This bill proposes changing how Montana school districts collect their base funding by shifting from individual district levies to a single countywide levy system. Under the new system, property taxes would be collected at the county level to support school district budgets, and the amount of tuition charged to students would be adjusted to reflect this change. The legislation also updates related state laws governing how school districts use nonlevy revenue, manages guaranteed tax base aid, and defines the responsibilities of local officials like trustees and county treasurers in administering the new funding structure.
This bill requires Montana public schools to include education on preventing child sex trafficking and human trafficking as part of their curriculum goals. It directs the Office of Public Instruction to develop resources, coordinate with community partners, and support school districts in creating awareness programs and prevention materials for students, teachers, and families. The law also adds a specific legislative goal to the state's education standards, ensuring schools work with parents to teach students how to recognize and avoid involvement in trafficking situations. These changes take effect on July 1, 2025.
This bill authorizes Montana's Community Choice School Commission to seek and receive public funding for its operations, in addition to its existing ability to accept private donations. The legislation amends state law to clarify that the commission can obtain public funds as long as they align with the commission's purposes of supporting choice schools. It also maintains the commission's current structure, which includes seven members appointed by various state officials, and allows the commission to use private gifts for either its own operations or to distribute to authorized choice schools. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage and approval.
This bill requires Montana school districts to offer a released time program that allows students to leave regular classes for religious instruction, with each student receiving at least one hour per week. The program must be requested in writing by a parent or guardian and cannot use public school property or public funds for religious teaching. School districts must also create a policy to award academic credit for these courses based on neutral, secular criteria such as class hours, syllabus content, assessment methods, and instructor qualifications, without evaluating religious content or denominational affiliation. The changes take effect on July 1, 2025, and apply to all public school districts in the state.
This bill amends Montana education laws to restrict how pupil-instruction-related days can be used and changes requirements for school closures during teacher organization meetings. It removes the mandate that school trustees must close schools for annual meetings of teacher organizations and clarifies that pupil-instruction-related days cannot be used for attending state meetings of teacher organizations. The legislation also adjusts payment rules for teachers attending professional development meetings, stating that teachers may attend without loss of salary but may not be paid if they do not attend. These changes take effect on July 1, 2025, and directly affect school districts, teachers, and the Montana Board of Public Education.
This bill directs Montana's Department of Public Health and Human Services and the Office of Public Instruction to create a plan for expanding mental health education to all public schools in the state. The plan must include curriculum details, financial and technical support mechanisms, data collection methods, and focus on specific areas like bullying, suicide prevention, and substance use. The agencies are required to submit interim progress reports by September 2025 and January 2026, with a final plan due by May 2026. The legislation also requires the secretary of state to notify federally recognized tribal governments about the act.
This bill creates a temporary committee to investigate civil rights violations and censorship at Montana's public universities and colleges. The six-member committee, composed of state legislators from both parties, will gather testimony from students and submit findings and recommendations to federal and state officials. The committee is authorized to meet no more than three times and must complete its work by September 15, 2026, with $13,500 appropriated for member expenses. The legislation includes provisions for member appointments, staff assistance, and specifies that the act becomes void if the funding is not approved.
This bill establishes a clearer framework for funding education for children in Montana who are receiving inpatient treatment for serious emotional disturbances at state-qualified facilities. It requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to create rules for calculating tuition costs and outlines how state and local school districts will share payment responsibilities for these educational services. The legislation also clarifies that facilities must prioritize Montana residents, prohibits additional charges for eligible students, and provides backup options if a facility fails to offer appropriate educational programs.
This bill creates a Montana state income tax credit for parents who pay for nonpublic school education expenses, including private school tuition, homeschooling costs, textbooks, and extracurricular fees. The credit allows taxpayers to deduct up to 44.7% of eligible expenses paid for a qualifying student who receives full-time academic instruction in a nonpublic education setting, with the credit limited to the taxpayer's actual tax liability. Eligible expenses include tuition, educational therapies, computer hardware used for learning, and fees for activities commonly offered in public schools, while excluding entertainment devices and certain costs like meals and travel. The Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction would have rulemaking authority to implement specific details of the program.
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.
