Missoula, MT – Montana’s public schools are set to receive a substantial boost of $52.1 million in additional funding, thanks to the passage of House Bill 15. This funding aims to enhance various aspects of the state’s education system, from increasing teacher salaries to supporting critical educational programs.
Proposed by Republican Representative David Bedey of Hamilton, the bill was requested by the Governor’s Office of Budget and Program Planning. Governor Greg Gianforte praised the funding increase, calling it a historic investment in Montana’s schools. “We gave the schools more money. In fact, we gave them historic amounts of money so that Mrs. Power, all the other teachers, and principals can get paid, and so we can have lights, and we can have good schools and good learning,” Gianforte said.
The primary goal of the funding is to provide inflationary adjustments to the state’s school funding formula. This will ensure that Montana’s public school districts can maintain their budgets despite rising costs. A large portion of the funds will be directed to K-12 BASE aid, which sets the minimum general fund budget that all public school districts in Montana are required to adopt. The funding will also support programs like special education and Indian Education for All, which focus on providing equitable educational opportunities for students across the state.
School officials are welcoming the additional funds, as they help address ongoing financial challenges. Dan Rispens, Superintendent of East Helena Public Schools, explained that staff pay increases and rising operational costs had already been consuming a significant portion of school budgets. Without the additional funding, some districts might have been forced to reduce staff in order to balance their finances.
“It’s been tough. Staff increases and pay alone eat up a pretty good portion of the budget. Trying to keep up with those negotiated increases for pay would have probably put us in a situation where we were going to have to cut some staff just to make ends meet,” said Rispens.
While the bill does not directly appropriate the funds, it establishes the legislative intent to allocate the additional money to Montana’s public schools. The funding is expected to have a positive impact on the state’s education system, providing schools with the resources needed to support students, teachers, and educational programs.
