HELENA, Mont. — The Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI) has been awarded two federal grants that will strengthen student learning and nutrition programs across Montana.
OPI was awarded $3,148,631 through the Competitive Grants for State Assessments (CGSA) program for a four-year initiative to strengthen implementation of the Montana Aligned to Standards Through-Year (MAST) assessment system.
The funding will help OPI provide educators with better tools to connect MAST data to classroom instruction, develop more accessible data reports for students and families, and expand statewide professional learning focused on using assessment data to improve instruction.
“We want MAST data to be a resource that improves academic outcomes, supports local educators, gives parents greater transparency and helps every Montana student reach their full potential. Montana has invested significantly in building an innovative assessment system that gives educators more information about how students are learning throughout the year,” Superintendent Susie Hedalen said. “This grant allows us to take the next step by making that information more useful and actionable for teachers, school leaders, students and families.”
“The OPI is taking advantage of opportunities at the federal level to be innovative and provide resources rather than simply complying with mandates. Teachers now have data within a week, along with tools to address students’ misunderstandings in math and literacy, close learning gaps and increase achievement in Montana. When I was in the classroom, we didn’t receive the results from required assessments until the following school year, so we had little ability to address students’ needs or inform parents. This is a great shift in education, and I am proud that Montana is leading the way.”
The OPI was also awarded $974,564.00 through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s FY 2026 Team Nutrition Training Grant: Growing Healthier Futures.
The grant will support professional development and technical assistance for school and childcare nutrition programs, improve meal quality, strengthen nutrition education and family engagement, and provide targeted support to administrators of federal child nutrition programs. The OPI will continue to support acquiring locally sourced nutrition dense meals and strengthening these partnerships between producers and schools.
“Healthy students are better prepared to learn and succeed,” Hedalen said. “This funding will help with Montana’s efforts to Make America Healthy Again by continuing to strengthen the nutrition programs that serve children every day in our schools and communities.”
Both grants build on OPI’s ongoing efforts to provide Montana educators and schools with the resources, support and flexibility they need to serve students and schools effectively.
