(1) Organization of the Office of Public Instruction.

(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.

(b) The office consists of the following three divisions:

(i) Operations;

(ii) Data and IT; and

(iii) Education Services.

(A) Each division is headed by a chief officer. Operations and Education Services are further broken down into departments. See functional charts.

(c) 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.

(d) The superintendent serves on boards, commissions, and councils as provided in the Constitution of the State of Montana and laws enacted by the Montana Legislature.

(e) 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 for Indian Education. These councils have no rulemaking or adjudicating authority.

(2) Functions of divisions:

(a) The Division of Operations performs the general fiscal administrative support functions for the office. Its activities include purchasing, information and education, accounting, budgeting, payroll, personnel, statistics, reports, and records management. This division has no rulemaking or adjudicating functions under the Montana Administrative Procedure Act.

(b) The Division of Data and IT's primary function is to provide technology support and assistance to OPI users and school districts using OPI's various data management systems. The division also operates the Computers for Schools program (18-6-101, MCA) that distributes surplus computer equipment from all state agencies for use in schools and classrooms. Services provided by the division include supporting all of the data collection, management, reporting and analysis activities at the OPI. The division also provides helpdesk support, IT and data security services, systems development, database management, network and server administration, computer desktop support, information storage, video recording and production, web development, and digital communications services.

(c) The Education Services Division houses the programs and services that support schools, teachers, students, and families. Programs and services include special education, school nutrition, traffic education, health and safety programs, federal programs, school improvement, Indian Education for All, Indian Student Achievement, school support, tribal relations and resiliency, teaching and learning, assessment, career, technical and adult education, standards and instruction, and professional learning.

(3) General inquiries regarding the office may be addressed to the superintendent. Specific information regarding the functions of a department may be addressed to the deputy superintendent. All requests for hearings, declaratory rulings, and for participation in rulemaking may be addressed to the superintendent unless notice in the Montana Administrative Register makes specific provisions for submissions.

(4) The address for the superintendent and administrators for each department is the Office of Public Instruction, P.O. Box 202501, Helena, Montana 59620-2501.

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