Archive for K-12 & Higher Ed
It’s not often that state and federal changes align for the immediate benefit of Montana children as they did in the Nov. 4 elections. Seventy percent of Montana voters supported the Healthy Montana Kids initiative. On the national level, a strong supporter of the States Children’s Health Insurance Program 
was elected president. The reauthorization of SCHIP, which provides health coverage to about 6 million American children through state-federal partnerships, was one of the first accomplishments of President Barack Obama’s administration. Montana Sen. Max Baucus was a chief author of the children’s legislation, which was supported by Sen. Jon Tester and Rep. Denny Rehberg.
To read the whole story in the Billings Gazette, Click Here.
By Mike Dennison, Helena Independent Record
A bill to increase state funding for public schools by 3 percent in each of the next two years won solid endorsement from the Montana House Tuesday morning, although the final legislative word on school funding may be weeks away.
Still, the 82-18 vote in favor of the $48 million bill is a far cry from the controversy that usually stalks school-funding issues before the Legislature. Read More→
The Senate Education and Cultural Resources Committee on Tuesday heard two bills, SB 69 and SB 70, both introduced by Senator Gary Branae (D) of Billings. SB 69, titled “Increase the quality educator payment” would increase payments to $4,600 for fiscal year 2010 and subsequently to $6,200 for each succeeding fiscal year. SB 70, titled “Apply inflationary adjustments to K-12 base aid and general fund components” would provide a three percent increase in each year of the 2011 biennium in the basic entitlement, to include funding for American Indian education and the quality educator payment. Read More→
"I think that it’s going to all work out, with the changes that we have agreed to. It’s not as much (spending for some programs) as I would’ve hoped, but apparently it’s more than other people wanted. As usual, we are trying to find the middle.” 
"[On term limits:] You empower the executive, you empower the lobbyists and that's not good for the system because then we lose what the citizen Legislature brings.” 