Montana public education under attack, officials say at Missoula conference

Article X of the Montana Constitution guarantees citizens a public education, and it charges the Legislature to fairly distribute the state’s share of funding to support elementary and secondary schools.

The article came up during a panel discussion on the second day of the statewide educators’ conference in Missoula on Friday. The panel included Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau; Sharon Carroll, chair of the state Board of Public Education; and Shannon O’Brien, the governor’s policy adviser on education, among others.

Montana’s public school system, they suggested, is under attack by special interests ranging from supporters of privatization and tax vouchers to advocates for publicly funding charter schools.

By Martin Kidston

Full Story: http://missoulian.com/news/local/montana-public-education-under-attack-officials-say-at-missoula-conference/article_8eedc742-5642-11e4-9778-9387180e83a0.html