The Division of Educational Research and Service:
DERS’ initial work stemmed from a $25,000 grant awarded by the Kellogg Foundation that was announced by then Dean of Education, Dr. Linus Carleton, on May 24, 1956. The four-year study was part of the nationwide Cooperative Program in Educational Administration to measure administrative "effectiveness" and for educational consulting services.
To this day, externally sponsored projects remain central to the DERS organization. Current projects support an array of teaching, research and service activities which focus on: school safety issues; language and literacy development; model, inclusive, preschool programs for students with diverse abilities; community policing; childhood behavioral health and mental healt initiatives; and projects that support teacher's training in technology.
After half a century of projects such as those listed above, DERS remains committed to promoting meaningful exchanges between educational institutions that are relevant, research based, and supportive of the well being of Montana’s communities. While respecting DERS history and the connections the program has made throughout the years, project members look forward to the future and to new program opportunities that will allow us to better serve our children and further reach out to underserved areas in the state.