Increasing education opportunities in Montana isn’t going to happen through another federal mandate or a one-size-fits-all regulation. We need to empower our state, our local school boards, our teachers and parents to work together to develop solutions that best fit our kids’ unique needs.

As we work to grow Montana’s technology and resources jobs, we cannot underestimate the importance of encouraging our students’ interests in science, math, engineering and technology or of trade schools. In Montana, students are often forced to leave our state to find good-paying and long-lasting careers. We need to ensure that our students have the skills they need to find good-paying jobs that can keep them here at home after graduation.