Governor Gianforte Celebrates New Law to Boost Teacher Workforce

Applauds Montana Board of Public Education

• March 26 2024

HELENA, Mont. – Today, Governor Gianforte celebrated a new law to strengthen Montana’s teacher workforce and reduce red tape to increase the number of teachers in the classroom.

“Streamlining educator licensing helps us to get more qualified teachers in the classroom and ensure every child reaches their full potential,” Gov. Gianforte said. “Working together, we’re cutting burdensome red tape to create more good-paying jobs and strengthen our classrooms and communities.”

Gov. Gianforte joins Lockwood High School teacher to discuss new laws during a visit in September 2023

Last week, the Montana Board of Public Education (BPE) approved their first alternative teacher certification program to get more qualified teachers in the classroom as outlined in Senate Bill 373, which the governor signed during the 2023 legislative session.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Dan Salomon, R-Ronan, addresses Montana’s teacher shortage by providing an alternative, more affordable option for individuals with a bachelor’s degree and work experience to get licensed through alternative educator preparation programs.

The recent action from BPE allows Montanans to be licensed by the Office of Public Instruction provided they are certified by the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence (ABCTE).

Established in 2001 by a federal grant, ABCTE is an online certification course that operates in 14 states and typically takes less than a year to complete.

During the governor’s bill signing ceremony in Polson last summer, Sen. Salomon shared, “A lot of our schools in rural Montana have a hard time finding teachers, like the governor said. This is a long-term, practical solution for our students and for the folks already living in the communities they are going to teach in.”

To expand Montana’s educator workforce, the governor also championed reforms to boost starting teacher pay through the TEACH Act, expand provisional licensing, and create licensing reciprocity for military members, military spouses, and veterans.