They asked for a 4.5 percent increase in education spending. With the limited funds, Ms. Keenan expects the state will only be able to work on reading and math standards and exams, and fashion but a skeletal version of a state profile. The legislature passed a bill that will make it a criminal offense to possess, carry, or store a weapon on school property. The academic-standards movement has made few inroads in Montana, a heavily Republican state with deeply held convictions about the virtues of local control. So far, Montana's lawmakers have largely resisted attempts to enact state performance standards or assessments.
Critics say the learner goals are amorphous and essentially optional.
Despite the lack of financial commitment from the legislature, Gov. Racicot expects that effort to be his primary focus in education in the next two years, says his education adviser, Eric Hanson. Also on the governor's agenda is the creation of incentives for teachers to earn certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. As of last fall, Montana did not have a single nationally certified teacher. Meanwhile, in the absence of state action, the Montana Education Association has formed an alliance with other state education groups to start a private endowment that will pay for professional-development initiatives. Its 8th graders scored among the top five states on the National Assessment of Educational Progress math exam and among the top three on the science exam.