The state of Montana education

Leaders of Montana’s K–12 and higher education systems convened on the University of Montana campus Friday to discuss strategic goals and ongoing challenges to improve the quality of education for students across the state.

Addressing an in-person meeting of the State Board of Education, Gov. Greg Gianforte gushed about the scenes he’s witnessed firsthand this year in classrooms from Frenchtown to Glendive. He lauded the passage of a new law in the 2021 Legislature that provides incentives for schools to increase starting teacher pay and efforts to increase financial aid for college students and expand flexibilities in licensing of qualified teachers in Montana. However, Gianfore said the state also faces “heavy-handed mandates” from Washington, D.C., that “threaten our schools and students.”

“I’ll continue working with Superintendent [Elsie] Arntzen and our congressional delegation to rescind the CDC illegal mask mandate on school busses,” Gianforte said. “I’ll also continue working with Attorney General [Austin] Knudsen to prevent vaccine mandates, which are illegal in Montana. While I continue to encourage Montanans to consult their health care provider in getting vaccinated, they should do so voluntarily, not under an edict that has not been passed through the legislative process.”