Education

The Montana’s Board of Regents has given approval for Montana State University to name a computer science department building the Gianforte School of Computing.

Highlands College of Montana Tech will use the $1 million of federal funding given to the Butte-Silver Bow county as pandemic aid to provide workforce development, education and training.

The Salish Kootenai College launched a program this fall that aims to train the next generation of fire, wildlife and forest managers in the Columbia River Basin in Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon. It's the first master’s program at the Pablo-based four-year school on the Flathead Indian Reservation.

The plaintiffs allege the board didn’t give proper public notice before it voted against an update to the Montana teacher code of ethics developed by an education advisory council that would have included “equity” as part of the code.

Public schools have been able to provide free meals to all students regardless of their families’ income because of waivers Congress passed at the start of the pandemic. But families could soon have to start paying for their kids’ lunches again as food prices rise.

Spending to educate public school students in Montana increased by more than $1,200 per pupil during the last year.

The Montana Office of Public Instruction says about 19% of school districts in the state are taking part in a new incentive program to raise starting teacher pay next year.

The Finishing Trades Institute of the Upper Midwest will provide for students at its newest program housed at Helena College, which will soon start enrolling students. It offers specialties in painting, drywall finishing and glazing, among others.

Providing a mental health service for high-needs students has become more complicated for Montana’s school districts. Some are opting for other services that advocates and mental-health providers say are inadequate.

Montana education officials adopted some new language for a teachers’ code of ethics, resulting in objection from the governor and superintendent of public instruction.