Early Literacy Stabilize. Innovate. Build.

Montana Board of Public Education
Early Literacy Advisory Council

The Montana Early Literacy Advisory Council (ELAC) is working hard to ensure our state’s newest literacy programming for our youngest citizens will be off to a good start in 2024.

ELAC, formed in September, is a 15-member council comprised of administrators from various school districts, teachers, higher education faculty, education-focused organizations and the Office of Public Instruction. It is facilitated by McCall Flynn, Executive Director of the Montana Board of Public Education and Caitlin Jensen, Executive Director of Zero to Five Montana. ELAC has developed draft rules for the Board of Public Education for the implementation of HB 352, Rep. Brad Barker’s bill to provide targeted interventions to support 3rd grade reading proficiency. The proposed rules outline the evaluation methodology to qualify a child’s participation in programming, a framework for the (summer) jumpstart program and requirements for the home-based program.

As required in HB 352, the Board of Public Education, the Office of Public Instruction, and the boards of trustees of Montana school districts will collaborate and prepare for the full implementation of early literacy programs in the school year beginning July 1, 2024, with eligibility determination beginning in the spring.

For more information on the advisory council, see https://bpe.mt.gov/Advisory-Councils

Office of Public Instruction
Early Literacy Collaborative

OPI’s Early Literacy Collaborative will foster cooperation between government agencies, schools, families, educators, educator preparation programs, and communities. The focus of the OPI’s Collaborative will be to provide guidance for implementation of the school jumpstart programs, classroom interventions, and home-based literacy intervention programs for eligible students aged four years old and not yet in third grade. In addition, the Collaborative will provide data and feedback to the Board of Public Education’s Early Literacy Advisory Council. 

To learn more visit: https://opi.mt.gov/Educators/Teaching-Learning/Literacy/Early-Literacy

Evaluation Methodology and Screening 

(coming soon)



Community Examples 

(coming soon)

HB 352

Provide targeted interventions to support 3rd grade reading proficiency

Resources

Early Learning

78% of Montana voters believe state government
should play a role in providing a public early education option.