Governor urges teachers to tap 'spirit of ingenuity'

By KRISTI ALBERTSON

The Daily Inter Lake

Education and economic development in Montana pose a sort of chicken-and-egg conundrum. Each depends heavily on the other.

"If we grow our economy, we can invest in education," said Gov. Brian Schweitzer. "[But] we cannot grow our economy unless you produce the kind of graduates we need."

Schweitzer addressed the interconnectedness of education and the economy at the State Board of Education meeting Thursday morning at Flathead Valley Community College. Members of state agencies expanded on the topic.

"Economic development and education are partners," said Evan Barrett, economic development officer, adding that the Board of Regents and government agencies need to rely on one another to achieve education goals. "All of us have to work together to make things happen."

One thing educators need to focus on is making sure graduates are ready for life after high school, Barrett said.

"Make sure that when kids graduate from high school, they're ready for the work force, they're ready for college, or they're ready for apprenticeship training," he said.

About 36 percent of the state's high-school freshmen take challenging courses, are proficient readers and graduate with a diploma in four years, he said. In higher education, 33 percent of students earn degrees in science, math and engineering. China has nearly twice as many, with 59 percent of their students earning degrees in those subjects.

Competing with countries such as China and India is increasingly important in today's global society, Schweitzer said. He urged teachers to encourage students to do more in math, science and engineering, beginning at an early age.

"The challenge for those of you who teach fourth and fifth grades is to spark that spirit of ingenuity," he said.

As for teachers involved in higher education, "Your challenge is to produce those graduates who are competitive with the world," he said.

Montana's current economic situation is fair, Barrett said. It is the fourth-least-costly state in the nation in which to do business. It has the ninth-best business tax structure and the 12th-lowest state and local tax burden.

Montana has had the fifth-fastest-growing economy over the last three years. Unemployment rates are the lowest ever calculated, at 4.0 percent in 2005. That same year, a record number (483,000) of jobs were created, and the average wage growth exceeded employment growth by 2.3 percent in 2005.

On the downside, however, Montana ranks 50th out of 51 in average wages. It is 40th out of 51 in per-capita income. The state is also third-highest in the number of workers who hold more than one job.

Work force demographics further complicate matters, Barrett said. Between 1995 and 2000, the state lost a significant number of workers in their 20s who looked for jobs outside Montana.

"The out-migration is part of the problem," he said. "The aging work force is going to make it worse."

Montana's population is projected to grow by 11.2 percent from 2005 to 2025. During the same period, the state's labor force will grow by just 4.8 percent. It's expected to peak in 2012, then start to decline.

But this scenario holds true across the country, Barrett said.

"This is not just a Montana challenge, although our challenge is a little more than most states," he said.

Representatives from other government agencies discussed programs offered that can help encourage the relationship between education and economic development.

"No single agency, no single entity, whether local, state or federal, has the resources to do a project that's on the books," said state Commerce director Tony Preite.

Statistics compiled by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices.

Reporter Kristi Albertson may be reached at 758-4438 or by e-mail at kalbertson@dailyinterlake.com.