E-Rate
E-Rate Technology Plan Requirement for Priority One Services Eliminated
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the Sixth Report and Order adopted September 23, 2010, has eliminated the requirement for schools and libraries seeking priority one services (telephone service and Internet access discounts). The order states: “Because the record demonstrates that applicants are required to or will likely perform technology planning even without the E-rate program requirements, we find that eliminating the technology planning requirement entirely for priority one funding will better service the intent of the NPRM proposal to simply the application process, while still adequately addressing concerns regarding waste, fraud and abuse.”
Technology Planning
While the technology plan requirement has been removed for priority one funding, districts are encouraged to continue with technology planning as a part of the local Continuous School Improvement Plan. Careful planning results in cost effective, efficient and effective integration of technology to improve the teaching and learning environment.
E-Rate Technology Plan Requirement for Priority Two Services are required
District’s seeking priority two services (internal connections) are required to have an OPI certified technology plan in place. The process for obtaining this certification will not change from the current practice.
The E-Rate program is administered by the Schools and Libraries Division of the Universal Service Administrative Company, a not-for-profit corporation overseen by the Federal Communications Commission to ensure that the benefits of Universal Service reach communities across the country.
Frequently Asked Questions from SLD
MT Integrated Technology Plan Framework
E-Rate Program Audits
FCC Audits and Free and Reduced Lunch Data
Montana E-Rate RSS FeedMcKinney-Vento - Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program
Welcome to OPI and the Homeless Education program. We are located in the 1300 11th Ave building in the EOE Division. The purpose of this program is to ensure that "each child of a homeless individual and each homeless youth has equal access to the same free, appropriate public education, including a public preschool education, as provided to other children and youths."
"A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of clothes I wore but the world may be much different because I was important in the life of a child." Author Unknown
School districts should refer to the NCLB Law to understand the requirements of the LEA and District Liaisons. Appoint a current District Liaison with the form provided and then review all school policies to remove any barriers to the enrollment of a homeless child or youth.
It may not be apparent to everyone that Montana has a homeless problem. Montana has individuals and families who for whatever reason live in very inadequate situations. Some of those individuals are of school age and most of the families have school age children. Whatever the reason for their homelessness, the kids from preschool to high school age are at high-risk of falling way behind in school and/or not completing school. The transient nature of the homeless family keeps kids out of the education system. As you continue on in this site, the definition of a homeless individual as defined by Congress in the law helps understand their special needs. Thank you for your interest.
The Montana McKinney-Vento Homeless Program
In the early years of the Montana program (1988 – 2002) OPI was required to report a count of Homeless Children and Youth to the US Department of Education and Congress. Our Montana program did actual counts in 1988, 1990, 1992 and 1994. Since 1994, we have done a statistical sample of those surveyed in the first six years (1988 – 1994). This sample was done in 1996 through 2002 for the whole state including children and youth who were not in school. On the average, those numbers reached a level of approximately 2,000.
Currently in Montana, we track homeless children and youth through a statewide student database; therefore, we are tracking only children and youth who are attending school.
DEFINITIONS: Children and youth who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence:
Shelters: Living in emergency or transitional shelter situations.
Doubled-up: Sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason.
Unsheltered: Children and youth who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings.
Hotel/Motel: Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations.
Montana currently provides McKinney-Vento grant funds to five communities: Billings, Bozeman, Great Falls, Helena and Missoula. These programs vary in size of homeless student population and the amount of McKinney-Vento funds. Each addresses the unique needs of homeless students through a specific competitive grant process and each has its successes in providing supplemental education services to a group of students that are some of the most in need.
For more information contact Heather Denny, State Homeless Education Coordinator, at 406-444-2036 or at hdenny@mt.gov.
Neglected, Delinquent Youth
The Prevention and Intervention Programs for Children and Youth Who Are Neglected, Delinquent, or At-Risk, authorized by Title I, Part D of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (20 USC 6421 et seq.) include two programs, one for State programs and another for local programs:
- Subpart 1 establishes the State agency Neglected or Delinquent (N or D) program, through which ED provides Federal financial assistance to State educational agencies (SEAs) to enable them to award sub grants to State agencies (SAs) that operate educational programs for children and youth in institutions or community day programs for children who are neglected, delinquent and at-risk and for children and youth in adult correctional facilities.
Current Subpart 1 Grantees (2011 – 2012)
State Department of Corrections: provides services to students at Pine Hills Correctional
Facility in Miles City, Montana and Riverside Correctional Facility in Boulder, Montana - Subpart 2 authorizes ED to award grants to SEAs to enable them to award sub grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) to provide programs that serve children and youth who are in locally operated correctional facilities or are attending community day programs for delinquent children and youth. Additionally, Subpart 2 programs may provide assistance to children and youth who are neglected or at-risk of dropping out of school.
Current Subpart 2 Grantees (2011 – 2012)
Anaconda Public Schools, Jefferson High School in Boulder, Great Falls Public Schools,
Kalispell Public Schools and Missoula County Public Schools - Subpart 3 of Part D requires SAs and LEAs to evaluate their programs at least once every three years to determine, by using multiple and appropriate evaluation measures, the programs’ effects on student achievement.
Each district that has children in a local facility receives a report of eligible students each year from the OPI. See related link: Private Local Neglected Homes 2008.
For additional information contact The National Evaluation & Technical Assistance Center for the Education of Children and Youth who are Neglected, Delinquent, or At-Risk Youth (NDTAC) at www.neglected-delinquent.org.
The purposes of Title I, Part D are to:
- improve educational services for children and youth in local and State institutions for neglected or delinquent children and youth so that they have the opportunity to meet the same challenging State academic content and State student achievement standards that all children in the State are expected to meet;
- provide these children with services to enable them to transition successfully from institutionalization to further schooling or employment; and
- prevent at-risk youth from dropping out of school as well as to provide dropouts and children and youth returning from correctional facilities or institutions for neglected or delinquent children and youth, with a support system to ensure their continued education.
State Agency program (Subpart 1)
- This is a Neglected and Delinquent program established by the Montana Department of Corrections, which provides educational services to eligible school-age youth in correctional facilities, as well as youth transitioning to and from correctional facilities in Montana.
- The numbers of eligible youth are reported each October by the Department of Corrections. This count generates an allocation of funds from the U.S. Department of Education (USED) to be used in these facilities for Neglected and Delinquent youth.
- This Subpart requires the State Agency to spend a minimum of 15 percent of it's allocation, up to a maximum of 30 percent, on transition services for youth leaving each facility.
Local Agency Program (Subpart 2)
- This program is for local school districts to provide educational services to Neglected and Delinquent youth who reside in facilities in the local community. The local district may establish a program in a school or provide support services at the local facility or group home.
- The numbers of eligible youth are reported each year by the local neglected or delinquent facility. This count generates an allocation of funds from USED to be used to provide educational services and support to local Neglected and Delinquent youth. See related link: Private Local Delinquent Homes 2008.
- The Office of Public Instruction (OPI) grants these funds to the local school districts with the most need based on a state average. See related link: Local Delinquent Allocation 2008.
Neglected Services Provided Under Title I, Part A
- Each child or youth in a local Neglected facility is counted in the numbers of Title I, Part A total. These students generate an allocation of funds under Title I, Part A and are eligible for services provided by the local district at the school or in the facility in which the students are housed.
Scholarships
The U.S. Senate Youth Scholarship Program is sponsored by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation and administered by the Office of Public Instruction. The National Association of Secondary School Principals has placed this program on the Advisory List of National Contests and Activities.
Scholarships
Brochures
2012 U.S. Senate Youth Program Montana Brochure
2010 Yearbook
William Randolph Hearst Foundation Brochure
Related Links
For further information see the William Randolph Hearst Foundation Web Page
2012 Montana Announcement Press Release
United States Senate Youth Program PowerPoint
Selected Montana Delegates
Montana Students Selected for United States Senate Youth Scholarship
United States Senate Youth Scholarship
The U.S. Senate Youth
Scholarship Program is sponsored by the William
Randolph Hearst Foundation and is administered
by the Office of Public Instruction. The National Association of Secondary School Principals has placed this program
on the Advisory List of National Contests and Activities.
Scholarship
The William Randolph Hearst Foundation believes it is in the public interest
to encourage outstanding young people to continue their educational development.
To this end, the foundation will make available to each of the 104 delegates
selected to participate in the program a $5,000 college scholarship award for
undergraduate studies, subject to specific conditions and requirements.
One Week in our Nation's Capitol
The United States Senate Youth Program will be held in Washington, D.C., March 3-10, 2012. The 104 student delegates will visit the Senate, House of Representatives, the Supreme Court, the Pentagon and other Washington sites. The William Randolph Hearst Foundation will pay all expenses for the Washington Week, including transportation, hotel accommodations and meals. The military services will provide specially selected men and women officers to serve as escorts for the student delegates while in Washington.
College Scholarship
$5,000
Two Montana high school students and a first and second alternate.
How to Qualify
- Be a junior or graduating senior in a Montana high school
- Currently serving in an
elected or selected capacity in any one
of the following student government offices
at their Montana high school for the 2011-12
school year
- student body president, vice president, secretary or treasurer
- class president, vice president, secretary or treasurer
- student council representative
- Boys/Girls state delegate
- Be a permanent resident of the United States
- Be a Montana resident
Montana Requirements
- Interested students should see their high school counselors to sign up for the qualifying exam.
- Potential awardees compete for this scholarship by taking a 50-point exam on current politics, American History, and the U.S. Constitution.
- The top scorers are then required to record DVD responses to a set of questions provided by the Office of Public Instruction, U.S. Senate Youth Program staff.
- Two delegates and two alternates are chosen from the semifinalists.
Notification of scholarship application information is sent in September to all public and private high school counselors and student body presidents. The deadline for taking the 50-point exam is in early October.
Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship
The Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship program is a federally funded program administered by the Office of Public Instruction to recognize exceptionally able high school seniors who show promise of continued excellence in post-secondary education. On April 14, 2011, President Obama signed legislation which funds the federal government for the remainder of the federal fiscal year. Unfortunately, the legislation terminates funding for several programs, including the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship program. As a result, no scholarships will be made to new students and no new renewal funding will be available to college/university students for the 2011-12 school year.
Students are encouraged to contact the college/university financial aid office for information on other financial aid opportunities such as tuition exemptions and waivers, grants and scholarships, work-study, and loans/loan repayment.
If you have questions please contact Carol Gneckow, 406.444.2417, or send an e-mail, cgneckow@mt.gov. Thank you for your attention to this memorandum.
College Goal Montana
Free help for students and parents tasked with completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) – an essential stepping stone to attaining federal, state and institutional aid – will be available at College Goal Montana events in communities across the state in February.
Employees of nonprofit Student Assistance Foundation (SAF), financial aid officers and volunteers will gather at several locations on February 8 and/or February 12, 2012, to offer one-on-one instruction completing this important form. In addition, SAF is hosting free College Goal Montana webinars in many communities during the months of January and February. Webinar participants listen to a 30-minute presentation about the FAFSA, log on to fafsa.gov and complete the form. Help from site hosts and subject matter experts via telephone will be available. Visit http://www.smartaboutcollege.org and click on the "College Goal Montana" sign to find events that are scheduled for your community.
Research shows that 44 percent of individuals living below the federal poverty line reported using public library computers and Internet access. Among those aged 14 to 24 in low-income households, 61 percent used public library computers and Internet for education purposes. This population – low-income, at-risk, first-generation, college-going youths – is the one that SAF is trying hardest to reach to provide information about College Goal Montana.
As such, SAF would like to propose a partnership with Montana libraries that would allow us to use Montana library channels to conduct outreach and share College Goal Montana information with potential postsecondary students. SAF offers a wide range of free publicity materials including College Goal Montana tear-off posters, fliers and more that we would be pleased to send you for placement in your library. If you have questions, or would like to request materials, please e-mail Rhonda Safford, College Goal Montana state coordinator, at rsafford@safmt.org, or call (406) 495-7750, 2500 Broadway, Helena, MT 59601.
The staff at SAF look forward to working with you to help students and build a college-going Montana!
Contact Pad McCracken, Teen Services Librarian, Lewis & Clark Library, 120 South Last Chance Gulch, Helena, MT 59601, or e-mail at pmccracken@mtlib.org, or call (406) 447-1690, extension 132.
