Education

signed · Montana · House May 15, 2025

HB 343: Require schools to provide religious instruction released time program

HB 343 requires school districts to establish a program allowing students to be released from regular school attendance for religious instruction, upon written request from a parent or guardian. This program must provide at least one hour of released time per week for religious instruction. The bill also mandates that school districts adopt a policy to award academic credit for completed religious instruction courses. Credit evaluation must be based on secular criteria, such as class hours and course materials, without regard to the religious content. Public school property or funds cannot be used for the religious instruction itself.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationMandates religious instruction program, restricting secular curriculum options in public schools.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Education

vetoed · Montana · House May 13, 2025

HB 462: Encourage academic excellence through high-quality instructional materials

HB 462 aimed to enhance academic excellence by revising education laws related to curriculum and instruction. It would have established a process for the Superintendent of Public Instruction, in collaboration with a committee and an external nonprofit partner, to identify and recommend high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) during content standard revisions. Contingent on legislative funding, the bill would have provided reduced-cost access to these recommended HQIM and aligned professional development for school districts choosing to adopt them. This initiative sought to support teachers and improve curriculum for students across the state.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill establishes process to identify/recommend high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) and provides reduced-cost access, directly enhancing curriculum quality and educational access per topic description.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

Track

signed · Montana · House May 13, 2025

HB 744: Authorize speech-language pathology aides and audiology aides

HB 744 authorizes the use of speech-language pathology aides and audiology aides in the state. These aides are not required to be licensed, but they must work under the supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist or audiologist for a minimum of 20% of their time. The bill specifies that aides cannot perform work requiring independent professional judgment. It also grants the board the authority to establish the qualifications and scope of work for these aide roles through rules.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAuthorizes non-licensed aides under supervision to expand access to speech-language services in schools, enhancing educational support without restricting services.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

signed · Montana · House May 13, 2025

HB 252: Create the student and teacher advancement for results and success act (STARS)

HB 252, known as the STARS Act, revises state school funding laws to support students and school staff. It enhances the school funding formula by offering incentives to increase teacher base salaries and encourage resource sharing among school districts. The bill also provides increased budget authority for districts with high housing costs and restores full funding to the Advanced Opportunities program. Additionally, it establishes a new "Future Ready" funding component for K-12 schools focused on postgraduation preparation and includes certain district clerks and staff with emergency authorizations in educator funding.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill enhances school funding formula, increases budget authority for districts, restores Advanced Opportunities funding, and creates new education-focused funding components.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnhances school funding formula with teacher salary incentives, restores Advanced Opportunities funding, and adds Future Ready component for K-12.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

signed · Montana · Senate May 13, 2025

SB 181: Generally revise Indian education for all laws

SB 181 generally revises Montana's Indian Education for All laws to strengthen the state's commitment to preserving American Indian cultural integrity. The bill requires all certified school personnel and students to receive instruction in American Indian studies, emphasizing tribal consultation and the use of Indian language and cultural specialists. It places additional accountability and reporting requirements on the Board of Public Education, the Office of Public Instruction, and school districts, particularly regarding the financial oversight of state funds for these programs. This legislation aims to improve the delivery and accountability of American Indian education across Montana's public education system.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires all school staff/students to receive American Indian studies instruction, strengthening cultural curriculum integration and accountability per bill summary.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

signed · Montana · Senate May 13, 2025

SB 278: Revise education laws to support advanced opportunities

SB 278 revises education laws to enhance "advanced opportunities" for qualifying students in grades 6-12. The bill establishes and defines "Advanced Opportunity Facilitators" to coordinate learning opportunities between school districts, students, families, and external organizations. School districts employing these facilitators can use a portion of their existing Advanced Opportunity Aid to pay them and receive additional Quality Educator Payments for these positions. This aims to support individualized pathways for career and postsecondary educational success for students.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEstablishes Advanced Opportunity Facilitators, uses existing aid + adds payments to expand access for grades 6-12, directly enhancing educational opportunities.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

vetoed · Montana · Senate May 12, 2025

SB 258: Revise school funding laws to clarify the legislature's authority related to inflationary adjustments

SB 258 clarifies the state legislature's authority regarding how public school funding is adjusted for inflation. It amends existing law that outlines how the Superintendent of Public Instruction calculates an annual inflation factor for various school entitlements, which is capped at 3%. This bill explicitly states that the legislature can, through its appropriation and lawmaking authority, provide inflationary adjustments that differ from these standard calculations and may exceed the 3% cap. This affects the financial resources allocated to public schools across the state.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRemoves 3% cap on inflation adjustments, enabling potential increases in school funding authority per legislative discretion.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

Track

signed · Montana · House May 8, 2025

HB 573: Revise transformational learning laws to create a phase II grant program

HB 573 revises laws related to "transformational learning" in Montana's public schools. The bill moves up the termination of the existing transformational learning grant program by one year and establishes a new Transformational Learning Phase II Grant Program. This new program offers incentives and flexibilities for school districts to implement personalized, proficiency-based learning systems. Districts must apply with strategic plans and proficiency definitions, with the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Board of Public Education overseeing the program's administration and qualification process, which includes a lottery system if funds are limited.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill establishes a new Phase II grant program with incentives for personalized, proficiency-based learning systems in K-12 schools, advancing educational innovation through funding and strategic planning requirements.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

signed · Montana · House May 8, 2025

HB 349: Revise TRS laws related to reemployment

HB 349 establishes a temporary program allowing certain retired members of the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) to return to full-time work for the Superintendent of Public Instruction without losing their retirement benefits. To be eligible, retired teachers must have been receiving benefits for at least two months, have 27 or more years of service, and the Superintendent must certify an inability to find a non-retired qualified applicant for the position. These reemployed retirees can work for a maximum of five years and are exempt from standard earnings limits for retirees. The Superintendent of Public Instruction, as the employer, is required to make contributions to the TRS for these individuals. This act is effective immediately and terminates on June 30, 2031.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnables experienced retired teachers to return to K-12 roles without losing benefits, supporting educator retention and school staffing needs.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAllows eligible retired teachers to return to full-time work without losing retirement benefits, expanding access to employment while preserving worker benefits.75% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

signed · Montana · House May 8, 2025

HB 156: Revise education funding laws by replacing school district BASE levies with countywide BASE levies

HB 156 revises public education funding by replacing individual school district property tax levies for base budgets with a single countywide property tax levy. This new countywide levy, supported by state aid, will fund the basic operating expenses for all school districts within a county. The bill also adjusts state guaranteed tax base aid from a district to a county level and reduces required tuition payments. These changes impact school districts, local taxpayers, and revise the duties of school and county officials regarding education funding.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill replaces district levies with countywide levies supported by state aid, ensuring stable education funding without increasing local tax burdens, aligning with fiscal responsibility and public service funding.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationReplaces school district levies with countywide system using state aid to fund basic operations, reduces tuition payments, and adjusts state aid to strengthen school financing structure.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education