A Letter to Montana Teachers and Parents from State Superintendent Arntzen and Secretary of State Jacobsen
August 19, 2021
Dear Montana teachers and parents:
Welcome back to the 2021-22 school year!
As you prepare to open your classroom doors, we are excited to share some important civics information and opportunities for your students. Under the guidance of the Youth Voting Act, the Secretary of State’s Office and the Office of Public Instruction are partnering to bring Montana schools an opportunity for students to engage in learning more about our government.
The YouthVote Program website offers resources to get your students engaged in becoming knowledgeable citizens to help them become informed voters in the future.
The YouthVote Program provides:
- Videos about our government;
- An outline of the US Constitution;
- Information on Montana counties and legislators;
- A quarterly YouthVote newsletter;
- Information on how to become a registered voter; and
- Several other resources.
This information is aligned with the recently revised Montana Content Standards for Social Studies for K-12. These new standards emphasize our state and nation’s foundational documents, such as the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Montana Constitution to ensure students become informed and participatory citizens. Schools have five years to fully implement and integrate these standards, which took effect on July 1, 2021.
We are also excited to announce the US Constitution Contest, which is open to all Montana students. On Constitution Day, September 17, 2021, we will officially kick off our program and the contest “What Does the Constitution Mean to Me.” Our offices invite you and your students to explore this enriching opportunity to get kids in the voting habit early by becoming knowledgeable about our government. Please see the attached flyer to learn more about this fun and informative contest.
Thank you for all that you do and have a successful school year!
Sincerely,
Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen | Montana State Superintendent Elsie Arntzen
Please click here for a PDF version of this letter, and click here for a MT YouthVote Program Announcement flyer - and share these with your teachers and parents!
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