Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction

General information
Office Type: | Partisan
Office website: | Official Link
Compensation: | $116,378
2022 FY Budget: | $1,069,323,536
Term limits: | Two terms in any 16 year period
Structure
Length of term: |  4 years
Authority: | Montana Constitution, Article VI, Section 1 the Executive Department
Selection Method: | Elected
Current Officeholder
Elsie Arntzen
Elections
Next election: | 2024
Last election: | November 3, 2020
Other Montana Executive Offices
Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Public Instruction • Agriculture Director • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Director • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission

## Contents

* 1 Current officeholder
* 2 Authority
* 3 Qualifications
* 4 Elections
* 4.1 2020
* 4.2 2016
* 4.3 2012
* 5 Vacancies
* 6 Duties
* 7 Divisions
* 8 State budget
* 9 Compensation
* 9.1 2020
* 9.2 2019
* 9.3 2018
* 9.4 2017
* 9.5 2016
* 9.6 2015
* 9.7 2014
* 9.8 2013
* 9.9 2010
* 10 Historical officeholders
* 11 Recent news
* 12 Contact information
* 13 See also
* 14 External links
* 15 Footnotes

The Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction is an elected state executive position in the Montana state government.

The superintendent serves as head of the Montana Office of Public Instruction, whose mission statement is to provide "vision, advocacy, support and leadership for schools and communities to ensure that all students meet today's challenges and tomorrow's opportunities."[1][2]

## Current officeholder[edit]

The current officeholder is Republican Elsie Arntzen. She was elected in 2016 and was sworn into office on January 2, 2017.[3][4]

## Authority[edit]

The state Constitution addresses the office of superintendent of public instruction in Article VI, the Executive Department.

Under Article VI, Section I:

The executive branch includes a governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, superintendent of public instruction...

## Qualifications[edit]

A candidate for superintendent of public instruction must be:

* at least 25 years of age or older at the time of election
* a citizen of the United States
* have resided within the state at least two years at his election
* have such educational qualifications as are provided by law[5]

## Elections[edit]

Montana state government organizational chart

Article VI of the Montana State Constitution stipulates that the superintendent of public instruction is a publicly elected official who serves a term of four years. According to Article IV, Section 8, no official may serve more than eight years within any 16-year period.

### 2020[edit]

See also: Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction election, 2020

General election candidates

* Elsie Arntzen (Incumbent) (Republican Party) ✔
* Melissa Romano (Democratic Party)
* Kevin Leatherbarrow (Libertarian Party)

* * *

= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
Democratic primary candidates

* Melissa Romano ✔

* * *

= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
Republican primary candidates

* Elsie Arntzen (Incumbent) ✔

Third Party primary candidates

Libertarian Party

This primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:

* Kevin Leatherbarrow ✔

* * *

= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

### 2016[edit]

See also: Montana Superintendent of Schools election, 2016

The general election for superintendent of public instruction was held on November 8, 2016.

### 2012[edit]

See also: Montana down ballot state executive elections, 2012

Incumbent Denise Juneau (D) narrowly defeated Sandy Welch (R) to win re-election in the November 6, 2012 general election. The race initially went to a recount, but Welch dropped the issue due to the cost.

Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction General Election, 2012

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Democratic  | Denise Juneau Incumbent | 50.2% | 235,397
| Republican  |  Sandy Welch  | 49.8% | 233,166
Total Votes | 468,563
Election results via Montana Secretary of State

## Vacancies[edit]

Details of vacancies are addressed under Article VI, Section 6.

If the superintendent of public instruction's office is vacant due to death, resignation, or disability, the governor shall appoint a new superintendent of public instruction.[6]

## Duties[edit]

The Montana Code addresses the duties of the superintendent of public instruction in Title 20-3-105.

* (1) keep a record of official acts and all documents applicable to the administration of the office, preserve all official reports submitted to the superintendent for the period required by law, and surrender them to the superintendent's successor at the expiration of the term;
* (2) preserve all books, educational media, instructional equipment, and any other articles of educational interest and value that come into the superintendent's possession and surrender them to the superintendent's successor at the expiration of the term;
* (3) cause the printing and distribution of all reports and forms necessary for the proper conduct of business by a district or school in the manner prescribed by the provisions of this title;
* (4) provide and keep an official seal of the superintendent of public instruction by which official acts must be authenticated;
* (5) if considered necessary, cause the printing of a complete and updated volume of the school laws of the state, which must be offered and sold at cost of the printing and shipping to any school official or other person;
* (6) whenever a replacement volume is not printed under the provisions of subsection (5), cause the printing of a cumulative supplement to the most recent volume of school laws immediately after the conclusion of any session of the legislature at which new school laws or amendments to the school laws were adopted. It must be offered and sold at cost of the printing and shipping to any school official or other person.
* (7) counsel with and advise county superintendents on matters involving the welfare of the schools and, when requested, give a county superintendent a written answer to any question concerning school law;
* (8) call an annual meeting of the county superintendents when considered advisable;
* (9) as far as practicable, address public assemblies on subjects pertaining to education in Montana; and
* (10) faithfully work in all practical and possible ways for the welfare of the public schools of the state.[7]

## Divisions[edit]

As of January 27, 2021, the office contained the following divisions:

* Operations
* Education Services[8]

## State budget[edit]

See also: Montana state budget and finances

The Montana Office of Public Instruction's budget for Fiscal Year 2022 was $1,069,323,536.[9]

## Compensation[edit]

The state Constitution addresses compensation of executive officials in Article VI, Section 5.

Under Article VI, Section 5(1):

Officers of the executive branch shall receive salaries provided by law.

### 2020[edit]

In 2020, the superintendent received a salary of $116,378, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]

### 2019[edit]

In 2019, the superintendent received a salary of $107,127, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]

### 2018[edit]

In 2018, the superintendent received a salary of $107,127, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]

### 2017[edit]

In 2017, the superintendent received a salary of $104,635, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]

### 2016[edit]

In 2016, the superintendent received a salary of $104,635, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]

### 2015[edit]

In 2015, the superintendent received a salary of $104,635, according to the Council of State Governments.[15]

### 2014[edit]

In 2014, the superintendent earned a salary of $104,635, according to the Council of State Governments.[16]

### 2013[edit]

In 2013, the superintendent earned a salary of $104,635, according to the Council of State Governments.[17]

### 2010[edit]

In 2010, the superintendent earned a salary of $104,635, according to the Council of State Governments.[18]

## Historical officeholders[edit]

Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.

## Recent news[edit]

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction - Google News

## Contact information[edit]

The Montana Office of Public Instruction
Post Office Box 202501
Helena, MT 59620-2501

Phone: 406-444-3095
Toll Free: 888-231-9393
Email: OPISupt@mt.gov

## See also[edit]

Montana | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis

|
|

Montana State Executive Offices Montana State Legislature Montana Courts |  2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 Montana elections: 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 |  Party control of state government State government trifectas State of the state addresses Partisan composition of governors

* Montana school districts
* Montana Department of Education
* Public education in Montana

## External links[edit]

| Suggest a link

|

* Montana Office of Public Instruction

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ Montana Office of Public Instruction, "Homepage," accessed January 27, 2021
2. ↑ Montana Legislature, "Title 20, Chapter 3, Part 1," accessed January 27, 2021
3. ↑ Helena Independent Record, "Governor calls for bipartisanship, says Montana can be 'shining example,'" January 2, 2017
4. ↑ Montana Office of Public Instruction, "Homepage," accessed January 27, 2021
5. ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "Montana Constitution," accessed January 27, 2021
6. ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "Montana Constitution," accessed January 27, 2021
7. ↑ Montana Legislature, "Title 20, Chapter 3, Part 1," accessed January 27, 2021
8. ↑ Governor's Office of Budget & Program Planning, "2021 Biennium Executive Budget," accessed January 26, 2021
9. ↑ Governor's Office of Budget & Program Planning, "2022 Biennium Executive Budget," accessed September 15, 2021
10. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2020," accessed January 26, 2021
11. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed January 26, 2021
12. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed January 26, 2021
13. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed January 26, 2021
14. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
15. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
16. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed December 3, 2014
17. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Table 4.11 Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 30, 2014
18. ↑ The Council of State Governments, "The Book of States 2010 Table 4.11," accessed June 22, 2011

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