Superintendent of Public Instruction
WTF does the State Superintendent of Public Instruction Do?
The State Superintendent of Schools is responsible for making decisions regarding K-12 public education. They sit on the State Land Board and the State Library Commission, and hold a non-voting role on the Board of Public Education and the Montana University System’s Board of Regents.
Candidates
-
Shannon O’Brien (D)
Endorsements
- Planned Parenthood
- Montana Conservation Voters (MCV)
- Montana Federation of Public Employees (MFPE)
Do you support discussions of LGBTQ2S+ issues, Critical Race Theory, climate change, and age appropriate sex education in classrooms?
Yes
Do you support expanding resources for Indian Education for All in schools?
Yes
Montana has ranked among the lowest in the country for teacher salaries, and teacher turnover rates are high. Given inflation, how would you address high turnover rates in Montna’s schools and the resulting learning gaps for students?
We need to meet this crisis head-on by addressing the issues driving Montana teachers out of state or into another profession. We must ensure Montana teachers earn a living wage. We will encourage and help replicate creative local efforts to provide affordable teacher housing and work with universities to make sure students heading off to college see teaching as a viable career path and have financial incentives to pursue it.
What resources would you advocate for to keep students and teachers mentally and physically safe at school?
We have to upgrade aging facilities where doors, windows and technology needs are outdated. A one time influx to get schools on track to meet those security needs is paramount. School nurses, counselors and school resource officers are the first line of defense in meeting the needs of students and teachers. My office will be in the legislature every day fighting to find the solutions to our school safety needs.
-
Susie Hedalen (R)
Susie Hedalen did not respond to our questionnaire.