A study to determine the level of entrepreneurship being taught at high schools in the state of Montana

Abstract

The primary purpose of the study was to determine the level of entrepreneurship being taught at high schools in the state of Montana. The population selection included social studies teachers, vocational education teachers and administrators from the four classifications of public high schools. The sample size was 216 educators from 72 public high schools. Data were gathered through a literature review and survey instrument. The main conclusions of this study were: (1) Montana educators stated that entrepreneurship is a valuable addition to the curriculum; (2) it should be integrated within other courses in the vocational education area; (3) awareness and skills should be taught principally at the high school level; and (4) the majority of schools are not teaching entrepreneurship at all due to time and funding restraints as well as state graduation requirements. Recommendations to Montana educators were to: (1) develop and implement entrepreneurial units for each elementary grade level; (2) begin a campaign to promote entrepreneurship concepts in Montana high schools; (3) continue entrepreneurship integration at the high school level; and (4) provide training to Montana educators to increase their comfort level of teaching entrepreneurship.