State of Montana Newsroom
Superintendent Arntzen to Hold Next Budget and Education Working Group Meetings
HELENA – Superintendent Arntzen will hold the second round of the Budget and Education Working Group (BEWG) meetings on May 20-27, 2024. The meetings will be held in seven small virtual group sessions via Zoom. The purpose is to gather information from the community and offer feedback that will serve as a resource for the legislature when considering education funding for the 2025 Biennium Budget and 2025 Legislative Session. OPI staff will provide a white paper and summary from the working group for the legislature.
“These meetings are transparent listening sessions for parents, families, and communities regarding taxpayer dollars in our schools,” said Superintendent Elsie Arntzen. “With the federal COVID relief dollars expiring at the end of this year and skyrocketing inflation, all Montanans demand better for their children’s education. I appreciate the engagement of Montana voices in this process.”
Over 170 Montanans signed up to be part of the working group and over 100 people participated in the first meeting. The schedule for the second round of meetings is:
- Group A: Special Needs Students and Programs – Monday, May 20, 5:30 pm
- Group B: Teacher Pay, Retention, and Recruitment – Monday, May 20, 7:00 pm
- Group C: Rural, Population, and Culture – Tuesday, May 21, 5:30 pm
- Group D: Sustainability and Tax Burden – Tuesday, May 21, 7:00 pm
- Group E: Programs and Curriculum – Wednesday, May 22, 5:30 pm
- Group F: Funding Formula – Wednesday, May 22, 7:00 pm
- Group G: School Budgeting – Thursday, May 23, 5:30 pm
To join the virtual meeting, please click here. The agenda for each group meeting is linked above.
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