Education

died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 262: Establish state policy on evidence-based reading instruction

HB 262 sought to establish a state policy requiring early literacy instruction in public schools to be evidence-based and scientifically researched. The bill would have prohibited certain teaching methods, such as those relying on meaning drawn from context, visual cues, or memory, specifically disallowing the three-cueing system. Instead, it mandated that instruction include specific components like phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. This policy was intended to apply to public schools across the state, with an effective date of July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates evidence-based reading curriculum, banning non-scientific methods like three-cueing system. Strengthens literacy instruction standards in K-12 schools.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 361: Provide funding to school districts for English language learners

House Bill 361 sought to establish state funding for school districts serving English language learners and provide professional stipends for their teachers. It proposed state matching funds for public school districts that receive federal subgrants for programs supporting students with limited English proficiency. The bill also aimed to provide annual stipends of up to $500 for qualified teachers holding specific certifications in English as a Second Language or culturally and linguistically diverse education. Teachers meeting these qualifications and working in high-poverty or impacted schools could receive an enhanced stipend of up to $1,000, with both the state and school districts contributing to these payments.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates state funding for ELL programs and teacher stipends under school finance appropriations, directly advancing budgetary support for education services.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides state funding for ESL programs and $500 teacher stipends, directly advancing educational support for language learners and teachers in K-12 schools.95% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationFunds ELL programs, directly supporting immigrant students' educational access and integration, aligning with 'provides immigrant services' indicator.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 557: Revise education laws related to PIR days and meetings of teacher organizations

HB 557 would revise Montana education laws to limit how schools can use teacher professional development days. Specifically, it prohibits using "pupil-instruction-related days" (PIR days) for attending state teacher organization meetings, removes the requirement for school boards to close schools for these annual meetings, and changes attendance policies so teachers who skip these meetings may not be paid. The bill directly affects public school teachers, school districts, and the state's education funding structure by altering how professional development time is structured and compensated. These changes would have taken effect July 1, 2025, but the bill died in committee on May 22, 2025.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRestricts teacher meeting attendance by eliminating PIR day use for organization meetings and allowing non-payment for absences, limiting professional development opportunities.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Education

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HJ 36: Resolution in support of instruction in reading and writing in cursive

HJ 36 is a non-binding resolution encouraging Montana's public school districts to provide cursive writing instruction to students, primarily affecting K-12 students and school administrators. It urges schools to introduce cursive as early as developmentally appropriate and maintain exposure throughout a student's education, citing cognitive benefits and the importance of reading historical documents like the Declaration of Independence. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to share it with education officials but does not mandate or fund cursive instruction. It died in committee in May 2025 and remains a symbolic gesture, not a law.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEncourages cursive instruction in K-12 curriculum, promoting cognitive benefits and historical document literacy as part of educational standards.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 663: Revise education laws related to diversity, equity, and inclusion

HB 663 prohibits Montana public universities and eligible educational institutions from considering race, color, ethnicity, or national origin in admissions, hiring, scholarships, financial aid, or program participation. The bill bans using applicant or student demographic data for decisions and requires institutions to withhold such information from admissions officers until decisions are final. It creates a private right to sue for violations, including a fixed $4,000 statutory penalty per violation, plus compensatory or punitive damages, and waives state immunity for such cases. The bill, which stalled in committee in May 2025, would have taken effect October 1, 2026, if enacted.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationProhibits DEI considerations in admissions/hiring, restricting diversity programs in higher education, directly opposing equity-focused educational policies.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Education

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 255: Revise online data privacy laws for K-12 pupil records

HB 255 revises Montana's data privacy rules for K-12 student records held by third-party educational technology providers (like apps or cloud services). It requires school districts to include specific privacy protections in contracts with these vendors, such as prohibiting the use of student data for targeted advertising, ensuring data security, and guaranteeing students or parents can access or correct their records. The bill also allows schools to adopt pre-approved model contracts from privacy-focused consortia to simplify compliance. These changes directly affect school districts, educational tech companies, and students whose data is stored or managed through digital platforms.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProtects student data privacy in K-12 ed tech contracts by banning targeted ads, ensuring security, and enabling data access/correction, directly strengthening educational data safeguards.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRequires edtech vendors to prohibit student data use for ads, ensure security, and allow data access/correction - strengthening privacy protections for K-12 tech services.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 945: Create the early childhood education and child care infrastructure grant program

HB 945 aimed to establish the Early Childhood Education and Child Care Infrastructure Grant Program in Montana. This program would have provided up to $10 million in grants to licensed child care facilities and school districts across the state. The grants were intended to fund capital expenses, such as property acquisition, construction, renovation, and equipment purchases, to create new or expand existing child care programs. Recipients of grants $50,000 or more would have been required to provide matching funds or in-kind contributions. The bill also set limits on the maximum funding per county and per individual project.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides $10M in grants for early childhood education infrastructure, expanding access and funding for child care programs in schools.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 457: Revise best beginnings eligibility

HB 457 aimed to modify the Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarship Program. It proposed changing the family income eligibility requirement from a minimum of 185% of the federal poverty level to 85% of the state median income for each family size. Additionally, the bill sought to appropriate $17 million annually from the general fund to the Department of Public Health and Human Services for the program for the biennium beginning July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill appropriates $17M annually from general fund to expand child care program, directly funding a public service per appropriations subject.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands early childhood education access by lowering income eligibility threshold and appropriating $17M annually for child care scholarships, directly increasing funding and accessibility for families.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 382: Establish the specie legal tender act

The provided bill text, identified as Senate Bill 382, focuses on revising laws related to immunization exemptions, which differs from the title "Establish the specie legal tender act" for HB 382. Based on the provided text, this bill mandates that various entities, including state agencies, schools, child care facilities, and licensed health care providers, must accept religious or informed consent exemptions for required immunizations, injections, or medications for employment or attendance. It establishes that denying such an exemption is an unlawful discriminatory practice. Non-compliant entities could face a loss of state funding, and individuals denied an exemption may file complaints and seek compensatory damages. The bill also clarifies and strengthens the existing provisions for religious, medical, and informed consent exemptions for school attendance.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill mandates acceptance of immunization exemptions for school attendance, weakening health standards required for educational environments.85% confidence ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareBill mandates exemptions for immunizations in healthcare settings, weakening mandatory vaccination requirements and public health initiatives.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Education

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signed · Montana · House May 19, 2025

HB 864: Authorize transfers and other necessary measure to implement HB 2 section E

House Bill 864 implements provisions related to education funding and administration across various institutions. It expands the use of the School Facility and Technology Account, allowing excess funds to be transferred to the School Major Maintenance Aid Account to prevent aid reductions for schools. For community colleges, the bill revises definitions and mechanisms for calculating state general fund appropriations, incorporating inflationary adjustments and changes in full-time equivalent (FTE) student numbers. It also increases payments for resident nonbeneficiary students at tribal colleges and mandates a study on interlibrary resource sharing programs and the Office of Public Instruction.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesPrevents school funding reductions by transferring excess funds between accounts, maintaining essential education appropriations per bill's implementation of HB 2 section E.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationPrevents school aid reductions by transferring excess funds to maintenance accounts and includes inflation adjustments for community college funding, directly protecting educational resources.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education