Last Friday, Governor Gianforte traveled to Billings with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen, visiting Elder Grove Elementary School where he read “The Cat in the Hat” to first graders. Gianforte and Arntzen then visited with administrators, teachers, and parents of the Billings School District in a roundtable discussion regarding the challenges faced by all parties as schools shut down last spring and their efforts to reopen the schools.
Praising the “bravery and Montana courage” exhibited by the administration and teachers to open the schools up, Gianforte called it a real success story, remarking that many schools in other states have not considered going in-person at all.
Several of the teachers remarked on the sense of normalcy that came from the routine of going back to school in-person. They wanted to ensure the continuity of learning for the students. Administrators recognized that for the first two weeks, they were unsure how well it would work, and they were very cognizant of the social and emotional state of the students and staff. After those initial weeks, they stated that they saw things settle back into that routine that the students craved. “I didn’t realize the impact it was having on my children until they went back to school,” was a comment made by several parents to teachers. Work was a serious issue for many parents, as they were either unable to work when their children were home, or they had to work the night shift or cut back hours in order to try to keep their jobs and still care for their children. Parents who had the opportunity to be home without the extra stresses discovered that while they could duplicate the academic side of school, one thing they could not replicate was the social atmosphere their children were exposed to in school.
All involved remarked that it took an effort by the entire community to keep schools open. Everyone had to commit to safety policies; parents had to agree to keep their children home if they showed any sign of sickness. The administration changed to a block schedule to reduce the amount of time students were in the hallways. Teachers shuffled class periods around to help when teachers were out. Grace was given for those who were quarantined and had to miss classwork. In spite of all the adjustments, it is still a different year for both the students and the staff. Some of their teachers and classmates are not there anymore. And yet, according to the teachers, the students are so happy to be back in school. “They have supported each other and reminded each other to wear their masks because they know that is what is keeping us in school.” Governor Gianforte concluded by saying, “I commend you for being brave in the face of uncertainty, doing what was best for students and families.”
While in-person school has provided stability for many students, approximately 2,000 students in Billings SD2 in have chosen to remain remote during this school year. Some parents, like Shepherd resident Elisa Schlosser, have had to keep their child home due to health concerns. “We have had to make some adjustments, but he is now testing in the 99th percentile in all of his classes.” Schlosser explained that for students with a good support system, remote learning from home can succeed. For her son, Schlosser has noted that he is feeding off of his own desire to do well. “He is his own benchmark; he has no one else to compare to, so he is driven by his personal motivation to succeed.” The social aspect was a bit of a concern for Schlosser, but she stated that she hasn’t actually noted any issues with it. “He actually has fewer distractions because he is on his own. And, his test scores have increased by leaps and bounds above what is normal. This has revealed his potential.”
Before traveling to Billings, the Governor signed into law the TEACH Act, or Tomorrow’s Educators Are Coming Home Act in Great Falls. The TEACH Act provides $2.5 million in incentives to improve starting teacher pay. Currently, Montana has the lowest average starting teacher pay in the country. “This new law will help increase starting teacher pay and make it easier for tomorrow’s educators to stay in Montana or come back home,” Governor Gianforte said. “Democrats and Republicans in the legislature delivered on this bill to strengthen our classrooms and communities. This new law is a promising step forward as we lead the Montana comeback.” Sponsored by Rep. Llew Jones (R-Conrad), the bipartisan TEACH Act is a signature element of the governor’s Roadmap to the Montana Comeback budget. Governor Gianforte campaigned on increasing starting teacher pay and emphasized its importance in his State of the State address in January.
The TEACH Act provides $2.5 million annually to increase teaching opportunities for Montana’s early career teachers, beginning in 2023. The program is 100% state funded, representing a significant savings to local taxpayers since almost 90% of a school’s budget is expended on teacher salaries and benefits. There are nearly 16,000 licensed teachers in Montana. The TEACH Act is estimated to benefit almost 700 teachers newly entering the field of teaching.
