Program Officer

The Montana Board of Public Education is seeking a passionate and public service-oriented individual to fill the position of a Program Officer. 

Montana Board of Public Education Overview

The Board of Public Education was created by the Montana Constitution of 1972 to exercise general supervision over the elementary and secondary schools of the state. The Board consists of seven members appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate to staggered seven-year terms.

Additional information about the Montana Board of Public Education can be found by visiting our “About Us” webpage HERE.

Mission Statement

The Board of Public Education has a mission statement as directed by the Montana Constitution, which states, "There is a board of public education to exercise general supervision over the public school system and such other public educational institutions as assigned by law".  The Board of Public Education was established to supervise, serve, maintain, and strengthen Montana's system of free quality public elementary and secondary schools.

About this Opportunity

Job Overview

This position is a Program Officer for the Board of Public Education, an autonomous body constitutionally mandated to exercise general supervision over Montana’s elementary and secondary schools consisting of non-salaried citizens appointed by the Governor for seven-year terms. 

This position supports the public charter school program, as well as other various policy and research duties.

The essential functions of the position include the following:

Public Charter School Program (75%):

• Monitors, evaluates, and reports to the Executive Director on charter school trends, policies, and practices.
• Supports public school districts in applying for public charter school status, evaluates applications, coordinates interviews, and organizes applicant materials.
• Works directly with authorized public charter schools to open, operate, create and send reports.
• Works with the Executive Director to develop and revise policies and procedures, including updating administrative rules or revising statutes, in conjunction with the Montana Legislature, as necessary.
• Assesses program and public charter school needs to ensure that program objectives are being met. Makes recommendations to the Executive Director on evaluating public charter schools, approving and denying proposals, and other ongoing policies and procedures.
• Other duties may be assigned by the executive director pertaining to public charter schools or charter schools in general.

General Policy and Research (25%):

• Assists in policy development and special projects.
• Supports the coordination of policies, operations, and implementation of legislative proposals, initiatives, or statutes.
• Conducts research on education policy issues, including legislation, best practices, and program outcomes.
• Collects, organizes, and maintains data.
• Drafts memos, correspondence, and other communications. 

Competencies:

• This position requires knowledge of education principles and practices, including knowledge of public-school law and administrative rules.
• This position must be able to research, analyze, and keep up to date with educational trends, specifically those related to charter school activity.
• This position must have excellent written and oral communication skills, as well as the ability to schedule and coordinate meetings and travel.
• This position must be able to build positive working relationships with educational leaders and school district personnel to foster support for public education and the Board of Public Education’s decisions and initiatives.