Educators Advocate More School Funding (MT)

January 6, 2011

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and in both houses of the Montana Legislature heard testimony Wednesday from policy advisers, university presidents and education agencies advocating for the governor’s budget proposal when it comes to education — with some caveats.

D an Villa, education policy adviser to Gov. Brian Schweitzer, outlined a proposal that calls for more money to be spent on higher education and K-12 education in the state, without raising taxes, to the Legislature’s Joint Subcommittee on Education Appropriations during a public hearing Wednesday.

At the higher-education level, Villa said the governor’s budget again calls for a two-year tuition freeze in the Montana University System. At the K-12 level, it calls for infusing more of the oil and gas tax revenue that would be distributed to local school districts and putting it in the state coffers, to the tune of $40 million, to be used statewide. The K-12 state budget would be approximately $852 million in fiscal year 2012, and $861 million in fiscal year 2013.

"We must continue to invest in education," Villa said. "It is our hope that you fund this budget request."

The joint subcommittee was reminded by Sheila Stearns, commissioner of higher education for the Montana University System, that it is up to the Board of Regents to set tuition rates.

Representing the board, she said it is supportive of the governor’s budget and also would be in favor of the tuition freeze, provided that another bill seeking increases to university pay is approved.

"The Board of Regents may be able to keep increases to a very low level," she said.

The governor’s budget proposal calls for spending $266 million on higher education in fiscal year 2012, and $276 million in fiscal year 2013.

Lance Melton, executive director of the Montana School Boards Association, and Dave Puyear, executive director of the Montana Rural Education Association, said th ey approved of the governor’s overall budget proposal, but were not in favor of using $40 million in oil and gas revenue from specific counties to help fund schools across the state.

"We believe there is a better resource available," Melton said, without naming a specific resource.

He added that MTSBA would work with legislators to find that alternative.

In addition to public-education advocates, the committee also heard from two private-sector employers voicing the overall importance of education — K-12 and higher education — in Montana.

"I’m here to make a business case for education," said Frank McAllister, president of Stillwater Mining Co. near Billings. "We’re highly dependent in our industry on the education received in this state. We want to have an educated population in order for us to compete in this world."

McAllister got specific when he mentioned how Montana State University-Billings sent admissions counselors and other advisers to his company’s mine near Big Timber when it had to make a large layoff of employees in 2008. He got teary-eyed as he recalled the support received for displaced workers.

"The response was very special," he said.

Dick Brown, a representative from Montana Healthcare Providers, urged state senators and representatives to consider providing adequate funding for higher education, because although health care is the largest private-sector employer in the state, there is a shortage of qualified workers.

"We have a ready market for health care professionals in this state," Brown said. "It should be o ne of your highest priorities."