Let's give each Montana student the opportunity to succeed

Last week, as I sent my own kids off to school, I also returned to the classroom — this time with a different purpose. From Browning to Billings, I have spent the past two weeks meeting with students, parents and educators, encouraging them to work hard this school year and make Montana proud.

My time in Montana’s schools serves as both a refresher of the many good things happening in our public schools and as a source of inspiration to work with our schools, communities and legislature to further improve our education system.

That inspiration doesn’t come just from visiting a classroom, however. It also comes every time I meet with a businessman or woman. They consistently tell me that the most important thing we can do to improve the economic opportunities for Montanans is to improve our educational opportunities.

We all have an interest in the quality of our educational system. It will take all of us — students, parents, educators, public policy makers and community members — to further improve our schools.

I’m proud of the work we’ve already done here in Montana to support our students. In the short time that I’ve been your governor, I’m proud to have worked to make historic investments in elementary, middle and high school education, increase the opportunities for career and technical education, freeze tuition at Montana colleges and universities, and for the first time ever make investments in early learning programs. Yet, Montana can and must do more.

First, our state will increase the number of Montanans with completed college degrees or professional certification from 40 percent to 60 percent within the next decade. We’ll do this by ensuring students enter college better-prepared and have greater access to dual enrollment classes which allow high school students to earn college credit.

We’ll institute new standards to ensure our colleges and universities are graduating students on time and prepared for the workforce. We’ll expand opportunities for career training that meets the needs of our economy. And we’ll make sure that the university system is meeting the needs of businesses so that Montana students will be the first to be hired.

Montana will continue to improve our elementary, middle and high schools. By working with teachers and administrators to institute rigorous and consistent standards, we’ll guarantee that our students—whether they go to school in Ekalaka or Kalispell — are receiving an education that will prepare them to compete in the 21st century. Technology has changed how kids live and learn, and we need to be employing technology to innovate our classrooms as well. And continued effort to reduce the high school drop-out rate is crucial.

In order to guarantee long-term success, however, Montana must do better for our children even before they reach kindergarten. The first years of a child’s life are critical. This is the time to invest in our children, not only because the social, behavioral and cognitive skills they learn during the first five years are necessary for their continued success, but also because every dollar spent on high-quality early care and education programs saves $7 down the road. By investing early, we can improve school readiness, shrink the achievement gap, increase graduation rates and prepare the next generation of workers and parents.

Despite knowing all of this, Montana is one of just a handful of states without state-supported preschool. Less than a quarter of our four-year-olds are enrolled in preschool or Head Start. It is time that Montana join 40 other states that invest in universal preschool, to ensure that we are setting our children up for success.

Finally, our state will support the men and women who wear the uniform of this country and their families by ensuring returning veterans receive credit for the skills they gained in the service, and by providing a clear and easy transition for military children into our schools.

When running for this office, I spoke about better jobs, better education, and more effective government. I believe that improving our education system and  outcomes is the first step. By providing our children with a quality education, we can ensure they are prepared to fill the jobs of tomorrow and we continue to make our government work better for all Montanans.

I’m going to continue to meet with Montana’s students, parents and teachers throughout this school year, not just because I’m the father of three school-aged kids.  I’ll do this because my commitment to all our kids and their futures doesn’t end once they are settled into their classes and routines. Together, we will make Montana proud, by ensuring every student has the opportunity to succeed.

Steve Bullock is the governor of Montana.