Montana children will have access to a supplemental nutrition program that will help address food insecurity caused by the sudden closure of schools in March.
Category Archives: Education
An Outstanding Return on Investment: Tribal Colleges and Their Contributions to Montana
Tribal colleges are critical in providing many Montanans, Indian and non-Indian, with a pathway to higher education and the ability to prepare for the workforce. Tribal colleges also provide rural communities with jobs and contribute substantially to the economic health of our state. Montana should continue to prioritize its investment to support students attending the […]
Investing in Pre-K: Frequently Asked Questions
Montana can afford to invest in its youngest learners and will experience significant dividends on that investment.
This report answers many questions related to investing in pre-Kindergarten including:
What does quality pre-K really mean? Why should Montana invest in pre-K? How does pre-K impact children? Do the positive effects of pre-K last? How does investing in pre-K help families? How does investing in pre-K hep businesses?How does investing in pre-K help the state economy? What preschool programs are currently available in Montana?
New Research on the Benefits of Early Childhood Education
With Governor Bullock proposing to invest $12 million on early childhood education, policymakers and parents are wondering how long the benefits of preschool last. A new study of early education programs in North Carolina helps to answer that question.
NorthWestern Energy’s Property Re-Valued and Taxes Go Down: Who Is Going to Pay?
We learned this week that the Department of Revenue settled a property tax dispute with NorthWestern Energy, which will lower the overall market value of its centrally-assessed property from what DOR had originally certified as the value for 2016.
Teacher Shortage Spells Trouble
A shortage of teachers in our public schools spells trouble.
The Great Recession caused just that – a dramatic decrease in the number educators available to teach our children.
New report shows some wealthy taxpayers can turn a profit off school privatization tax credits
A new report released today takes a look at states’ tax expenditures that benefit private K-12 schools, revealing that some wealthy taxpayers can actually turn a profit from these tax credits. You’ll recall that the Montana legislature passed one of these measures last session, which went into law in 2015. The bill (SB 410) allows a taxpayer to take a tax credit for a donation to an organization that provides scholarships to private school students.
Child Care in Montana: Access to Affordable and Quality Care
In today’s economy, more and more families struggle to get by on low wages and to provide resources that enable their children to succeed.
Educators link tax cuts measures and lack of investment in education
A few weeks ago, the Montana Budget and Policy Center released its new report – The Montana We Could Be. The report details how the income tax cuts passed in 2003, which largely benefited wealthiest households – has resulted in millions in lost revenue. This revenue could have gone to targeted investments into our communities. One area of focus is the ongoing needs in infrastructure – maintaining roads and bridges, water systems, and quality schools.
GUEST BLOG: A Brighter Future Because of Tribal College
Today, the Montana Budget and Policy Center will hear from one Montanan and her story what tribal college means to her.
The tribal college on my reservation has impacted my life more than any other organization, which is ironic because I never planned on attending college. I grew up in St.