GMM Summit 2013

Thank you for your interest in attending the Graduation Matters Montana Summit 2013, scheduled for June 18, 2013 (8:30a – 4p) in Bozeman, Montana. The day-long gathering will feature discussions of effective practices happening right here in Montana to increase the number of students who graduate from high school ready for their next steps in life. The GMM Summit is open to school staff, students, and community and business leaders.

The GMM Summit is mandatory for GMM Challenge Fund grantees to attend. There is no fee for attending the Summit.

To register for the GMM Summit, click here.

This year, the GMM Summit is being held during the MBI Summer Institute in order to encourage GMM participants to take advantage of the resources available at the Institute, which is an annual week-long gathering of educators, community members and national and state-level experts working to create safe and respectful school environments. If you would like to register for additional days and workshops, you must register here – there is a fee for attending the MBI Summer Institute.

Questions: Contact Abby Coburn, OPI at acoburn2@mt.gov or 444-5643.

The First Annual Graduation Matters Montana Summer Summit, July 23 & 24, 2012, in Helena, MT

Over 160 school, community and business leaders from 30 Montana communities convened for the first statewide Graduation Matters Montana Summit. Participants shared what’s working and what’s next in our shared efforts to increase the number of Montana students who graduate ready for their next steps in life. Highlights of the Summit included a presentation by Hardin and Missoula schools on their strategies to engage students and the community in their local GMM initiatives; a presentation by the Qualgia Institute showing statistically through the My Voice survey how Montana students’ dreams (the “why”) must be cultivated before they will truly commit to the doing (the “how”) of graduation; and Governor Bob Wise of the Alliance for Excellent Education revealed state-specific economic impacts of graduating more students.

For more information click on the links below or contact Abby Coburn at 406.444.5643 or acoburn2@mt.gov

Agenda for GMM Summer Summit, 2012

GMM Summer Summit Materials, July 23-24, 2012

Graduation Matters Montana – Challenge Fund 2013

Application Due Date: February 26, 2013

Award Determinations: April 11, 2013

The Montana Office of Public Instruction received a grant the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation to establish the Graduation Matters Montana (GMM) Challenge Fund. Grants of up to $10,000 are available to Montana public schools for existing GMM initiatives and for new GMM initiatives through a competitive application process. Before you complete this application, please watch this brief webinar. For further assistance, please contact Abby Coburn, OPI at 444-5643 or graduationmatters@mt.gov.

GMM Challenge Fund Webinar
*Applicants must watch this brief webinar prior to applying

GMM Challenge Fund Application
Click here for a printable version of the application.

GMM SAF College Readiness Fund

The Montana Office of Public Instruction received a grant from the Student Assistance Foundation to fund up to 10 local Graduation Matters Montana (GMM) initiatives to engage in local college readiness activities in spring, 2013. Grants of up to $5,000 are available to Montana public schools for existing GMM initiatives and for new GMM initiatives through a competitive application process. Before you complete this application, please watch the brief webinar. For further assistance, please contact Deborah Halliday, OPI at 444-3559 or graduationmatters@mt.gov.

Award Announcement

Webinar

Application

Click Here for Focus Group Protocol

Student Assistance Foundation

Montana University System
Find out how many Montana high school graduates attended college in Montana in 2011

FAFSA
Find out how many local high school seniors completed the FAFSA in 2012 through a website from the U.S. Department of Education

Juneau Announces 22 Schools Receive Graduation Matters Grants
Montana Making Gains on Improving the Graduation Rate

Superintendent Denise Juneau announced the award of 21 grants to 22 Montana schools to increase the number of Montana students who graduate from high school prepared for college and careers, for a total of $150,000 to support local Graduation Matters initiatives across the state. The Office of Public Instruction was awarded $450,000 over three years from the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation to support community-based Graduation Matters initiatives.

Superintendent Juneau stated, "We continue to make gains on the graduation rate statewide, but we still have room for improvement." She continued, "Schools are setting high goals to improve their graduation rates and engage their entire communities in supporting student success. If these communities are successful in reaching their goals, we will be able to cut the statewide dropout rate in half by 2014."

Juneau released the latest dropout and graduation rate data from the 2010-2011 school year. In 2007, Montana established unique IDs for all students in the state and implemented a system for tracking them over time and as they move between programs, schools and districts in the state. As of 2011, Montana has four years of enrollment in its student information system, AIM, allowing OPI to use a new four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate. Montana's graduation rate has improved from 80.2% in 2010 to 82.1% in 2011. The dropout rate remained at 4.3 percent.

"Businesses, schools, families, students and non-profits are coming together across the state to talk about the future of public education in Montana," said Juneau. "The continued focus on increasing our graduation rate and improving student achievement is going to pay off in Montana for years to come."

Juneau pointed to the efforts of communities who have been focusing on improving their graduation rates with local Graduation Matters efforts. Missoula's high schools have increased their graduation rate from 84.5% in 2010 to 86.9% in 2011. Kalispell's high schools have increased their graduation rate from 73.9% in 2010 to 78.5% in 2011, and Helena increased from 75.8% in 2010 to 82.5%.

"Many of our schools spent the last year bringing their community partners together, analyzing their data and putting their plans in place, and now we can help them jump-start their efforts with the Graduation Matters Challenge Fund. The next two years will be critical for showing how working together, we can improve the economic future of individuals and our state by graduating students with the skills they need to find a good job."

Graduation Matters Challenge Fund Awards