How to become a teacher in Montana

The Montana Board of Public Education (BPE) adopts procedures and regulations governing the accreditation of Montana's eleven educator preparation providers (EPPs). The BPE establishes and oversees licensure and educator preparation requirements. The Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction is authorized to review each Montana EPP on a seven-year cycle, recommending accreditation status for each provider to the BPE. The Superintendent issues licenses to eligible candidates who are recommended for licensure by a state approved educator preparation provider. (See ARM 10.57.102 Definitions)

Pursuant to Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) Title 10 Chapter 58 Professional Educator Preparation Program Standards, state approval and accreditation status are required for the eleven Montana EPPs before authorized to issue recommendations for licensure to the superintendent of public instruction. The BPE promulgates rules based on the recommendation of the state superintendent. The state superintendent of public instruction implements these rules to help ensure high quality educator preparation programs graduate well-qualified and effective workforce of teachers ready to serve the P-12 education system in Montana.

National accreditation is voluntary. Of Montana's 11 educator preparation providers, four maintain state and national accreditation through the joint review process of the Montana Board of Public Education and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). The state superintendent of public instruction and CAEP facilitate site reviews of the four joint reviews. The state superintendent of public instruction conducts site reviews of the seven EPPs seeking state approval only. Montana's 11 educator preparation providers are required to align to the educator preparation standards established by the Montana Board of Public Education. Montana preliminarily approved an alternative certification program starting the 2024-25 school year.

Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) Title 10, Chapter 58, Professional Educator Preparation Program Standards were last revised by Montana education stakeholders facilitated by the Accreditation and Educator Preparation staff of the Office of Public Instruction. The BPE approved the state superintendent's recommendation of rule revisions at the January 2023 meeting. The PEPPS were effective July 1, 2023. The seven-year standards revision cycle was recently completed by the Office of Public Instruction in 2022, through a review of the PEPPS and alignment with the revised CAEP standards.

References and Web Addresses:

Reference: Administrative Rules of Montana 10.58 Professional Educator Preparation Program Standards; Administrative Rules of Montana 10.57 Educator Licensure; Administrative Rules of Montana 10.55 Standards of Accreditation; and Administrative Rules of Montana 10.53 and ARM 10.54 K-12 Content Standards. Go to the Office of Public Instruction's Website to locate Educator Preparation - http://www.opi.mt.gov, click on Leadership, choose Educator Preparation.

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