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The Blog at MSPC



Montana aims to expand education choice via tax credit scholarships for students
Montana Senator John Fuller has introduced a new bill that would expand the amount of money available for student tax credit...
Jan 12, 20231 min read


The evidence is clear – education choice improves outcomes
It’s all about improving outcomes for children. As President of Mountain States Policy Center, I’m proud to announce the launch of...
Jan 11, 20234 min read


Will K-12 spending increases lead to better outcomes?
Idaho Governor Brad Little announced Monday a plan to increase K-12 spending in Idaho in several areas. From the Governor's release: · ...
Jan 10, 20232 min read


Governor Little focuses on education, taxes in state of the state address in Boise
Governor Brad Little welcomed members of the Idaho State Legislature today with his state of the state address, pressing a theme of...
Jan 9, 20231 min read


Our role during the legislative sessions
The 2023 legislative session is already underway in Montana. In Idaho and Washington, lawmakers gavel into session on Monday. Wyoming...
Jan 4, 20231 min read


When activists accidentally say the quiet part out loud
In a recent column about K-12 education funding, I made a few simple requests of those who say we need to spend more: (1) tell us how...
Dec 23, 20222 min read


10 policy ideas for upcoming legislative sessions across the region
Nearly 500 lawmakers across Idaho, Washington, Wyoming, and Montana begin meeting in January for their state’s regular legislative...
Dec 20, 20221 min read


Two questions for those who say K-12 public education just needs more money
The release of our Idaho Poll this week has, rightly, received a lot of attention. Digging through the numbers, just about anyone can...
Dec 15, 20223 min read


The results of MSPC's 2022 Idaho Poll
Mountain States Policy Center (MSPC), in cooperation with the Boise-based GS Strategy Group, is proud to announce the results of our 2022...
Dec 14, 20221 min read


Tired solutions won't help improve educational outcomes for kids
Our ideas to improve public schools are getting a lot of attention. Not only was my recent column printed in more than a dozen newspapers...
Nov 27, 20223 min read


Court cases on education freedom could be felt here, soon
Education freedom for parents could be one of the top issues of the upcoming legislative session, not only in Idaho but across the...
Nov 21, 20222 min read


What's next for public schools following Tuesday's election?
The results from Tuesday’s election continue to ripple through state legislatures and school boards across the nation. Exit polling shows...
Nov 9, 20223 min read


Idaho's rural teacher shortage can be solved by attracting local talent
Small towns are known for news traveling fast and one frequent topic of conversation is the local school. Rural communities rally around...
Nov 1, 20222 min read


Improving transparency in public schools
Increasing spending on K-12 public schools hasn’t improved outcomes, nor has it increased faith in the system that, in most states, makes...
Oct 31, 20221 min read


The latest NAEP scores show need for education reform
The results are not good - perhaps even worse than we could have expected. On Monday, the latest numbers from the National Assessment of...
Oct 24, 20222 min read


Could public-private partnerships help replace aging school buildings?
Idaho school districts are facing a big problem. A recent survey conducted by the state’s Office of Performance Evaluation found that...
Oct 17, 20224 min read


School shutdown results: ACT test scores fall, lowest in 30 years
It is yet more proof of the severe damage caused by COVID school shutdowns. Today, we learned the national average ACT score for the...
Oct 12, 20222 min read


14,000 - and counting - sign up for Idaho's "Empowering Parents" grants
Governor Brad Little has announced that the Idaho “Empowering Parents” program has received more than 14,000 applications. This is a...
Sep 22, 20221 min read


"Quality Education Act" yanked from ballot by sponsors
It turns out Idaho voters will no longer consider a measure that would increase K-12 public education funding in the Gem State while...
Sep 7, 20224 min read


Education should be about the children, not the adults
As children across the region and the country head back to school this fall, a new survey from the Gallup organization shows a decline in...
Sep 5, 20222 min read

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