Bible on a school desk in a classroom (Photo illustration by Getty Images). OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma Superintendent Ryan Walters issued guidelines Wednesday for how teachers should include the Bible in public school curriculum that include requiring analysis of biblical stories and art. And amid a growing swell of pushback from districts, he warned there would be consequences for school districts that don’t comply. Varying by grade level, the guidelines apply to students in fifth through 12th grades. They require students to analyze literary elements of biblical stories and to identify how th ..read more

A group of children are indoors in their preschool classroom. The camera focuses on a boy who is playing with wooden building blocks. (Photo illustration by Getty Images). A bill proposed to help children with disabilities actually represents a “staggering” loss of funding to public schools in the form of a “blank check,” would be a hit to rural districts, and unconstitutionally routes state money to private institutions “at the discretion of private individuals,” according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday. The voucher program in House Bill 393 is also “antithetical to both quality and equality” in ..read more

The University of Montana touts its humanities approach and emphasizes that STEM disciplines and humanities can thrive together. (Photo by Darrell Ehrlick of the Daily Montanan) Last year, Ashley Lawson, a communications major at Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania, had to take a journalism class online, even though the professor teaching the course was on her own campus. Lawson was in the class with students from Lock Haven, Bloomsburg and Mansfield universities, which had been integrated in 2022 under the name Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania to reduce costs. The state schools had ..read more

Heart Butte School campus on January 9, 2024 (Photo by Nicole Girten/Daily Montanan) The state, the Blackfeet Tribe, Pondera County, U.S. Sen. Jon Tester’s office and the Heart Butte School District are working together to find solutions to keep the school district open after the district uncovered millions in deficits. Montana State Superintendent Elsie Arntzen and the Office of Public Instruction hosted a discussion Friday afternoon with stakeholders. The tribe committed to sending mental health professionals and the state said it would send “boots on the ground” to Heart Butte to assist th ..read more

Student loan borrowers stage a rally in front of The White House to celebrate President Biden cancelling student debt and to begin the fight to cancel any remaining debt on Aug. 25, 2022 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for We the 45m) WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden announced Friday that some federal student loan borrowers will have their loans cancelled under the Department of Education’s new repayment plan. Starting next month, people who took out less than $12,000 in federal student loans and have been repaying those loans for 10 years will get their remaining stud ..read more

The University of Montana in Missoula (Photo by Darrell Ehrlick of the Daily Montanan). The University of Montana and a group of 18 plaintiffs, including several high-ranking former administrators, who claimed that they had been the victims of systemic discrimination have settled the case which was filed in federal court. The agreement made between the 18 members, which included at least one current employee, calls for a $350,000 settlement and a review of the University of Montana’s current Title IX training and processes by an outside, third-party review. The settlement said that review wil ..read more

Photo illustration by Getty Images. California and Florida have become the first states to require later public school start times, a response to reams of research showing significant advantages for high school students who can get more sleep by beginning their day at 8:30 a.m. or later. But such changes come with difficult ripple effects — upended bus schedules, later starts for extracurriculars and new schedules for teachers and staff — making many other states and localities hesitant to change. California’s first-in-the-nation law, which requires that high school classes start no earl ..read more

A school bus drives into Heart Butte Schools (Photo by Rion Sanders) The Heart Butte School Board is set to terminate 31 staff members at an upcoming meeting next week likely in order to cut district costs. The board will also decide whether to accept five resignations, including acting district administrator Shannon Augare. Terminations include 11 teacher’s assistants, two mental health professionals, a substitute art teacher, the sub-administrative secretary, a truancy officer and 15 custodial, maintenance and kitchen staff members. Resignations include two teachers, the athletic director ..read more

University of Montana mascot Monte takes a photo with a fan before the game against the North Dakota State Bison at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on December 16, 2023, in Missoula. (Photo by Coral Scoles-Coburn/ University of Montana) University of Montana Athletic Director Kent Haslam was standing in the corner of the end zone during the FCS semifinal in Missoula when Corbin Walker intercepted a pass in double overtime that sealed a victory for the Montana Grizzlies. UM Athletic Director Kent Haslam said he is proud of the Grizzlies, win or lose. (Provided by the University of Montana) “First ..read more

Superintendent in Flathead County charged with assaulting 12 year-old student A superintendent in Flathead County was charged in Flathead Justice Court with assaulting a 12 year-old student in August, according to court documents filed in November. Superintendent of the Helena Flats School District Andy Maheras allegedly grabbed the student by the arm and is accused of pulling his face towards him, as well as pushing the student into a locker. Maheras faces two charges of misdemeanor assault, pled not guilty to both charges and is working remotely during a paid administrative leave, according ..read more