Montana Office of Public Instruction

Office of the Superintendent

Elsie Arntzen is Montana's Superintendent of Public Instruction

February 3, 2020

February is CTE Month! Check out the OPI's updated Career and Technical Education webpage to learn more about how the OPI and schools are preparing students to be Montana Ready! 

Update on DPHHS Rules Affecting Schools

DPHHS’s new administrative rules were filed with the Secretary of State on January 7^th. The OPI and education partners met with DPHHS and DEQ on January 17^th for the first communication planning meeting to coordinate information and resources for schools. We want to ensure that schools have one point of contact and are not bombarded with reach outs from different agencies. As we compile resources and solidify communications plans, we will keep schools updated.

OPI Digital Communications

The OPI’s Digital Communications team has been working with schools to produce high-quality videos highlighting innovation occurring in Montana classrooms. Check out their new webpage and reach out if your school would like one of your innovative programs highlighted.

Federal Education Funding

On December 19^th, President Trump signed a federal funding bill to fund the federal government through September 30, 2020. Below are the education allocations. NOTE- most education programs are forward funded. We will have Montana’s funding projections available later this spring.

The Labor-HHS-Education bill provides a total of $72.8 billion for the U.S. Department of Education, a $1.3 billion increase over FY2019 funding:

• $16.31 billion for Title I (increase of $450 million over 2019)
• $12.76 billion for IDEA Part B grants to states ($400 million increase)
• $2.13 billion for Title II ($76 million increase)
• $1.21 billion for Title IV-A ($40 million increase)
• $1.25 billion for 21^st Century Community Learning Centers ($28 million increase)
• $1.28 billion for Career and Technical Education ($20 million increase)
• $787 million for Title III, English Language Acquisition ($50 million increase)
• $33 million for Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems ($700,000 increase)
• State assessment grants are level-funded at $378 million. 
  • The Impact Aid program also saw a $40 million increase to $1.49 billion.

Outside of ED funding, this spending deal also includes:

• Increases in the HHS budget of $550 million each for Head Start ($10.6 billion total) and the Child Care and Development Block Grant ($5.8 billion)
• $7.6 billion for the 2020 Census
• Increased funding for rural broadband access

New Montana Census Webpage

The 2020 Census is just around the corner! Check out Montana’s new census webpage for classroom resources: https://census.mt.gov/. Also, The U.S. Census Bureau is looking for teacher ambassadors to join the Statistics in Schools Ambassador Program. Are you a Pre-K through 12^th grade teacher or know someone who is? Email CLMSO.SISambassador@census.gov for more information and how to apply to represent your school and community on a national scale.

Superintendent’s Office January Events

• Business Days, check out the video if you haven’t already!
• Recurring Land Board, Education Advocates, Library Board, Board of Regents, and Board of Public Education meetings
• Meeting with Education Northwest
• Interim Education Committee Meeting
• Legislative Week
• Shodair Children’s Hospital luncheon
• DPHHS and stakeholders meeting regarding new ARM
• Meeting with the ACLU on disproportionate rates of discipline report
• Tobacco/nicotine prevention discussion with Capital High students
• Radio appearances with the Montana Teacher of the Year Linda Rost
• Meeting with Dean of the Helena College