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MISSOULA- Teachers might say nothing compares to the gift of reading, but about 300 Montana teachers received a reading gift as big as it gets.

A donation from Disney Publishing Worldwide in partnership with Feed the Children and First Book will put 25,000 books in the hands of Montana students.

The Montana Office of Public Instruction distributed 50 to 60 books to each teacher attending the annual Title I conference at Missoula's Holiday Inn Downtown at the Park on Wednesday.

While the conference happens every year, a book delivery like this is rare. Office of Public Instruction Title I Director BJ Granbery said these educators don't have this kind of money in their budget for books, and now the possibilities are endless.

"They can either keep them at the school and make sure students get use of them, or they can actually give them to the students to take home, for example, for summer reading," Granbery said. "They would not have the budget to buy that kind of array and number of books otherwise."

The books will go to students in Title I schools across Montana, which serve economically disadvantaged and academically challenged children.

Also at the conference, the Office of Public Instruction recognized Missoula's DeSmet School for "closing the achievement gap" and St. Regis Elementary for "high academic achievement."