Republican Susie Hedalen to take the helm at Montana’s Office of Public Instruction

Republican Susie Hedalen has won the race to replace outgoing state Superintendent Elsie Arntzen, defeating Democratic rival Shannon O’Brien by more than 103,000 votes in a contest called by the Associated Press at about 3:30 a.m. Wednesday. Hedalen will take the helm of Montana’s Office of Public Instruction in January, leading the agency charged with overseeing the state’s K-12 public school system.

Hedalen proclaimed victory late Tuesday night in a speech to supporters in Bozeman, saying she looks forward to “collaborating with parents, teachers and school leaders across the state of Montana to bring our education system to the next level.”

“My promise to you is this: I will work tirelessly to honor our families, support our teachers and ensure every child in Montana, from the smallest rural schools to our largest districts, has the opportunity to succeed,” Hedalen said. She also vowed to protect “Montana values,” adding, “yes, that means we do not allow boys in girls sports.”

In a phone call with MTFP after her speech, Hedalen said her first priority after taking office will be to address internal challenges that have plagued OPI for much of the past eight years — namely, a more than 150% staff turnover rate that has raised concerns about a loss of institutional knowledge at the agency.

“It’s time to get to work and make sure we have staff in every area needed at the Office of Public Instruction, have a strong team in place and prepare for the legislative session … to make sure we’re advocating for our schools,” Hedalen told MTFP.

O’Brien’s campaign released a concession statement just after 8 a.m. Wednesday, with O’Brien writing that it has been “an honor” to travel the state visiting with teachers, students and parents committed to public education.

“Unfortunately we came up short,” O’Brien wrote, “but I wish Susie the best as she takes on the challenges our kids and schools are facing.”

Both Hedalen and O’Brien spent the campaign showcasing their respective ties to education, having each worked as a public school teacher in the past. O’Brien later served as education policy adviser to former Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock, and has spent the past two legislative sessions crafting bills on several education committees as a state Senator from Missoula. A former deputy superintendent under Arntzen, Hedalen is currently the superintendent of the Townsend School District — the most recent of several Montana districts she’s led — and serves as co-chair of Montana’s Board of Public Education.

While Hedalen and O’Brien each took issue with the other’s qualifications during the lead-up to Nov. 5, the two have expressed similar core values when it comes to the K-12 public school system: valuing teachers, supporting students, and recognizing the interests and contributions of parents. O’Brien pledged to leverage her existing legislative network to press for more funding for education; Hedalen vowed to apply the insights she’s gleaned firsthand in local school hallways when addressing the daily challenges those schools face. 

Perhaps the biggest priority the two shared in this particular contest is to rebuild an agency that’s experienced staff turnover and public controversy during Arntzen’s eight-year tenure. Arntzen — whose Republican political career in Montana spanned two decades and includes stints in the state House, state Senate, and two failed Republican primary bids for Congress — became an increasingly polarizing figure in recent years among certain education leaders. Her office’s handling of millions of dollars in federal COVID-19 relief funding prompted the brief revocation of OPI’s independent contracting authority in 2023 and a recent scathing report from legislative auditors, while her political rhetoric and attempts to scale back certain staffing requirements for schools fueled widespread concern among educators and district officials.

Both candidates spent the final week ahead of Election Day on the road, connecting with voters and educators and promoting their message. Hedalen’s stops included Billings, Livingston and Hamilton, where she visited new public charter schools approved by the Board of Public Education and discussed her goal to further enhance trades-based education. O’Brien trekked to rallies in Stevensville and Bozeman, appearing alongside fellow Democrats including U.S. Sen. Jon Tester and gubernatorial candidate Ryan Busse to encourage Montanans to get out and vote.

While O’Brien had a strong showing in several counties adjacent to American Indian reservations, Hedalen’s 20-point lead included sweeping victories in rural counties throughout the state as well as commanding leads in Yellowstone and Flathead counties.