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Board of Public Education holds public hearing on proposed early-literacy and early-childhood rule amendments
Summary
The Board of Public Education held a Jan. 6, 2026, public hearing to collect oral comments on proposed amendments to ARM rules for early literacy targeted intervention and early childhood education standards; no attendees offered oral comment and the written comment period remained open until 5 p.m. that day.
McCall Flynn, executive director of the Board of Public Education, opened a Jan. 6, 2026, public hearing to collect verbal comments on proposed amendments to administrative rules governing early literacy targeted intervention (ARM 10.54.901–10.54.903) and early childhood education standards (ARM 10.63.101–10.63.115).
"I am McCall Flynn, executive director at the Board of Public Education," Flynn said, and told attendees the hearing was being recorded to inform the executive director's report to the board. Flynn said published notice of the rulemaking appears in the Montana Administrative Register (notice number 2025 or 79.1, published Dec. 5, 2025) and summarized the notice paragraphs, which describe the proposed rule changes, hearing logistics, and accommodations for people with disabilities.
Flynn reminded the public that written comments concerning the proposed rules could be submitted until 5 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2026, and gave instructions for submission: by mail to PO Box 20601, Helena, MT 59620, or by email to bpe@mt.gov. The executive director also provided a phone contact for the Board's office (406-444-6576). "Written comments concerning these rules may be submitted until 5PM today, 01/06/2026," Flynn said.
The hearing was a formal public-comment session conducted under the Montana Administrative Procedures Act (MAPA); Flynn emphasized it was not a question-and-answer forum and asked that proposed language changes be submitted in writing. He said the Board will summarize oral comments and respond to them in the Montana Administrative Register as part of the rulemaking process.
Flynn opened the virtual floor to attendees in the waiting room and asked commenters to "raise your hand" to be promoted to speak. "Seeing no hands, I will conclude that the hearing is now over," Flynn said; Flynn then noted that the record would remain open until the stated 5 p.m. deadline. The Board of Public Education is scheduled to consider these rules at its next meeting in January 2026 in Helena.
The record for this hearing includes the oral remarks and any written comments submitted by the stated deadline; the Board will incorporate a summary of testimony and written submissions into its report when it takes up the rules for decision.
