Public News Service

A program at Montana State University has shown success in reducing the rate of youth suicide by educating students about alternatives. (Adobe Stock)

Experts want more school mental health services

Mental health experts have released a checklist for parents of students headed back to school in Montana. Research shows kids who need services are …

The latest data show 1 in 3 young females report symptoms of a mental health disorder, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)

Doctors: Prioritize mental health for Montana school kids

Montana's 166,000 students are headed back to the classroom soon. Beyond the typical school supplies like pencils, notebooks and backpacks, doctors …

Nearly half of all Montanans (482,214) have a library card, according to the state. (Adobe Stock)

Libraries sound alarm about ultra-conservative agenda

The Every Library Institute has just released a report contending the Republican Party's conservative agenda outlined in the Heritage Foundation's Pro…

Montana's 872 Commission is asking lawmakers to address the

Montana mental health experts call for more student funding

Montana is spending $300 million to improve mental health services in the state. Experts are focusing on six key areas. Montana's mental health …

The Hechinger Report's Tuition Tracker allows students to compare a school's graduation rates, which shows the likelihood of successfully completing their degree on time. That can affect affordability. (Adobe Stock)

Tuition calculator helpful for college-bound rural Montanans

For Montanans preparing to start college this fall, an interactive online Tuition Tracker can help them figure out some of the costs ahead of time…

The University of Montana is using traditional gender stereotypes in its marketing materials to attract male students, whose numbers have been down in recent years. Administrators say the campaign seems to be having an effect. (University of Montana)

UM 'leans in' to gender stereotypes to attract male students

By Jon Marcus for The Hechinger Report.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Big Sky Connection reporting for The Hechinger Report-Public News Service C…

Montana was chosen to host the $41 million Headwaters Hub partly because its rural geography makes it ideal for studying and creating jobs in photonics. (Adobe Stock)

Headwaters tech hub brings $41 million to MT

Montana has been granted $41 million to create a training and education program for new jobs in the high-tech sector. The Headwaters Hub is part of …

Montana classrooms have seen a more than 12% increase in the number of special education students, according to the latest data. (Adobe Stock)

MT disability advocates sue to stop school vouchers

Advocates for the rights of people with disabilities have joined the Montana Quality Education Association in a suit to stop a school voucher bill in …

The union that represents Montana's public school teachers has filed suit to stop a pair of school choice bills in the state. One would create Educational Savings Accounts, the other a charter school system, both of which would be funded with state education money. (Adobe Stock)

MT teachers union files pair of 'school choice' lawsuits

Montana's largest teachers union has filed two lawsuits against "school choice" measures in the state. Montana lawmakers passed House Bill 393 last …

Heart Butte, Mont., population 600, is on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. The suicide rate for Montana's Native American youth is more than five times the statewide rate for the same age group, according to the Montana Budget and Policy Center. (Amanda MorningStar)

MT Tribes grapple with crippling suicide rate

By Cheryl Platzman Weinstock for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Big Sky Connection reporting for the KFF Health News/Public News …

Montana House Bill 393, which would create Educational Savings Accounts for special education students, is scheduled to take effect July 1, 2024. Critics vow to challenge it in court. (Adobe Stock)

MT teachers oppose special-ed voucher program

The union that represents Montana teachers opposes a move to legalize private school vouchers in the state. Educational Savings Accounts, or ESAs…

Public schools and colleges are working together to build a pipeline of homegrown talent to help address the teacher shortage in Montana's K-12 classrooms. (Working Nation)

Creating a local pipeline for Montana teaching jobs

By Victoria Lim for WorkingNation.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Big Sky Connection reporting for the WorkingNation-Public News Service Collabora…

Some 43.5 million Americans have some form of federal or private student loan debt, which is 13% of the population, according to the Federal Reserve's Consumer Credit report. (Adobe Stock)

MT Sees Sluggish Signup for SAVE Program to Reduce Student Debt

The U.S. Department of Education said more than 4 million Americans have enrolled in the Biden administration's college loan repayment program…

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports there are about 220,200 openings for nursing assistants and orderlies each year over the course of a decade. (Adobe Stock)

MT Partnership Trains Nursing Assistants to Address Critical Shortage

Facing a critical shortage of front line health care workers, the Montana Department of Labor and Industry has partnered with the Blackfeet Indian …

There were 7,547 charter schools throughout the United States in the 2019-2020 school year, compared with 1,993 in the 2000-2001 school year, according to Statista. (Adobe Stock)

Parents, Teachers Sue Over Montana School Privatization

A coalition of parents and public-school teachers has sued to prevent the privatization of schools in Montana. Gov. Greg Gianforte has signed House …

The rate of children under age 19 without health insurance dropped to 5% in 2021, an estimated 4,165,000 million kids nationwide, down from 6% in 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. (Adobe Stock)

Healthy Kids Study Shows Dramatic Lack of Montana Child Care

The Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids Count Data Book ranks Montana 18th nationally in overall child well-being. The just-released numbers showed …

As of 2022, 448 statehouse reporters across the U.S. work at newspapers, making up 25% of the statehouse corps. That's down from 604 statehouse reporters - 38% of the total - in 2014. (Adobe Stock)

University Students Add to MT Statehouse Reporting

Student reporters are stepping up to fill gaps in news coverage as the number of full-time statehouse reporters continues to decline. State …

Miles Community College is a small college in eastern Montana. (David Schott/Wikimedia Commons)

Report: Students Happy with College's 'Digital Transformation'

Digital learning has become the new normal for colleges since the pandemic, and a report finds community college students are largely satisfied with …

Blackfeet Community College is in Browning, Mont. in Glacier County near the Canadian border. (David Adamec/Wikimedia Commons)

Grant Boosts Student Parents at MT Tribal College

A grant is helping student parents at a college in northwestern Montana. The Aspen Institute has announced Blackfeet Community College and seven …

More than 78,000 Montanans who received Pell grants were eligible for up to $20,000 in student debt relief under President Biden's loan forgiveness program. (zimmytws/Adobe Stock)

MT Student Borrowers Await Fate of Loan Forgiveness Program

About 120,000 Montanans qualified for the Biden administration's student loan forgiveness program, but the program's future is still in limbo…

Little Big Horn College in Montana is one of 32 fully accredited Tribal Colleges and Universities in the United States. (Photo courtesy lbc.org)

Native Americans Urged to Vote with Higher Ed in Mind

Montana is home to seven tribal colleges and universities. Higher education leaders for Indigenous populations say they hope to see strong turnout …

Miles Community College is in the eastern Montana town of Miles City, which has population of less than 9,000. (David Schott/Wikimedia Commons)

Virtual Learning Shrinks Distances for MT's Rural Students

Montana's big landscapes and sparse populations present a challenge to colleges and universities. But the internet is shrinking distances for the …

Before a waiver closed its loopholes, only about 7,000 people qualified for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program started in 2007. (Brian Jackson/Adobe Stock)

Total Student Debt Cancellation Possible for MT Nonprofit Workers

The Biden administration made a big announcement canceling student debt last week, but another program could be just as impactful for workers at …

A new policy initiative to help Montana students graduate will provide support through 2024. (Jos/Adobe Stock)

Initiative to Help MT's Underserved Students Complete College

Montana's effort to increase college graduation numbers is getting a boost from a new grant. The nonprofit Complete College America has chosen the …

The image, above, was made by Kirby Lambert, one of the winners of the first Montana meme photo contest in 2020. (Montana Memory Project)

MT State Library Memes History with Photo Contest

The Montana historical meme contest is back and history has never felt so relevant in the internet age. The Montana State Library began the contest …

Despite a limited number across the state, some Montana school districts didn't prioritize counselors with COVID-19 relief funds. (Mr Doomits/Adobe Stock)

Teen Depression Underscores Important Role of School Counselors

More than two years into the pandemic, depression among teenagers is up, and one way to support kids' mental health could be through school …

The federal government announced its overhaul of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program last year. (Stephanie Zieber/Adobe Stock)

Gratitude, Relief for Public Workers Who Saw Student Debt Erased

Changes to a federal loan-forgiveness program are erasing debt for public employees, but people have a limited window to consolidate their debt under …

Individualized Education Programs are written plans that outline services for children with disabilities. (insta_photos/Adobe Stock)

Montana Center 'Empowers' Parents of Children with Disabilities

Navigating education can be difficult for parents of children with disabilities. An organization in Montana is dedicated to assisting families in …

Violet Hopkins had been paying off her student debt for more than a decade when she got news it had been forgiven. (Courtesy of Violet Hopkins)

Public Service Loan-Forgiveness Overhaul Brings Relief for Montanans

Changes to a student-loan program for public-service employees is transforming the lives of Montanans who had their debts forgiven. In October…

More than three dozen states require at least one civics course before students graduate. (goodluz/Adobe Stock)

Improving Civics Education Could Engage Future Voters

2022 is a big election year, but becoming a more informed voter starts before people are eligible to cast a ballot, with civics education. Although …

More than one in four people in a recent survey said when payments resume in February, they'll be paying at least one-third of their income toward student loans. (Vitalii Vodolazskyi/Adobe Stock)

Financial Tips as Student-Loan Payments Set to Resume Soon

GREAT FALLS, Mont. - Student-loan borrowers have had a reprieve from making payments during the pandemic, but that's set to end in 2022. Starting in …

Young people who are transitioning out of foster care could be spending the holidays without a support system. (Brian/Adobe Stock)

Aging Out of Foster Care System Presents Challenges for MT Youth

MISSOULA, Mont. - Young people who age out of the foster care program face unique challenges. Those challenges can feel especially acute and …

Students now have to show a second form of identification if they use their student ID to register to vote in Montana. (Jos/Adobe Stock)

Students Targeted by MT Legislation This Session

HELENA, Mont. - Montana students were the subject of multiple pieces of legislation during this year's session. Amara Reese-Hansell, program …

A law allowing concealed carry of firearms on Montana colleges and universities is set to go into effect on June 1. (jonbilous/Adobe Stock)

MT University System Holds Hearing on Concealed Carry on Campuses

HELENA, Mont. -- Montanans have a chance to weigh in on firearms on college campuses at a listening session today. Gov. Greg Gianforte signed a …

The University of Montana is holding satellite voting events Tuesday through Friday this week. (jonbilous/Adobe Stock)

Satellite Sites on MT Campuses Help Students Vote

MISSOULA, Mont. -- Satellite voting offices on Montana college campuses are helping to get students to the polls this week. On Tuesday, there will …

About 67,000 Montana kids were eligible for free and reduced-price lunches during the 2019-2020 school year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Africa Studio/Adobe Stock)

MT Families Receive Funds for Missed School Meals

HELENA, Mont. -- Students who qualify for free and reduced-price meals missed out on those meals when school closed down in March. But a program …

The University of Montana's MonTECH program offers free, 30-day loans of its assistive-technology equipment across the state. (MonTECH)

Assistive Tech 'Lifeline' for MT Students with Disabilities During Pandemic

MISSOULA, Mont. -- Technology from the University of Montana will provide a big assist to students living with disabilities as the school year begins…

The HEROES Act would provide $26 billion to public colleges and universities nationwide. (Jitze Couperus/Flickr)

Higher-Ed Faculty Call for Funding to Safely Reopen MT Schools

HELENA, Mont. -- Higher-education institutions will need major investments to safely reopen this fall, according to Montana faculty. Nationwide…

Some Montana legislators say the state will need to make cuts across the board because of a dip in revenue. (Erik Madsen/Flickr)

MT Educators Counting on Fed, State Assistance to Reopen

HELENA, Mont. -- Montana is drawing up plans to reopen public schools in the fall. Educators say they'll need assistance from the state and federal …

Public schools on Montana reservations are more likely to have law enforcement on campus, according to a new report. (bartsadowski/Adobe Stock)

Report: Native Students Suspended, Arrested 6 Times More Often

HELENA, Mont. - Indigenous students are disciplined more often and more severely than their white peers in Montana public schools, according to a new …

Montana schools are required to have bullying prevention plans. (soupstock/Adobe Stock)

Bullying Prevention Month: 'No One Should Be a Bystander'

HELENA, Mont. – October is National Bullying Prevention Month, bringing awareness to this issue's growing impact on students. According to …

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends lead levels in drinking water not exceed one part per billion in schools. (Rafael Ben-Ari/Adobe Stock)

MT Takes Comments on Requiring Schools to Test for Lead

HELENA, Mont. – A proposed rule change in Montana would require schools to test for contaminants like lead in their water systems every quarter…

A U.S. Supreme Court decision could decide the fate of amendments barring public-school funding for religious schools in 37 states. (Daderot/Wikimedia Commons)

SCOTUS to Hear MT Case that Could Alter Public-School Funding

HELENA, Mont. - The U.S. Supreme Court next term will hear a case out of Montana about tax credits for private religious schools which could have …

An Annie E. Casey Foundation report finds more children in Montana graduated high school on time in 2017 compared to 2010. (U.S. Forest Service/Flickr)

Analysis: MT Makes Small Gains in Child Well-Being

HELENA, Mont. – Montana saw modest progress in a number of markers for child well-being, according to a new report. The Annie E. Casey …

With the election over, eyes turn to the Montana legislative session and other political gatherings. (Drew Tarvin/Flickr)

How to Keep Montana College Students Engaged Post-Election

MISSOULA, Mont. – Voting soared among students in Montana and across the country for the midterm election. But now that the election is over…

Montana youths who have been in the foster care system can struggle to find a place to live, with only 48 percent reporting stable housing by age 21. (Andres Rodriguez/Flickr)

Report: Instability Hurts Trajectories of MT Foster Children

HELENA, Mont. – New research highlights the instability young people in foster care face in Montana, and the barriers this can create as they …

Supporting young parents also helps their children succeed later in life. (melissadoar/Twenty20)

Report: Supporting Young Mont. Parents Boosts Two Generations

HELENA, Mont. — Parenting can be a challenge for even the most financially secure Montanans, but the hardships can be even greater for young …

In a recent survey, nearly three-quarters of respondents said schools need to change how they teach Native American history and culture. (Ryan Red Corn)

Report Offers "Road Map" for Native Americans to Shed Stereotypes

HELENA, Mont. – A new report explores how Native Americans are perceived in the United States, and according to one of its project leaders…

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MT: Education