1. (1) Organization of the Office of Public Instruction.

   1. (a) The Office of Public Instruction (OPI) was implemented under the provisions of section 1, chapter 86 of the Laws of Montana, 1903, and section 14, chapter 5, Revised Codes of Montana, 1947.

   2. (b) The office consists of the Superintendent’s Office and the following three divisions:

      1. (i) Program Division;
      2. (ii) Finance Division; and
      3. (iii) Information Technology and Data Division.
   3. (c) Each division is headed by an administrator. The divisions are comprised of sections, which are divided into units. See functional chart.
   4. (d) The Superintendent of Public Instruction is responsible for administration of the office. The superintendent is empowered to appoint a deputy superintendent and to employ, organize, and administer a staff of personnel to assist the superintendent in the administration of the duties and services of the office. The Superintendent’s Office consists of executive staff responsible for overseeing human resources, operations, communications, policy, and legal affairs, as well as oversight of agency administrators.
   5. (e) The superintendent serves on boards, commissions, and councils as provided in the Constitution of the State of Montana and the Montana Legislature.
   6. (f) There are two councils that serve in an advisory capacity to the superintendent. They are the Special Education Advisory Panel and the Montana Advisory Council on Indian Education. These councils have no rulemaking or adjudicating authority.

2. (2) Functions of divisions.

   1. (a) The Program Division implements state and federal academic programs in support of school, teacher, and student improvement, achievement, and safety.
   2. (b) The Finance Division performs the fiscal and centralized services support functions of the office.
   3. (d) The Information Technology and Data Division provides technology and data support services.
3. (3) General inquiries regarding the office may be addressed to the Superintendent’s Office. Specific information regarding the functions of a division may be addressed to the deputy superintendent of chief of staff. All requests for hearings, declaratory rulings, and for participation in rulemaking may be addressed to the chief legal counsel unless notice in the Montana Administrative Register makes specific provisions for submissions.
4. (4) The address for the superintendent and administrators for each division is the Office of Public Instruction, P.O. Box 202501, Helena, Montana 59620-2501.

5. (5) A chart describing office organization is attached and incorporated into this rule.

   

Authorizing statute(s): 20-3-103, 20-3-104, MCA

Implementing statute(s): 2-4-201, MCA

History: NEW, Eff. 7/2/79; AMD, Eff. 12/31/81; AMD, Eff. 3/31/90; AMD, Eff. 12/31/91; AMD, Eff. 9/30/96; AMD, Eff. 6/30/98; AMD, Eff. 3/31/02; AMD, Eff. 3/31/12; AMD, Eff. 9/30/20; AMD, Eff. 11/14/23; AMD, Eff. 8/25/25.