Gov. Gianforte Highlights Priorities to Expand Education Freedom

Holds roundtable with students, parents, and educators

Governor's Office

GREAT FALLS, Mont. - Governor Greg Gianforte today met with students, parents, educators, and legislators to celebrate Montana's success in expanding learning opportunities for students and discuss priorities to further empower families by supporting education freedom.

"Parents know their kids best, and they should be empowered to choose the learning environment that best meets their needs," Gov. Gianforte said. "We've made great progress expanding education freedom in Montana, giving students more opportunities and families more flexibility. As we look ahead to the next legislative session, we'll continue working to put students first, empower parents, and open the doors to greater opportunity."

Gov. Gianforte holding a roundtable discussion at the CORE School at Morningside in Great Falls

Convening a roundtable at the CORE School at Morningside, the governor heard from students, parents, and educators representing a range of educational opportunities available to Montana families, including those from public schools, charter schools, independent schools, home education, online learning, and emerging models like microschools.

Since taking office, Gov. Gianforte has prioritized expanding education freedom for Montana families, signing into law several policies that have provided families with greater flexibility. Some priorities include standardizing open enrollment in Montana public schools, securing partial enrollment for home school and nonpublic school students, authorizing public charter schools and community choice schools, expanding online learning opportunities through the Montana Digital Academy, and increasing the caps of the Big Sky Scholarship Program to expand access to educational opportunities for children in low to middle-income families.

Participants also discussed the new Federal Tax Credit Scholarship Program, which Montana opted into earlier this year. Beginning in 2027, taxpayers may receive a federal tax credit of up to $1,700 for qualifying contributions to Scholarship Granting Organizations that provide scholarships for K through 12 students. This program expands on the opportunities available to families through the Big Sky Scholarships.

Joining the governor for the discussion was Principal Jennifer Martyn from the CORE School at Morningside in Great Falls. Opened in the fall of 2024, CORE is a public charter school that combines integrated, experiential K through 6 education with an immersive teacher preparation program, providing another innovative learning option for Montana families.

Jennifer Martyn, principal of the CORE School at Morningside, added, "We are so thankful for the option to have a charter choice for our students and families. Here at the CORE School, we are focused on preparing teachers for the classrooms of tomorrow. We have a college program where our student teachers are enrolled with the University of Montana-Western. It is a 3-year program, and our teachers are in the classroom all day, every day. With more teachers in the classroom, we can provide more hands-on activities for the students."

The governor also heard from Kristina Remsen, a mother of two who transferred her oldest son from public school to CORE School.

"We chose to send our two sons to CORE School, and we have seen first-hand how they can thrive and flourish in an environment where they have the extra attention and extra staff on hand. We have really gotten to see how they can affect a kid in a positive way and see them thrive in this environment," said Kristina Remsen.

The governor also heard from Raegan D., a sixth-grade student at CORE School, about her experience at the public charter school.

"My favorite part about the CORE school is that I get to see student teachers become actual teachers. I get more support with two teachers instead of just one," said Raegan D., student at CORE School.

During the roundtable, the governor also heard from Ethan Heverly, a parent from Missoula, about their family's decision to homeschool their children.

"I think the governor and his administration have been good stewards of the homeschool system," Heverly said. "We have what we are looking for. No one loves your kid more than you love your kid, no one knows your kid like you know your kid, so we want to keep that level of influence and the ability to cater to their unique individual needs, desires, and talents."

After the roundtable, the governor joined CORE School Principal Martyn, CORE student Raegan D., and parent Kristina Remsen for a press conference, emphasizing that expanding education freedom is not about one type of school or learning environment, but ensuring families have the ability to pursue what works best for their child.

"There isn't one learning environment that works for every student, and there shouldn't be," Gov. Gianforte said. "We heard a lot of good ideas today about what's working and where we have opportunities to do more. Working together as we head into the legislative session, we'll keep expanding education freedom and helping every Montana child reach his or her full potential."

A video of the governor's press conference may be viewed here .

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