Project Overview

The Montana Office of Public Instruction, in partnership with Education Northwest, is implementing an evidence-based literacy intervention aligned with the science of reading to improve literacy outcomes for high-needs students. The Montana High-Impact Tutoring (M-HIT): Boosting Montana Early Literacy Intervention Project builds on the state-initiated Early Literacy Targeted Intervention (ELTI) and accelerates learning by providing high-impact tutoring for high-needs students, particularly in Montana’s rural and tribal communities.

The project upholds local control, allowing districts to choose literacy interventions that best meet the needs of students, families, and educators. High-impact tutoring will be delivered to 1,800 students through virtual, live, one-on-one sessions with certified educators.

Project Goals

The M-HIT project aims to improve literacy outcomes for high-needs students by:

• Providing a virtual, high-impact tutoring program featuring certified educators who deliver expert instruction tailored to individual student literacy needs.
• Implementing high-impact tutoring interventions consistent with intensive evidence-based literacy instruction.
• Building the capacity of educators to deliver strong, explicit literacy instruction aligned with the science of reading.
• Providing schools with a family engagement toolkit to increase parental engagement in their child’s early literacy development.

Innovative Approach

The M-HIT project is an innovative solution addressing persistent literacy challenges in Montana and offers a scalable model for national use of high-impact tutoring. Key innovations include:

• Providing evidence-based literacy interventions to early learners through virtual, live, one-on-one tutoring with qualified educators.
• Targeting rural and tribal educational systems facing shortages of highly prepared educators and limited access to evidence-based literacy interventions.
• Creating a blueprint for delivering high-impact tutoring that can be scaled to other regions while maintaining quality and effectiveness.

Eligible Schools

The OPI will recruit at least 90 rural and tribal schools and approximately 1,800 high-need students in grades 1 to 3 to participate in the study. Eligible schools are:

• Rural, as identified by locale codes.
• Serving high percentages of students, with no less than 60% eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (FRL).

Eligible Schools, please share your intent to participate in the MHIT Literacy project by completing this 'Intent to Participate' form by May 1, 2026.