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The Superintendent of Public Instruction's State of Education Address was conducted Wednesday February 16.
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Watch the 2011 Montana Legislative Process Live!
The Superintendent of Public Instruction's State of Education Address was conducted Wednesday February 16.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Montanans continue to respond to the call to lower the dropout rate and improve Montana's economic future. I am excited to announce the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation awarded the Office of Public Instruction $450,000 over three years to support a statewide network of locally-designed, community-driven efforts to increase the number of Montana students who graduate from high school ready for college and careers in the Montana workforce.
The Washington Foundation's investment in Montana's students is going to pay off for years to come. Every student we are able to keep from dropping out of school or who is inspired to continue their education after high school benefits not only that individual, but the entire state.
Support from the Washington Foundation will allow the Office of Public Instruction to start the Graduation Matters Montana Challenge Fund, assisting 10 to 15 new Graduation Matters communities each year for three years. As many as 45 new communities will be added over the three-year timeframe. Each community will be awarded up to $10,000 to replicate successful dropout prevention strategies.
I am looking forward to continuing to work with Montana schools and communities towards the goal of cutting our dropout rate in half by 2014. Our state's economic future depends on our young people having the necessary education to compete for jobs in the 21st century global economy.
I encourage you to apply for the Graduation Matters Challenge Fund and join me in this effort.
The application for the Graduation Matters Montana Challenge Fund and informational materials can be found on our website: http://graduationmatters.mt.gov.
For an informational webinar on the application, go to http://connect.opi.mt.gov/p28gqddbvda/.
Applications are due February 17, 2012, and announcements will be made by March 19, 2012. For further assistance, please contact Thea Whalen, OPI at 444-5643 or twhalen@mt.gov.
Did you know that the State of Montana provides loan repayment assistance to teachers who teach in critical shortage areas at impacted schools?
An eligible educator can receive repayment assistance up to $3,000 annually for four years. For the 2011-12 school year, the following education fields are impacted by educator shortages: Special Education, Career and Technical Education, Mathematics, Music, Science, Speech-Language Pathologists, School Counselors, and World Languages.
To be eligible for loan repayment assistance, a teacher must be employed full-time in a public school that is designated as impacted by critical shortages, a special education cooperative, the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind, the Montana Youth Challenge Program, or a state youth correctional facility. The teacher must also hold a valid educator license and have an outstanding loan balance on an educational loan made by a federal loan program.
For a list of the 576 public schools that have been designated as impacted by critical shortages, scroll to page nine of this report: Critical Shortage.
Applications for loan repayment assistance will be available on February 1 from the Montana Guaranteed Student Loan Program.
Last Modified: Thursday, 12-Jan-2012 12:24:30 MST
"The Montana Office of Public Instruction provides vision, advocacy, support and leadership for schools and communities to ensure that all students meet today's challenges and tomorrow's opportunities."
The Montana Office of Public Instruction, Denise Juneau, Superintendent • P.O. Box 202501 Helena, Montana 59620-2501 • In-State Toll-Free 1.888.231.9393, Local (406) 444.3095
The Office of Public Instruction is committed to equal opportunity and non-discriminatory access to all our programs and services. For information or to file a complaint, contact OPI Title IX/EEO Coordinator at (406) 444.3161 or tantonick@mt.gov
The OPI is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. The OPI promotes equal opportunity for all individuals without regard to age, color, disability, marital status, national origin, race, religion or creed, sex or gender, sexual orientation, or veteran status. The OPI has developed a written Affirmative Action Program which sets forth the policies, practices and procedures that the OPI is committed to in order to ensure that its policy of nondiscrimination and affirmative action for qualified individuals with disabilities and qualified protected veterans is accomplished. This Affirmative Action Program is available for inspection by any employee or applicant for employment upon request, during normal business hours, in the Human Resources Office. Interested persons should contact the Human Resources Manager at 406-444-3161 for assistance.
