HB 837 establishes a statewide Retired Teacher Induction and Mentoring Program to support new teachers by pairing them with retired teachers from the same school district. School districts can optionally participate, matching a new teacher with a former teacher for up to three months of guidance. Participating districts compensate retired teachers hourly for up to 36 hours, and the Office of Public Instruction then reimburses these costs. The program, funded by an annual $100,000 state appropriation, aims to provide new teachers with support such as classroom feedback, administrative assistance, and help with district policies.
HB 359 revises the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) laws concerning retired teachers returning to work. It temporarily reduces the required break-in-service period for retired teachers from 150 to 120 days if they retired on or after January 1, 2024. The bill also creates an exception, allowing retired teachers to work for up to 45 days during this break-in-service period specifically to mentor new teachers. These provisions, which also extend existing temporary rules, are effective until June 30, 2029, after which the previous requirements will apply.
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.
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.
Senate Bill 245 requires school bus drivers to complete a specialized training course focused on recognizing and identifying signs of human trafficking. The Office of Public Instruction (OPI) is directed to make these transportation industry-specific training materials available to drivers at no cost. The OPI must source these materials from organizations that have developed free, publicly available resources specifically for school bus drivers. This bill aims to equip school bus drivers with the knowledge to report concerns to appropriate authorities, thereby contributing to child sex trafficking prevention efforts.
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.
HB 841 proposed a constitutional amendment in Montana to change the allocation of state sales or use tax revenue. It would have required that revenue from a statewide sales tax, capped at 4%, be used primarily to reduce property taxes funding public schools and the Montana University System. The bill allowed for this revenue to be appropriated for other purposes if three-fourths of the legislature voted to do so. If approved by voters in November 2026, the amendment would have taken effect on July 1, 2027.
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.
HB 151 revises education laws related to recruitment, retention, and the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind. The bill makes educational sign language interpreters eligible for the quality educator payment and loan assistance program. It also expands the types of educational entities that can receive incentives for meeting starting teacher pay benchmarks and participate in the teacher residency program. Finally, it allows the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind to transport resident students between their homes and the school using a school bus.
HB 845 increases the state income tax deduction for individuals contributing to Family Education Savings Accounts (529 plans). Beginning in tax year 2025, the maximum annual deduction for these contributions will rise from $3,000 to $4,500. The bill also establishes an inflation factor to adjust this maximum deduction amount in subsequent tax years based on the consumer price index. These changes apply retroactively to tax years beginning after December 31, 2024, for contributions made to accounts owned by the contributor, their spouse, or a Montana resident child or stepchild.
