At your service...


Contact us via email or call us in-state toll-free between 9:00am and 5:00pm MT at 1.888.231.9393, Local 406.444.3095

MAIN CONTACTS

Tim Harris, Division Administrator, 406.444.4429
State Special Education Funding, School Psychology Services, Cooperatives, Legislation

School Improvement Unit

  • Dick Trerise, Unit Manager, 406.444.1579
    Compliance Monitoring, Focused Intervention, Secondary Transition, Transition Outcomes Project
  • Doug Doty, Monitoring Specialist, 406.444.0907
    Compliance Monitoring, Aversive Procedures, Behavior Management,Autism, Cognitive Delay, Attention Deficit Disorder, Mandt Training
  • Francisco Román, Monitoring Specialist, 406.444-4426, TTY: 444.0235
    Compliance Monitoring,Services to Students with Deaf-Blindness

Professional Development Unit

  • Susan Bailey-Anderson, Unit Manager, 406.444.2046
    State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG),Professional Development and Technical Assistance (CSPD), Montana Behavioral Initiative(MBI), Services/Issues for Students with Emotional Disturbance/Behavior Disorders, Day Treatment Services
  • Sara Casey,Program Improvement Specialist, 406.444.0688
    Targeted School Improvement Activities, Special Education Technical Assistance, Levels of Determination Improvement Strategies, AIM
  • Tara Ferriter-Smith , IDEA Instructional Strategies Coordinator, 406.444.0923
    Reading and Instructional Programs and Activities, Improvement Strategies, School Improvement Activities, Training and Assistance
  • Nikki Sandve, Coordinator, State Personnel Development Grant, 406.444.0299
    Differentiated Instruction, Teacher Mentor Programs and Training, Secondary Transition and Best Practices in Professional Developmen

Part B/ Data and Accountability Unit

  • Frank Podobnik, Unit Manager, Part B/Data and Accountability Unit/Administrative Support, 406.444.4428
    IDEA Part B/Preschool Allocations, E-Grants, Child Count, State Special Education Funding, State Performance Plan, Annual Performance Report, School Psychology Services
  • Karen Crogan, Data and Accountability Specialist, 406.444.0685
    Special Education Data Collections, Federal Reporting, AIM
  • Anne Rainey,Data and Accountability Specialist, 406.444.4430
    Child Count, Part B/Preschool Allocations, State Special Education Funding, and Cooperative Memberships, AIM, eGrants
  • Floy Scott, Research and Analysis Specialist, 406.243.2892
  • Marlene Wallis,Administrative Support Supervisor, 406.444.2504
    Support Staff,IDEA Projects,InterlocalAgreements, State Special Education Advisory Panel
  • Karen Jeschke, Program Specialist, 406.444.0037
    State Professional Development Grant (SPDG), CSPD, Montana BehavioralInitiative (MBI), Renewal Units, We Teach All, Transition
  • Jenine Synness, Program Specialist, 406.444.5661
    SchoolImprovement Monitoring Activities, Hearing Conservation Program, Website, Records Management, AIM

Attached Personnel

  • Mary Gallagher, Early Assistance Program Director, 406.444.5664
    Suspension/Expulsion, Parent/School Inquiries Prior to Formal Complaint, Early Assistance Program(EAP), Section 504 Questions
  • Linda Brandon-Kjos, Administrative Officer, 406.444.4402
    Mediation, Due Process Hearings, Expedited Hearings, Liaison/Hearing Officers
  • Lynnette Geske, Programmer/Analyst, 406.444.9860
    Analysis and Design of Computer Applications for Collection, Analysis and Reporting of Special Education Data
  • Charlotte McMilin, Accounting Specialist, 406.444.4403
    IDEA-B/Preschool Accounting, In-State Day Treatment Accounting
  • Ann Gilkey, Legal Counsel, 406.444.4399
    Questions Concerning Procedural Safeguards Under IDEA.Due Process, Complaints
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School Programs:
Special Education

Welcome to the Montana Division of Special Education web pages. The Division of Special Education has responsibility for assuring that children with disabilities receive a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. Division staff provide training, technical assistance and monitor special education services provided by public schools and state-operated programs. The Division is also responsible for managing the flow of state and federal dollars for special education programs.

Monitoring
The compliance monitoring process has been revised beginning with the 2009-2010 school year, These revisions will result in significant changes to the monitoring process and districts responsibilities in correction of identified non-compliance in individual student records. A more complete monitoring guide will be available in October. If you have questions contact the Division of Special Education at 406.444.5661
New Compliance Monitoring Description
Compliance Monitoring Cycle, Revised July 2009
Tips from the OPI Monitors
Students With Unique Concerns (SWUC) form
2009 Record Review
District Record Review
SWUC Timelines for Correction
Timelines for Correction

Parent Resources
 Montana Recreation Handbook for People with Special Needs
Occupational Therapy Fact Sheet
OT/PT Parent Handbook
Opening Doors: Technology and Communication Options for Children with Hearing Loss
Physical Therapy Fact Sheet
Procedural Safeguards in Special Education
Procedural Safeguards - Spanish Version
Procedural Safeguards - Russian Version
PLUK Contact Information

Private/NonPublic Schools
Private School Child Count
Children Enrolled by their Parents in Private Schools
OSEP Guidance on Private Schools
Private Schools Memo

Advisory Panel


Members

Private School Representative
Amy McCord, Teacher
St. Labre School, Ashland MT 59003

Regular Classroom Teacher
Susan Gunn, Resource Teacher
Central School, Helena MT 59601

State Agency
Jackie Emerson
IFES Coordinator
Clancy MT 59634

Parent of Child With Disabilities
Amy McCord
Susan Gunn
Dave Mahon
Barb Rolf
Coral Beck

Higher Education That Prepares Special Education and Related Services Personnel
Kenneth Miller, Professor of Education
MSU-Billings, Billings MT 59101-0298

Teacher Of Children With Disabilities
Carroll Jim DeCoteau
Frazer High School, Frazer MT 59225

Special Education Program Administrator
Sharon Lindstrom, Director of Special Education and Student Services
Great Falls Public Schools, Great Falls MT 59403

State/Local Administrator
Dave Mahon, Superintendent
Huntley Project K-12 Schools, Worden MT 59088

Vocational, Community, or Business Concerned With the Provision of Transition Services to Children with Disabilities
Terry Galle, Executive Director, AWARE, Inc.
Deer Lodge MT 59722

Representative From Juvenile & Adult Corrections
Ron Fuller
Riverside Youth Correctional Facility, Boulder MT 59632

Part C/IDEA Representative
Denise Herman, Child Care Resource and Referral Coordinator
Hi-Line Home Programs Inc., Glasgow MT 59230

Representatives of Other State Agencies Involved in the Financing or Delivery of Related Services to Children with Disabilities
Barb Rolf, Chair, Vision Specialist
Montana School for the Deaf & Blind, Missoula MT 59803

State Child Welfare Agency Responsible for Foster Care
Coral Beck
Child and Family Services, Missoula MT 59802

Legislator
Wanda Grinde
Billings, MT 59105

Representative of Subtitle B of Title VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
Terry Teichrow, Education Program Specialist, Homeless Children and Youth
Office of Public Instruction, Helena MT 59601

Student
Samantha Hendricks, Capital High School
Helena MT 59601


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Upcoming Meetings

The State Special Education Advisory Panel will meet in Helena at the Office of Public Instruction, 1300 11th Avenue Conference Room, on Thursday, October 8, 2009, from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., and on Friday, October 9, 2009, from 8:30 a.m. – Noon.

Tentative Agenda Items Include: Panel Orientation; Assessment; CSPD Report; Personnel; OSEP Verification Visit. The meetings are open to the public. Any individual who plans on attending the meeting and is in need of accommodations for a disability should notify Marlene Wallis at the Office of Public Instruction (406)444-2504.

Early Assistance Program (EAP)

For Assistance: Mary Gallagher, Early Assistance Program 406.444.5664

The Legal Services and Special Education Divisions of the Office of Public Instruction (OPI) have instituted the Early Assistance Program (EAP). This program is designed to provide technical assistance to parents, school districts, and advocacy organizations in regard to the delivery of a free appropriate public education (FAPE) for students with disabilities (10.16.3660, ARM). Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), parents can file complaints if they feel a district is not following administrative rules. The intent of the EAP program is to intervene prior to or at the time of filing a complaint with OPI (10.16.3662)(4)(c). At this intervention point, required by 10.16.3660(4), the EAP will gather information pertinent to the situation from parents, schools, and others who are involved with the issue and attempt to resolve the problem within 15 school days. With permission from the parents, EAP may exceed 15 days.

Our philosophy is to resolve issues amicably and thereby prevent costly legal entanglements wherever possible. We feel that, given the opportunity to discuss the issues at hand in a less formidable and confrontational venue, both parents and schools can reach agreement without undermining the relationships necessary to ensure the smooth delivery of special education services to children and youth with disabilities.

Special Education Forms/Guides


Frequently Asked Questions

The following documents contain Frequently Asked Questions about changes to the IDEA resulting from the 2004 reauthorization:
Discipline
Early Intervening Services
Evaluation and Reevaluation
Manifestation Determination
OSEP Guidance on Private Schools
Reading First
Response to Intervention Rtl
Specific Learning Disability
Surrogate Parents

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Hearing Conservation Program

The Office of Public Instruction Hearing Conservation Program (OPI-HCP) serves children 0 to 21 years of age. There are 9 audiologists manning 13 regionally based centers. Each center serves approximately 4 or 5 counties around the center.

The HCP involves screening, rescreening, in-school assessments, comprehensive hearing evaluations, and follow-up parent counseling and networking with other agencies. While the screening, and in some cases rescreening, is provided by the schools or special education cooperatives, the training of the screeners and overseeing of the screening program is one of the duties of the audiologists under contract with the HCP. Other duties include, but are not limited to, attending CST/IEP meetings, fitting and overseeing trials with FM systems for the hearing impaired, hearing aid maintenance, installing and maintaining amplified classrooms, child find participation, screening in Headstart and preschools, interagency networking, inservice training, report writing and communication with medical providers.

Educational Hearing Conservation Program Guidelines
Hearing Screening Policies and Procedures
HCP Statewide Provider List
Hearing Conservation Program Service Areas

Professional Development Resources

CSPD
Deaf-Blind Project
Montana Behavioral Institute
Paraprofessional Resources
RTI Project Information
Teacher Mentor Program Development		 Application for Speech-Language Traineeship
Speech-Language Traineeship Progress Report Form
NASDSE Satellite Series - Math Instructions for Students with Special Needs

 

Special Projects


Differentiated Instruction

Webinars
Introduction to Differentiated Instruction - Originally recorded on September 30, 2009
Setting the Stage: Creating the Climate - Originally recorded on October 28, 2009
Putting Differentiated Instruction in Science – Originally recorded on December 1, 2009
Setting the Stage:  Developing a Differentiated Lesson Plan – Originally recorded on January 12, 2010 Differentiated instruction in the High School English Class – Originally recorded on January 21, 2010

Endorsement Project


Acceptance into the OPI Special Education Endorsement Project will be given to those applicants who will be employed by a rural district unable to recruit a fully certified special education teacher and who will be in possession of a teaching contract in that district. Applicant requirements include:
  • Current Class 1 or Class 2 Montana Teaching Certificate. Class 5 Alternative Licenses are NOT eligible for project participation.
  • Commitment to complete the special education endorsement within three (3) years as mandated by NCLB and IDEA regulations.
  • Commitment to teach special education in Montana for a minimum of two (2) years following completion of the program.

Recipients may be eligible to receive up to $2,500 per year to pursue higher education resulting in an endorsement to teach special education. Stipend amounts are based on the student's credit load and housing needs, and WILL NOT COVER ALL TUITION EXPENSES. School expenses will need to be paid up front by the applicant as stipends are not released until AFTER each semester course(s) are completed and a final grade has been recorded on the student's transcript. Stipend reimbursements must be paid out during the academic year the courses were completed. Reimbursements requested beyond one year after completion will not be paid.

Special Education Cooperative Boundaries

Special Education Cooperative Boundaries Bear Paw Coop, PO Box 1449, Chinook 59523 Sanders County Coop Gallatin/Madison Coop Bitterroot Valley Coop Prickly Pear Coop North Central Learning Resource Center Central Montana Learning Resource Center Roose-Valley Special Education Coop Seridan/Daniels Coop Prairie View Coop Big Country Coop Tri-County Coop Eastern Yellowstone Coop Yellowstone/West Carbon Coop Stillwater/Sweetgrass Coop Park County Coop Missoula Area Coop Great Divide Educational Services Flathead County Coop Big Sky Special Education Coop Chouteau County Joint Services