Education

signed · Montana · House May 6, 2025

HB 266: Establish education inflation reconciliation process

HB 266 revises the annual inflation adjustments for K-12 public school funding in Montana, directly affecting school districts and the Superintendent of Public Instruction. It updates the method for calculating the inflation factor for various school entitlements, using the Consumer Price Index over a three-year period, with an annual cap of 3%. The bill also establishes a new "inflation reconciliation factor" and requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to submit a biennial report comparing budgeted funding increases with actual inflation. This reconciliation factor will then be incorporated into future funding calculations to ensure base aid accurately reflects inflation.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationUpdates inflation adjustment for school funding to maintain real value via CPI-based calculation with 3% cap, preventing budget erosion for K-12 districts.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

signed · Montana · House May 6, 2025

HB 251: Generally revise laws related to public charter schools

HB 251 revises laws concerning public charter schools, establishing a definition for "public charter school district" to clarify its governing authority as a non-taxing entity. The bill requires the Office of Public Instruction to provide a fiscal analysis for charter school applications and mandates the Board of Public Education to limit costs for new schools, prioritizing those emphasizing personalized and proficiency-based learning. It removes the Board of Public Education's authority to waive statutory requirements in charter contracts. Additionally, the bill allows public charter school districts to receive other forms of public funding and donations, and defines financial obligations for a child's resident school district when serving students with disabilities.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill establishes regulatory framework for charter schools, mandates fiscal analysis, and prioritizes proficiency-based learning - supporting charter school development within education policy.85% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent

signed · Montana · House May 5, 2025

HB 449: Eliminate statutory reference to the adult basic education fund and its distribution

HB 449 is a bill that eliminates the statutory reference to the Adult Basic Education Fund and its distribution within the Montana Code Annotated. It achieves this by repealing section 20-7-712, which outlines this fund and its distribution. This change primarily affects the legal framework governing adult basic education funding in Montana by removing this specific statutory provision, with an effective date of July 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill eliminates statutory reference to Adult Basic Education Fund, removing legal basis for its distribution and effectively defunding adult education programs under education topic.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Education

signed · Montana · House May 5, 2025

HB 591: Institute the celebrate freedom week in Montana's public schools

HB 591 establishes "Celebrate Freedom Week" in Montana public schools during the last full week of September each year, effective July 1, 2025. This bill requires social studies classes to provide at least three hours of instruction on the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Montana Constitution, including their historical context and impact on American history. Additionally, students in grades 3 through 12 are mandated to recite a specific passage from the Declaration of Independence daily during this week. Exceptions for student recitation are provided for parental requests, conscientious objections, or children of foreign diplomatic representatives.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates specific civic education curriculum (Declaration of Independence, Constitution) in social studies, enhancing student understanding of foundational documents per education topic definition.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Montana · House May 5, 2025

HB 509: Revise the quality educator loan forgiveness program to expand eligibility

HB 509 expands Montana's educator loan forgiveness program to cover all newly hired public school teachers in the state, with priority given to those hired in schools designated as "impacted" (where critical teacher shortages exist). It allows eligible teachers to receive up to $5,000 annually in loan repayment assistance over four years ($3,000-$5,000 per year for state-funded aid, plus an additional $5,000 from schools/districts). If funding falls short, the program prioritizes teachers in impacted schools and prorates payments proportionally among them. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, applying to applications submitted on or after that date.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands loan forgiveness for teachers, providing up to $5,000/year in aid to attract educators, especially in shortage areas, directly funding teacher retention.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Montana · House May 5, 2025

HB 471: Revise education laws related to human sexuality and identity instruction

HB 471 revises education laws concerning human sexuality and identity instruction in public schools, impacting students, parents, and school districts. The bill requires written parental or guardian permission for a child to attend "identity instruction" and allows parents to withdraw their child from "human sexuality instruction" as an excused absence. It mandates that schools provide advance notice to parents about these instructions and make all related curriculum materials publicly available for inspection. Additionally, the bill prohibits entities that provide abortion services from offering or furnishing materials for human sexuality or sexually transmitted disease instruction to students or personnel.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRequires parental consent for identity/sexuality instruction, restricting curriculum content and academic freedom in schools per bill's explicit mandates.95% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent

signed · Montana · House May 5, 2025

HB 400: Enact the "Free to Speak Act"

HB 400, titled the "Free to Speak Act," prohibits public schools and the state from taking disciplinary or adverse actions against students and employees. This protection applies if they decline to state their own pronouns or to address another person using a name, pronoun, or title that is inconsistent with that person's sex or not their legal name. The bill allows individuals harmed by such violations to bring a civil lawsuit seeking injunctive relief, monetary damages, and attorney fees. This act aims to protect specific speech choices for students and employees within public education and interactions with the state.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProtects students/staff from discipline over pronoun use, enhancing educational access and safety in schools per bill's prohibitions on adverse actions.85% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent

signed · Montana · House May 5, 2025

HB 631: Revise student online protection laws related to postsecondary opportunities

HB 631 revises student data privacy laws by amending the definition of "K-12 school purposes" in Section 20-7-1324, MCA. This change means that the existing data privacy protections for K-12 online applications will no longer apply to courses taken for postsecondary (college) credit. It also excludes work-based learning courses from these specific K-12 data privacy regulations. This bill aims to remove barriers to postsecondary opportunities by clarifying which educational activities fall under K-12 online application privacy rules.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRemoves K-12 data privacy barriers for college credit courses, facilitating postsecondary access per bill's stated aim.90% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyExcludes postsecondary courses from K-12 data privacy rules, weakening protections for student data in college-credit courses.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Montana · House May 5, 2025

HB 595: Revise qualifications for teachers of adult basic education or high school equivalency programs at state correctional institutions

HB 595 establishes a Montana correctional education program within the Department of Corrections, directly affecting inmates in state prisons by providing opportunities for high school equivalency and adult basic education. The bill outlines specific qualifications for instructors in these programs, requiring them to be at least 18 years old, of good moral character, and possess an associate degree, bachelor's degree, a teaching certificate from another state, or prior teaching experience. It explicitly states that the Department of Corrections cannot require these instructors to hold a Montana teacher certificate. The Department of Corrections is authorized to adopt policies determining which inmates are eligible to participate.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEstablishes prison education program to improve inmate rehabilitation and reduce recidivism through structured educational opportunities in correctional facilities.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates correctional education program with qualified instructors, expanding access to high school equivalency for inmates, directly advancing educational access within the topic.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Montana · House Apr 18, 2025

HB 234: Extend the use of funding for lead-in-schools appropriated in 2023

HB 234 extends the period for using funds previously appropriated in 2023 for projects addressing lead in schools. The bill reappropriates specific funds, originally allocated under Section 5, Chapter 763, Laws of 2023, subsection (10). This ensures the appropriations remain available for their original purpose until they are fully spent or the related capital improvement projects are completed. This measure allows schools to continue utilizing these funds for lead remediation efforts without a set expiration date.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill reappropriates existing 2023 funds for school lead remediation, ensuring fiscal responsibility by extending use period without new taxes or cuts to essential programs.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExtends existing school funding for lead remediation, ensuring continued investment in school infrastructure safety and compliance with original 2023 appropriations.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education