Elsie Arntzen

The state’s highest-ranking K-12 education leader is set to leave her post next month after eight years in office. Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Artnzen presided over an education landscape rocked and reshaped by the COVID-19 pandemic. She joined MTPR’s Austin Amestoy to reflect on her two terms and look ahead to the future of Montana’s schools.

An audit of Montana’s Office of Public Instruction raises questions over how the agency spent more than $67 million in federal funding.

Math scores are improving and reading scores are sliding among Montana’s elementary and middle schoolers. That’s according to test results released by the state department of education Tuesday.

Primary election night is June 4 and one of the most decisive races to watch will be for Montana’s second Congressional district–known as the Eastern House seat. 12 candidates are trying to win the seat and the primary race will determine which Republican and Democrat will square off in November.

We are gathering information from all statewide candidates as a resource for the 2024 Primary Elections. Responses were limited to 200 words per question. Political attacks may have been removed, but otherwise, the responses are published unedited.

Tim Sheehy seemed to shy away from the spotlight when Don Jr. came to campaign. Congressional candidates who showed up to debate talk immigration, climate change and transplants; Schools superintendent candidate faces legal troubles.

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is suing the Biden Administration over its proposal to broaden protections against discrimination in education. State superintendent Elsie Arntzen is also pushing back.

A District Court judge has limited the information the Office of Public Instruction can collect before public charter schools open this fall. The City of Kalispell says one of its public water wells exceeds federal standards for PFAS, a family of chemicals that are known to cause cancer and other health issues.

The mystery of the lodged bullet continues. Is it fair for candidates to both criticize and shun the press? As expected, campaign fundraising is breaking records. Learn more now on Campaign Beat.

Montana school counselors, teachers and students are suing the state over a law that changed sex education policies. The plaintiffs say the law has a “chilling” effect on discussion of human sexuality in schools.