State Superintendent Elsie Arntzen Secures $8.6 Million for Montana Special Education Students

• Anastasia Burton
• September 13 2021

HELENA – State Superintendent Elsie Arntzen is grateful to secure $8.6 million for Montana special education students through the federal Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) in conjunction with the American Rescue Plan (ARP). An additional $600,000 for special education students ages 3 to 5 years old has also been obtained. These federal funds are in the process of being allocated to Montana’s 402 school districts and must be expended by January 28, 2024.

“The learning of our special needs students, who sit in every Montana classroom, will be enhanced through these federal dollars,” State Superintendent Elsie Arntzen said. She continued, “I am confident that our school leaders and our teachers will continue to focus on the needs of all students.”

Schools, through the federal grant, are encouraged to use these funds for sustained learning through possible school disruptions caused by COVID-19 and to improve mental health services with an emphasis on special education and early intervention.

Throughout Montana’s 400 school districts, with a total of 825 schools, there are 18,265 students, which means about 12.6% of all students between the ages of 3 and 19 are special needs students. Montana normally receives $41 million through IDEA funding annually.

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