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What:The Montana Office of Public Instruction's State Title I Conference will be held in Helena, MT, at the Red Lion Colonial on March 9-10, 2011.  Electonic registration is now open, and will close on February 26, 2011.  The cost of the conference is $125 per person. To register: https://toto.msu.montana.edu/cs/opi2011_test NOTE:  Registration through this link is for non-OPI personnel only. Registration for OPI employees will be handled separately through the OPI events calendar Conference agenda: http://opi.mt.gov/pdf/TitleI/2011Conf/11ConferenceAgenda.pdf Conference brochure: http://opi.mt.gov/pdf/TitleI/2011Conf/11ConfBrochure.pdf

The Instructional Innovations Unit is excited to provide an incredible online resource for all Montana educators. This professional development data base within the OPI website contains hundreds of video clips, lessons, and resources that can be downloaded onto your computer and iPod.  This resource is a direct result of the Montana Reading First project.  However, it also contains content for teachers Pre-K through high school.  Knowing that statewide professional development is extremely difficult because of the rural nature of our state, the Montana Reading First project director, Debbie Hunsaker, planned and initiated this resource called ‘Knowledge Box’. Throughout the implementation of the Reading First project, national and local presenters were filmed and the content was edited into short video clips, resources, and lessons. To access this resource go to the OPI website www.opi.mt.gov and click on Instructional Innovations under Programs. http://opi.mt.gov/Streamer/Instructional_Innovations/index.php#gpm1_5 For more information, contact BJ Granbery, 444-4420

The 2011 OPI Assessment Conference "On the Horizon" is scheduled for January 20-21, 2011 at the Billings Hotel and Convention Center.  The keynote speaker on Thursday morning will be Paul Andersen. Paul is a science teacher and technology specialist at Bozeman High School and the 2011 Montana Teacher of the Year. Presentations on assessment and data topics as well as training for the 2011 MontCAS CRT test administration will be available.  For more information and to register for the conference, visit http://www.opi.mt.gov/curriculum/MontCAS/#p7GPc1_5 For more information, contact Judy Snow, 406-444-3656

We are pleased to announce a summer class presented online by Gail McGregor of the University of Montana on Standards-Based IEPS.  It is an excellent and reasonably priced opportunity for graduate credits and meaningful professional development for special education teachers, content teachers, special education directors and coops, and other educators who work with students with special needs. This course is designed to introduce general and special education teachers to the concept of standard-based IEPs and is organized around a series of five webcasts that have been created for the Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI).  Supplementary readings and course assignments are designed to complement the information in the webinars.  The course syllabus and webinars are on the OPI website at: http://www.opi.mt.gov/Curriculum/MontCAS/MontCAS_Presents.html#gpm1_3  This course will be offered through the Office of Public Instruction and the University of Montana.  The Office of Public Instruction will provide the environment for the online learning communities that are part of the course.  The environment for the learning communities will be Adobe Connect webinars.  Students will need to have Flash Player and the Adobe Connect Add-in installed on their computers and have a microphone and speakers in order to participate in the learning communities.  OPI will assist participants in connecting and has microphones for check-out if needed.  Participants may take the course for renewal units through OPI or graduate credits through the University of Montana, and the grading option is a traditional letter grade.  Registration and payment for graduate credit is also through the University of Montana. The cost for two graduate credits is $135. We plan to offer this class in the summer, but need information from you regarding which session will work best for the majority of students that plan to take the course either for renewal units or graduate credits.  May 23-June 24..............................First Five-Week Summer Session June 27-July 29............................Second Five-Week Summer Session May 23-July 29.....................................Ten-Week Summer Session Please email Karen Richem if you are interested in the course and the session you prefer by Wednesday, May 11, 2011.  The session with the most interest will be offered.  Contact information for Karen:  krichem@mt.gov or 406-444-0748

Registration available here!What:Connecting to the work that has been carried on during the last five years to successfully andcomprehensively implement Indian Education for All across Montana’s diverse communities, the theme for this year’s conference will explore the importance of crossing cultural and community divides to establish strong and productive relationships. Please consider sharing your knowledge and experiences related to this topic by submitting a conference presentation proposal. The Call for Proposals form will be available until December 30. The Indian Education Division and Office of Public Instruction will also be soliciting nominations for an important opportunity – the Advocacy Award for Excellence in Indian Education for All, in honor of one of Montana’s finest educators, Teresa Veltkamp. Nomination forms for the award will be available December 15th at OPI Indian Education Hot Topics. Please give consideration to this opportunity to acknowledge anoutstanding educator’s efforts in the promotion of and steadfast support for Indian Education for All. When:February 27-28, 2012Where:Billings, MTCrowne Plaza HotelContact:Joan FrankePhone: 406-444-3694

Save the date for the annual OPI Indian Education for All Best Practices conference on February 7-8, 2011.  This year's event will be held in Helena at the Best Western Great Northern Hotel.  Registration information will be available on the OPI website soon. For more information, contact Teresa Veltkamp, 406-444-0726

The Office of Public Instruction has posted links to current Section 504 guidance on our Website.  This guidance is from the Center for Technical Assistance for Excellence in Special Education (TAESE)  and the Office of Civil Rights. The links are available on the Special Education Webpage (http://opi.mt.gov/Programs/SpecialEd/Index.html) under "RELATED LINKS" and include: Guidelines for Educators and Administrators for Implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973-Subpart D A Parent and Educator Guide To Section 504 Accommodations for Identified Children With Disabilities Section 504 Procedural Requirements for School Districts; and Section 504 A Possible Service Option for Students with Disabilities Section 504 requirements are separate from special education.  This guidance is provided as a courtesy.

Each year the Montana Office of Public Instruction distributes a parent survey to a portion of parents of children receiving special education services. Surveys will be sent by May 21, 2010 to the parents of children who attend those districts to be monitored in the 2010-2011 school year. A listing of these schools can be found at: http://www.opi.mt.gov/pdf/SpecED/Mon/10MarchMonitoringCycle.pdf.

The American Psychological Association (APA) is changing the definition of Autism Spectrum Disorders, a change which will occur in May of 2013. You can view the draft criteria here and a short explanation here. There are several changes which concern parents, education professionals and people with autism spectrum disorders. Very briefly, these changes are: 1. The new APA criterion for autism spectrum disorders is different from the current APA, IDEA and Montana educational criteria for autism spectrum disorders. 2. Asperger's Disorder and Pervasive Developmental Disorder will no longer exist as separate APA diagnostic categories, but will be subsumed in the revised APA criteria for "Autism Spectrum Disorder." What will these changes mean for students with autism spectrum disorders in Montana's public schools? 1. Montana is unlikely to change the current criteria for identification of a student as having autism until the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) is reauthorized. 2. The IDEA was last reauthorized in 2004 and the revised regulations were published in 2006. There is no anticipated date for when the next reauthorization will occur. 3. When the IDEA or Montana educational criteria for educational disabilities change, there is no requirement that students who are currently identified as eligible for special education and related services be reevaluated to determine eligibility under the new criteria. These students have previously been determined as eligible using the criteria which were in effect at the time of their identification. 4. Children and youth who are evaluated and diagnosed by non-school agencies as meeting the current or revised APA definition of Autism Spectrum Disorder are still required to have a separate educational evaluation by the school district. 5. If necessary, the OPI Division of Special Education will provide guidance and technical assistance in interpreting any differences between the new APA criteria for autism spectrum disorders and the current Montana educational criteria for autism. If you have questions, please contact Doug Doty, Statewide Coordinator of the OPI Montana Autism Education Project at ddoty@mt.govor 459-5303