Quality
education is a vital component in creating and maintaining a vibrant community.
With this in mind, Gallatin and ParkCounties
view education as a highly valued commodity in the area. In fact, the U.S.
Census
Bureau reported in 2000 that 93.3% of adults over the age of 25 hold a high
school diploma in Gallatin County and 41.0% of adults over 25 hold a bachelor’s
degree or higher. In ParkCounty, 87.6% were
reported to have a high school diploma and 23.1% have a bachelor’s degree or
higher. This is considerably higher than the national average which recorded
80.4% of adults in the United States over the age of 25 with a high school
diploma and 24.4% with a bachelor’s degree or higher.
As a
whole, Montana’s
educational outlook is greater than the national average on several levels
including percentage of high school graduates, college degrees and test scores.
The table below displays the outcome of the most recent Scholastic Aptitude
Test for Montana and the United States. 13
Scholastic Aptitude Test Scores
2007
Male
Female
Critical Reading
Montana
540
538
National
504
502
Mathematics
Montana
564
527
National
533
499
Writing
Montana
513
530
National
489
500
Note:
The maximum SAT score in each subject area is 800. Data reported
here are for high school graduates in the
year 2007. Numbers reflect the
current
version of the SAT Reasoning Test, first administered in March 2005.
Public and Private Education
There
are numerous public and private schools throughout Gallatin
and ParkCounties offering educational programs
from pre-school and kindergarten levels to high school. The average
student/teacher ratio in GallatinCounty is 15.8 and 13.1 in ParkCounty.
14 To see a full list of
schools please visit www.opi.state.mt.us.
13 College Board SAT Profile Report
14 Montana Office of Public Instruction, 2006 data
Higher Education
MontanaStateUniversity
in Bozeman and the BozemanTechCenter both offer degree
programs in a range of subjects and levels. In some cases, distance learning is
available through Internet courses and/or “mixedmode” programs, combining both
an online component and scheduled classroom sessions. Students enjoy the
flexibility and convenience of an online course as well as the benefits of
face-to-face meetings for interactive instruction.
MontanaState University15 was founded in 1893. With roughly 12,000 students, MSU is
considered a midsized public university with 802 instructional faculties. Its
student-faculty ratio is 16 to 1. During the fall 2008 semester, a new record
headcount enrollment of 12,369 students was reached. Of those, 10,519 were undergraduate
students and 1,850 were enrolled at the graduate level. MSU offers
baccalaureate degrees in 61 fields, master’s degrees in 41 fields and doctoral
degrees in 20 fields. Approximately 63% of the students are Montana residents. In 2007-08, the
University awarded a total of 2296 degrees: 1809 bachelor’s degrees, 434
master’s degrees and 53 doctoral degrees.
In
2006, MSU reached $103 million in research expenditures—the first time the
university has surpassed $100 million. That ranks MSU in the top 100 of
research universities nationwide. In the six-state region of Montana,
Wyoming, Idaho,
Washington, Oregon
and Alaska, MSU’s research is equaled only by WashingtonStateUniversity, the University
of Washington and OregonStateUniversity.
As a
land-grant university, MSU has a long tradition of supporting basic and applied
research and creative activity. During 2007-08, the University attracted $96,150,553 in grants and contracts—85.2% from
federal agencies, 10.3% from private corporations and foundations, and 4.5%
from state sources. MSU currently holds 93 patents for innovations and
processes developed through faculty research with 134 additional patents
pending, and have 163 license and option agreements with private firms, 94 of
which are with Montana
companies.
The
MSU Alumni Association maintains a database of all individuals who have attended
the university. The database contains current, active addresses for 71,737
individual alumni, 48% of whom reside in Montana.
Here
are just a few of the recognitions that MontanaStateUniversity
in Bozeman has
received:
·A new classification system by the
Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching designated MSU as one of 94
top-tier research universities with “very high research activity.” This Tier
One Carnegie research designation places MSU among the most prestigious
universities in the nation, such as YaleUniversity, HarvardUniversity and JohnsHopkinsUniversity.
·In 2004, College of Engineering
seniors outperformed all peer groups nationally on the Fundamentals of
Engineering exam and continue to set records on the national test.
·Ranks 8th in the country for universities
with the most students who have received the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship,
given for excellence in math and science.
·In 2003, Outside Magazine ranked
MSU as the fifth best university in the magazine’s annual “Top 40 College
Towns” poll, which ranks colleges and universities that combine the best
intellectual and outdoor potential.
MSU College of Technology in Bozeman is a satellite campus of Montana State University–Great Falls College
of Technology. The TechCenter provides
educational opportunities for working individuals and training opportunities
for the business community. It is a part of the Communications and Extended Learning
Division of MSU–Great Falls. The Tech Center offers Associate Degree and
Transfer Degree programs, such as Aviation, Interior Design and Welding
Technology; specialized academic programs such as CISCO, A+, and Microsoft
Certification; continuing education courses such as computer and business classes;
and customized training for Bozeman area businesses and organizations, both
group and individual.
Degree
program classes are held on nights and weekends or through distance learning
over the Internet.Specialized academic
courses are only held on nights and weekends at the TechCenter
facility. Continuing education courses are held during the day on weekdays and
some early weekday evenings. Customized training courses are designed according
to client needs.
There
are several sources of employment and training assistance available through
organizations dedicated to matching the right jobs with the right people.
Services range from interview training to classes in computer programs. Below
are a few of the services currently available.
Job Service of Montana maintains
offices in Bozeman, Livingston, West Yellowstone
and satellite sites on the MontanaStateUniversity
campus. The agency’s goals and responsibilities are continually evolving to meet
the needs of both the employer and the job seeker. All services are federally
funded and available to the employer and job seeker at no cost.
Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) of District IX is a community development agency with a
history of assisting individuals, families and communities by performing
community action work. Established in 1975, the organization serves Gallatin, Park and MeagherCounties.
Its mission is to assist community and individual needs by developing resources
that provide opportunities and essential services such as health and nutrition,
emergency response, affordable housing, Head Start programs, youth development,
volunteerism, transportation, energy assistance, conservation and community
development.
Career Transitions primarily
serves clients on a scholarship basis through individual counseling and training
programs focused on personal growth, building job skills, communication, career
assessment, selfesteem, job-search activities and basic computer knowledge. The
organization offers a variety of assessment tools exploring skills and
interests in order to match job goals, training proficiencies and career paths.
Assessments include Math and English evaluations, Meyers-Briggs personality
profiles and more. Classes focus on areas such as verbal and written
communication, interviewing, resumes and cover letters, computer literacy,
advanced software training, and computerized accounting.
