Signature Publications
The MSPC Policy Manual
Mountain States Policy Center's Policy Manual is a 200-page guide filled with facts, figures, research and more than 80 recommendations - an invaluable tool for current and future lawmakers, media and the general public.
The manual offers citizens many practical ideas and hope for the future. It will provide media with background and research needed to improve accuracy. And it will offer policymakers of any political persuasion a go-to resource for navigating key issues facing the Mountain West, all rooted in proven, free market solutions.
The Mountain States Policy Manual is structured to provide accessible and comprehensive information on a variety of policy areas. Each section has overviews of the issue, current challenges, policy recommendations, and case studies or examples of successful implementation.
The Fact Book
Mountain States Policy Center’s Fact Book is designed as a go-to resource for policymakers, community leaders, journalists, and citizens who want clear, unbiased information about key issues facing our region. In an era where opinions often outpace evidence, the Fact Book cuts through the noise by presenting accurate data — from education and transportation to taxation and economic growth. It’s not a policy prescription; it’s a foundation. By gathering information from reliable sources and organizing it in a way that is accessible and easy to understand, MSPC is helping ensure that every conversation about policy starts from a place of truth.
Good policy cannot be built on guesswork, emotions, or assumptions. Without a shared set of facts, debates quickly devolve into ideological stalemates, and decisions risk being driven by short-term politics rather than long-term solutions. The MSPC Fact Book provides that shared factual baseline.
The Public School Transparency Index
School district budgets are a maze of numbers and jargon that most citizens cannot easily understand.
This is why Mountain States Policy Center recommends lawmakers adopt a Public School Transparency Act. This simple step would help taxpayers and parents determine whether their local district has enough funds and whether it is properly spending the cash in the classroom.
As part of this idea, all public school districts would be required, both on the first page of their budget and also on the front page of the district’s main website, to report six simple things:
1. Amount of total dollars (all funds – local, state and federal) spent by the district that year
2. Amount of total dollars spent per student, per year
3. Amount & percentage of total dollars allocated to average classroom
4. Average administrator salary & benefits
5. Average teacher salary & benefits
6. Ratio of administrators to teachers to students
As we wait for legislative action, Mountain States Policy Center presents this first edition of the Public School Transparency Index for school districts in Idaho. Additional versions for Washington, Montana and Wyoming will also be published in the future.
