HB 260 Montana House · 2025 Regular Session

Revise teacher stipends for national board certification

HB 260 revises the professional stipends paid to Montana teachers who hold a current National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification. The bill changes the stipend amounts from fixed dollar values to percentages of the state's quality educator payment, effectively providing an annual adjustment. Eligible full-time teachers in public schools, education cooperatives, and certain state facilities will receive a stipend of 50% of the quality educator payment, with those in high-poverty or impacted schools receiving 85%. The bill also adjusts the state's contribution percentages towards these stipends.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
Apr 2025
Introduced Jan 17, 2025 Signed Apr 17, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB0260_1(7).pdf HB0260_X.pdf · 5 edits
MODERATE
This bill updates Montana's teacher stipend program for National Board Certified teachers by increasing the maximum annual payment from $1,500 to $2,500 based on a teacher's school location. It also introduces an inflation adjustment mechanism tied to the state's 'quality educator payment' to ensure stipends keep pace with economic changes. The funding structure now explicitly requires the state to contribute a specific percentage of the total stipend, with school districts required to match that contribution.
Scope change
The bill expands the scope of the stipend program by adding a higher payment tier for teachers working in high-poverty areas or 'impacted schools', while maintaining the original tier for other eligible teachers.
FISCAL

Increased the maximum annual stipend for National Board Certified teachers from $1,500 to $2,500 for those working in high-poverty or impacted schools.

Added a new eligibility tier providing the higher $2,500 stipend to teachers in high-poverty areas (eligible for community eligibility provision) or impacted schools.

REQUIREMENT

Established a mandatory funding formula where the state pays a fixed base amount plus a percentage of the district's contribution, up to a maximum state share of 75% for the lower tier and 85% for the higher tier.

Added a requirement for the Superintendent of Public Instruction to request supplemental state funding if appropriations are insufficient to cover the full stipend amounts.

TECHNICAL

Changed the bill status from a draft version (HB 260.1) to an enrolled bill, indicating it has passed both legislative chambers and is ready for the Governor's signature.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 1, 2025 · House Feb 10, 2025

How they voted

482
Passed
Total votes 50
Apr 1, 2025
D Democratic18
18 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican32
30 Yea 2 Nay
93% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
43
Key actions
10
Committee
7
Apr 16, 2025
Signed into law
(H) Signed by Governor
lower
Apr 9, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Signed by President
upper
Apr 7, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Signed by Speaker
lower
Apr 1, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (48-2)
senate
Mar 24, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Report - (S) Education and Cultural Resources
upper
Mar 20, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Executive Action - (S) Education and Cultural Resources
upper
Feb 19, 2025
Committee
(S) Referred to Committee - (S) Education and Cultural Resources
upper
Feb 10, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (99-1)
house
Feb 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Report - (H) Education
lower
Feb 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) Education
lower
Feb 3, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) Education
lower
Jan 20, 2025
Committee
(H) Referred to Committee - (H) Education
lower
Jan 17, 2025
Introduced
(H) Introduced
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Luke Muszkiewicz
Luke Muszkiewicz
DDemocratic
MT
79