk student payment;

(e) Indian education for all payment;

(f) American Indian achievement gap payment;

(g) data-for-achievement payment; and

(h) special education allowable cost payment.

When the Superintendent of Public Instruction prepares the ensuing biennium’s budget these components must be adjusted for inflationary changes defined in section §20-9-326, MCA.  Currently, the rate of increase for these components is estimated at 2.7% for FY2024 and 3% for FY2025.  Additionally, cost estimates are adjusted for enrollment growth, taxable valuation adjustments as well as other factors.  At this time many of the needed factors are either not known or are currently being estimated but each will be known as we move closer to the legislative session and cost estimates will be adjusted accordingly.

     2. Redirecting Educator License Fees:

This is a new proposal to redirect teacher license fees to the Office of Public Instruction to fund the costs of administering the teacher licensing program. Currently, under 20-4-109, MCA, 66.7% of collected license fees are distributed to fund an Advisory Council, and the remaining 33.3% is distributed to fund general Board of Public Education activities. OPI will use the license fee revenues to offset the ongoing maintenance costs of the new TeachMT licensing system. This is also a support of the Board of Public Education's funding request.

     3. Supporting School Mental Health Programs:

This is a discussion with the Governor’s office and DPHHS on federal dollars. There is a steering committee that has been working toward possible solutions to implement and support a community-based mental health program.

On Wednesday, June, 22 Superintendent Arntzen joined the completion celebration for the Teacher Leader Academy in Bozeman.

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)

Montana Autism Education Project

School Finance

School Nutrition

Special Education

Standards, Instruction & Professional Learning

Title & Federal Programs

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.