FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, February 25, 2022 CONTACT [email protected] Elsie Arntzen Newest Recommended Change? Axing Accreditation Standards for out-of-state teachers Plan will “sacrifice quality for quantity” and hurt our schools Helena, MT – Yesterday, the Board of Public Education held a public hearing to review Elsie Arntzen’s recommended changes to Chapter 57– which sets standards for teacher licensing. Arntzen, the Superintendent of the … Read More
ICYMI: Dropout Rates for Native & Rural Schools rose in 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, February 1, 2022 CONTACT [email protected] ICYMI: Dropout Rates for Native & Rural Schools rose in 2021 Democrats are focused on continuing to find solutions to teacher shortages Helena, MT – The Office of Public Instruction (OPI) recently announced their graduation and dropout rates for the 2020-2021 school year. Notably, the graduation rate for American Indian students has dropped to 68.30%, … Read More
BREAKING: The OPI reports inaccurate Dropout and Graduation Rate changes for 2020-2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, January 27th, 2022 CONTACT [email protected] BREAKING: The OPI reports inaccurate Dropout and Graduation Rate changes for 2020-2021 Real numbers appear to obscure worsening achievements under Superintendent Arntzen. Helena, MT – The Office of Public Instruction (OPI) recently announced their graduation and dropout rates across the state for the 2020-2021 school year. Notably, the OPI’s press release … Read More
Democratic Legislators Go to Bat for Student Mental Health Care
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, January 21, 2022 CONTACT [email protected] Democratic Legislators Go to Bat for Student Mental Health Care Holding Elsie Arntzen accountable for steering the program “off a cliff” Helena, MT – In Thursday’s Children, Families, Health and Human Services Committee meeting, Democratic Legislators put Superintendent of the Office Public Instruction (OPI) Elsie Arntzen in the hot seat, questioning why her … Read More
Elsie Arntzen Had a Bad Week
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, December 20, 2021 CONTACT [email protected] Elsie Arntzen Had a Bad Week Failing leadership at the OPI has pushed stakeholders to a breaking point Helena, MT – Across the state, Montana educators, administrators, students, and families have united to denounce the failure of leadership and incompetence at the Office of Public Instruction. Under Elsie’s failed leadership: The superintendents of … Read More
BREAKING: OPI’s Tribal Liaison is a No-Show for Montana Indian Language Preservation Presentation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, December 17, 2021 CONTACT [email protected] BREAKING: OPI’s Tribal Liaison is a No-Show for Montana Indian Language Preservation Presentation Helena, MT – In a budget hearing Wednesday, Representative Windy Boy announced that the OPI’s Tribal Liaison who oversees the Montana Indian Language Preservation (MILP) program, failed to show up when invited to present at a Native Language workshop on … Read More
Elsie’s OPI to shut down Educator Licensing system for 6 months
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, December 14, 2021 CONTACT [email protected] Elsie’s OPI to shut down Educator Licensing system for 6 months Teachers looking to renew licenses must mail in paper application Helena, MT – Elsie Arntzen’s OPI has announced that they are shutting down their educator licensing system between December 31, 2021 and June 1, 2022. They will be implementing a new system for … Read More
Unprecedented: AA School Superintendents Have “No Confidence” in Arntzen’s Leadership
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, December 8, 2021 CONTACT [email protected] Unprecedented: AA School Superintendents have “No Confidence” in Arntzen’s leadership Helena, MT – Yesterday, Montana AA School Superintendents sent a letter of No Confidence to State Superintendent Elsie Arntzen, arguing that her “conduct destabilizes the credibility of our local schools, the same ones [she was] elected to represent and on whose behalf [she is] … Read More
ICYMI: Elsie Arntzen Is Personally Withholding Public Records from the Press
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, October 28, 2020 CONTACT [email protected] ICYMI: Elsie Arntzen Is Personally Withholding Public Records from the Press What is Elsie Hiding? Helena, MT – A new report from the Montana Free Press details Elsie Arntzen’s personal refusal to fulfill multiple public records requests regarding an unusual level of staff turnover at the Office of Public Instruction. The … Read More
MT Standard Op-Ed: Ex-superintendents say Romano will advocate for education
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, October 22, 2020 CONTACT [email protected] MT Standard Op-Ed: Ex-superintendents say Romano will advocate for education Helena, MT – In a new op-ed, past superintendents of public instruction Denise Juneau, Nancy Keenan, and Linda McCulloch throw their support behind Melissa Romano, and warn voters of the dangers another four years of Elsie Arntzen represents. The former superintendents blast Arntzen … Read More