State of Montana Newsroom
Superintendent Arntzen Awards Stronger Connection Grant
HELENA – Superintendent Arntzen announces the Stronger Connections Grant (SCG) awardees. Through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), the Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI) was awarded $4.8 million in additional funding for Title IV, Part A of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). This one-time funding is in addition to the Title IV, Part A funding already allocated to the Montana OPI and 95% of these funds ($4,560,000, $2,280,000 per year) were made available to Montana school districts through a competitive subgrant application process.
“As I have said many times, our children are our most precious resource,” said Superintendent Elsie Arntzen. “This grant reflects my Montana Hope initiative which focuses on student mental wellness and family and community engagement. Safer learning environments lead to higher rates of student success.”
All schools were required to show need in one or more of the following categories:
- high student-to-mental health professional ratio
- high rates of chronic absenteeism
- exclusionary discipline
- referrals to the juvenile justice system
- bullying/harassment
- community and school violence
- substance abuse
- natural disaster or traumatic event that has had significant impact on students (Covid-19 does not qualify)
The OPI was able to fully fund 18 districts at 100% of the grant request and 7 districts at 65% of their grant request. The 25 districts awarded the grant are:
- Billings Elementary
- Bridger K-12
- Dutton Brady K-12
- Evergreen Elementary
- Hamilton K-12
- Helena Elementary
- Huntley K-12
- Lavina K-12
- Libby K-12
- Lockwood K-12
- Missoula Elementary
- Roberts K-12
- Sidney Elementary
- Sidney High School
- Wibaux K-12
- White Sulfur Springs K-12
- Lame Deer High School
- Lame Deer Elementary
- Florence-Carlton K-12
- Eureka Elementary
- Frontier Elementary
- Jefferson High School
- Hellgate Elementary
- Harrison K-12
- Fromberg K-12