Education
Native American graduation rates up at Northern, campus earned $3.4M federal award
Montana State University-Northern is pushing up Native American student retention and graduation rates, according to a report last week to the Board of Regents. “Our work exemplifies the value of departments and divisions working together for a common shared goal, and that being American Indian student achievement,” said Margarett Campbell, director of American Indian Education, […]
Freedom of speech is under attack in public schools, U.S. House panel told
Students and teachers told U.S. House members during a Thursday hearing that their right to talk about race and LGBTQ+ issues in public schools is being silenced due to an onslaught of new state laws as well as pressure on school boards from right-wing advocates. “To be crystal clear, this is about disrupting and destroying […]
Board of Regents approves ‘Gianforte Hall’ at Montana State University
Gianforte Hall will be the name of a new computing building at Montana State University in Bozeman with approval this week by the Board of Regents and a $50 million gift from the Gianforte Family Foundation to MSU. “We want to one more time thank the Gianforte Family Foundation for the generosity of this gift […]
Montana health department applies for federal money for children’s meals
In a change of course, the Department of Public Health and Human Services announced Friday it submitted a plan to receive federal dollars for food for children for the school year, making Montana eligible for summer funding as well, the latter amount earlier estimated at $36.6 million. “This program has been a valuable resource for […]
Montana child care providers, families, demonstrate for equity, better pay
BriAnne Moline is a child care provider, and even though her Wild Wonders Early Learning Program is rated a four STAR operation, she competes with fast food restaurants for staff. She counts three employees and has expanded her business despite red tape, but Moline said she still turns away more than four families a week […]
‘Parent rights’ candidates lose school board races, union ‘aggressive’ in wins
Jim Riley’s phone rang around 6 a.m. the day after most of the school board candidates he’d supported lost their bids to be public school trustees. Riley, co-founder of an organization “seeking to ensure a constitutional future,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen was on the phone. She apologized for the early call, he […]
Schweyen lawsuit against University of Montana to proceed
A discrimination lawsuit filed by former University of Montana head basketball Coach Shannon Schweyen will proceed in court, and the case does not require arbitration, as UM argued, according to a Thursday order from a U.S. District Court judge in Missoula. In a complaint filed in November, Schweyen alleged the Missoula flagship discriminated against her […]
Voters reject levy for Bitterroot Valley Community College
Voters rejected a levy Tuesday that would have paid to operate the Bitterroot Valley Community College, with 7,425 opposing it and 5,237 supporting it, according to results from the Ravalli County Elections Office. That’s 58.6 percent against it, and 41.4 percent for it. Turnout was 41.89 percent, higher than usual, according to Carianna Newton with […]
University of Montana poll: Quality of life down, growth too fast
Montanans value public lands and wildlife, but 57 percent consider the rate of growth in the state to be too fast, and 55 percent report their quality of life has gotten worse in the last five years. That’s according to poll results of the Montana Statewide Survey 2022 released Tuesday by the University of Montana […]
Congress expands Brown v. Board of Education historic site beyond Kansas
The U.S. House cleared a bill Tuesday that would expand the Kansas site honoring the U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning school segregation, adding National Park Service sites in other states to commemorate their roles in the decision as well. The bill would designate sites related to school desegregation cases in Virginia, Delaware, South Carolina and the District […]
MSU-Billings launches new institute to help kids with autism, behavior disabilities
Montana, like most states, struggles with recruiting enough mental health providers and specialists to fill what seems like an ever-widening gap. Like many rural states, getting the right services can mean travel of hundreds of miles for some. However, a new venture launched by Montana State University-Billings looks to provide services to youth, especially those […]
Cybersecurity poses risk for Montana universities, also small businesses
Montana’s flagship campuses pledged Tuesday to shore up their cybersecurity, but University of Montana President Seth Bodnar said similar threats to small businesses also can be devastating. Roughly 45 percent of cybersecurity attacks are against small businesses, and of those that face attacks, some 60 percent fold, Bodnar said. He and a Montana State University-Bozeman […]