Citing her experience as a teacher and legislator, Rep. Holly Raser, D-Missoula, said Wednesday she believes she has the right background to become Montana's next superintendent of public instruction.

"As a teacher, I've dedicated my life to the challenge of enhancing the lives of the children in my care," Raser said at a press conference in front of the Capitol. "As a legislator, I've dedicated my career to the challenge of adequately providing for our public schools."

If elected, Raser said she will bring "practical, strong, effective leadership" to the Office of Public Instruction. She was on the final day of a two-day, seven-city swing through Montana to announce her candidacy.

Raser, 55, has taught different grades and programs for 26 years at Target Range Elementary School, where she now teaches first grade. She has been elected to the Montana House four times and now serves as vice chair of the House Education Committee.

She is one of three announced Democrats running for the job being vacated by Superintendent of Public Instruction Linda McCulloch, a Democrat who is prevented by term limits from running again.

Two Helena women also are running: Denise Juneau, Indian education director in the Office of Public Instruction and an attorney; and Claudette Morton of Helena, a former teacher who has held a number of education administration posts.

No Republicans have entered the race yet.

Raser said she would work to strengthen school-community relationships, particularly in economically impoverished American Indian communities, and push for immediate steps "to close the achievement gap of American Indian students." One way, she said, would be to incorporate their native language and culture in the classroom.

She vowed to ensure that Montana's new full-day kindergarten program, passed by the Legislature earlier this year, is "second to none."

Raser also she would work to advocate the recommendations of the School Renewal Commission on which she served through a regional network of shared services such as distance-learning, teacher mentoring and training.

"Finally and most importantly, I will provide leadership to bring diverse folks to the table -- legislators, educators and business and community leaders from across the state -- to find a way to fund our schools in a manner that is adequate, equitable and sustainable in the future," she said.

Throughout her teaching career, Raser said she had seen firsthand the impact of school funding, both in "times of relative plenty" and "less generous funding."

Raser defended the school funding decisions by the 2007 Legislature, even though they have come under fire from the group filing the successful lawsuit challenging the adequacy of state funding of schools.

"I think we are doing what the court intended for us to do, which is to phase in a solution," Raser said. "We can't possibly address it in one session."

A California native, Raser moved to Montana in 1975 and received bachelor's and master's degrees in education from the University of Montana.

"I moved to Montana because I wanted to fly a hang glider," Raser said.

She did just that off Mount Sentinel and other places around the county for four years.

Asked if there are any similarities between hang gliding and running for office, Raser said, "Control is important. You need to ride with the winds, always."

Holly Raser

- Office sought: Superintendent of public instruction

- Political party: Democratic

- Age: 55

- Birthdate and place: May 25, 1952, in Long Beach, Calif; moved to Montana in 1975

- Home: Missoula

- Occupation: First-grade teacher at Target Range School in Missoula

- Family: Divorced; two daughters, Caitlin and Alyssa.

- Education: Graduated from Mira Costa High School, Manhattan Beach, Calif., 1969; received bachelor's degree in education from the University of Montana in 1980 and a master's degree in curriculum and instruction from UM in 1992

- Past employment: She has taught different grades at Target Range School for 26 years

- Military: None

- Political experience: She was elected to the Montana House in 2000 and was re-elected in 2002, 2004 and 2006