As a former elementary school teacher and school board member – and as a father and grandfather – Jon has never lost sight of his commitment to a quality public education for young Montanans.

Jon is a longtime critic of the No Child Left Behind education law, and believes that it can be overhauled to benefit schools across rural America. While he has no doubt about the need for smart investments in education and accountability in schools, Jon has cited the law’s one-size-fits-all approach and the disparities it has caused:

• Rural states and communities often lack the resources that urban areas can dedicate to hiring full time employees to write grant applications and seek education funding
• The “school choice” provisions in the law do not make sense in rural communities where the next nearest school may be hours away
• Schools that fail to meet federal standards can be forced to seek outside education assistance for students (like contracting with a professional tutoring organization) – resources that are not always available in rural communities

Jon has instead fought for an education plan that maintains local control for communities, and makes sense for rural America.

He is also committed to expanding higher education opportunities – as well as vocational and technical education – and has focused on lowering the cost of college so that more young Montanans can earn degrees.

And when those young Montanans enter the job force, Jon wants to make sure strong job training is available to maximize their options.

Click HERE to see Jon’s record of results fighting for an education plan that works for Montana.