Office of Public Instruction Receives 5-year, $3.5 Million Grant to Support General and Special Educators in Serving Special Needs Students
October 1, 2020
HELENA- The Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI) has received a 5-year, $3.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to provide professional development to general and special educators in serving special needs students. The grant is authorized by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to assist states in improving their systems for personnel preparation and professional development in early intervention, educational, and transition services to improve results for children with disabilities.
“Montana’s special needs students deserve every opportunity to achieve academic success,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen said Thursday. “This grant will allow the OPI to expand our resources to special education families and educators. In addition, the OPI will continue advocating for special needs students at the Legislature.”
This grant will increase local capacity to support and sustain the implementation of the Montana Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) through distance learning and web-based formats for professional development and coaching support focused on data-analytic problem-solving. It will utilize teams at the state and local levels to create an efficient infrastructure for professional development, technical assistance, coaching, and communication. This project will prioritize rural and indigenous communities. In addition, the project will increase opportunities for school personnel who work with students with disabilities to exercise choice in professional development.
Sheila Lovato is the State Project Director for this grant. Interested school personnel can contact Sheila at Sheila.Lovato@mt.gov or 406-444-5889.
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CONTACT: Dylan Klapmeier
Communications Director
Montana Office of Public Instruction
dylan.klapmeier@mt.gov
406-444-3559