This bill updates Montana education laws to improve teacher recruitment and retention while expanding support for the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind. It makes educational sign language interpreters eligible for quality educator payments and loan assistance, and broadens the types of schools that can receive incentives for meeting teacher pay benchmarks and participate in the teacher residency program. The bill also allows the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind to transport resident students between home and school using school buses. Additionally, it defines "impacted schools" to include special education cooperatives, the school for the deaf and blind, correctional facilities, reservation schools, and rural schools located more than 20 minutes from larger cities.
This bill creates the Montana B.E.S.T. (Bolstering Educators' Support and Training) program, a statewide initiative administered by the Office of Public Instruction designed to support early-career teachers during their first three years in the profession. The program pairs new teachers with experienced mentors in the same subject or grade level for a one-year structured training period, including ongoing support, regional meetings, and a digital communication platform. Funding includes $2,500 stipends for mentors, $600 stipends for participating teachers (with at least $300 from their school district), and up to 15% of state funds for administrative costs. The bill also requires annual reporting to the education interim committee on program status and impact, with an initial appropriation of $1 million per year starting July 1, 2025.
This bill updates Montana's school funding laws by revising the definition of a basic system of free quality public schools and establishing new requirements for how state funding is calculated and distributed. It directly affects Montana public school districts, the state legislature, and all students by mandating that funding formulas account for specific factors such as student needs, open enrollment transfers, and student achievement growth relative to funding increases. Key provisions require the legislature to consider elements like special needs students, American Indian cultural integration, teacher retention, and transparent reporting on how additional funding improves outcomes, while also ensuring the formula includes automatic annual inflation adjustments and equitable distribution across districts. The bill aims to create a more structured and accountable approach to school funding that reflects constitutional requirements for educational equality throughout the state.
This bill establishes a new funding program for Montana school districts to support advanced learning opportunities for students in grades 6 through 12. It creates a role called "advanced opportunity facilitator" who would help connect students with colleges, employers, and community organizations to prepare them for careers and higher education. Districts that develop and implement approved plans for these opportunities can use a portion of their existing quality educator payment funding to pay facilitators and receive additional payments for their work. The bill requires districts to submit applications and annual reports to qualify for funding, with the state board reviewing progress and limiting the number of districts that can receive aid based on available budget.
This bill directs Montana state funding to school districts to support programs for English language learners, addressing a current gap in the state's school funding formula. It provides matching state funds for districts that receive federal grants for English learner programs and establishes annual stipends for teachers with specialized certifications in English as a second language or culturally and linguistically diverse education. Teachers in high-poverty or impacted schools receive higher stipend amounts, with the state covering a significant portion of the payment while districts contribute a smaller share. The legislation appropriates $5 million for program funding and $25,000 for teacher stipends over two fiscal years, with provisions for supplemental funding if initial appropriations are insufficient.
This bill directs Montana lottery revenue to be distributed quarterly to school districts based on the number of quality educators each district employs, ensuring funds go directly to schools rather than being held in a general state account. It expands how school flexibility funds can be used, allowing districts to spend money on teacher recruitment and retention incentives, facility improvements, technology upgrades, and curriculum development. The legislation also updates the state lottery commission's duties to prioritize maximizing net revenue for school distribution while maintaining oversight of lottery operations and reporting requirements.
This bill revises Montana's school funding laws by creating new financial incentives and adjusting how districts receive state aid. It directly affects school districts, teachers, and administrative staff by establishing a new "Future Ready" funding component focused on postgraduate preparation and expanding eligibility for certain educator funding programs. Key provisions include increasing budget authority for districts facing high housing costs, renaming the Quality Educator Funding component, and adding requirements for district clerks to perform specific financial and administrative duties. The legislation also sets a minimum student enrollment threshold for elementary districts seeking to expand into K-12 districts and requires the Legislative Fiscal Analyst to create a school funding data dashboard.
This bill increases professional stipends for Montana teachers who hold National Board Certification, with higher amounts for those working in high-poverty or impacted schools. Under the new provisions, eligible teachers in regular assignments receive up to $1,500 annually, while those in high-poverty or impacted schools can receive up to $2,500. The state will fund a portion of these stipends, with school districts required to contribute matching funds to reach the maximum amounts. Payments will be distributed by the superintendent of public instruction to eligible school districts, education cooperatives, the Montana school for the deaf and blind, and correctional facilities. The changes take effect on July 1, 2025, and apply to school years beginning on or after that date.
This bill extends the Montana Grow Your Own grant program through June 30, 2029, and adds postsecondary institutions as eligible recipients of startup grants to help develop teacher training pipelines. The legislation removes the requirement for grant recipients to convert scholarships to loans if they do not teach in shortage areas within specified timeframes, while maintaining the existing five-year and ten-year service commitments. It also expands eligibility for scholarship recipients to include those who earned at least six postsecondary credits in education while in high school or live in communities with educator shortages. The bill appropriates $500,000 for the 2025-2026 biennium to fund these expanded program activities.
This bill allows Montana school districts to form cooperative partnerships to share services and resources, such as administration, payroll, and custodial work, while also permitting private entities to join these agreements. It simplifies the process for districts to enter into these partnerships by clarifying how funds can be transferred between district accounts and establishing rules for how long agreements can last and how they can be dissolved. The legislation also introduces a financial incentive, increasing total quality educator payments by 50% for districts that join countywide resource-sharing agreements covering all districts in a county. These changes aim to give school boards more flexibility in organizing operations without requiring additional local taxes.
