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69th Legislature 2025 HB 340.1
- 1 - Authorized Print Version – HB 340
1 HOUSE BILL NO. 340
2 INTRODUCED BY M. ROMANO, J. REAVIS, B. EDWARDS, J. ISALY, M. LEE, P. STRAND, T. CROWE, P.
3 ELVERUM, S. FYANT, J. WEBER, J. SOOKTIS, A. GRIFFITH, D. POWERS, M. CUNNINGHAM, S.
4 ROSENZWEIG, L. JONES, E. MATTHEWS, F. SMITH, M. FOX, D. BAUM, M. CAFERRO, B. CARTER, J.
5 COHENOUR, T. FRANCE, S. HOWELL, J. KARLEN, C. KEOGH, E. STAFMAN, K. SULLIVAN, M. THANE, P.
6 TUSS, S. DEMAROIS, D. JOY, C. FITZPATRICK, J. LYNCH
7
8 A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: “AN ACT CREATING THE MONTANA B.E.S.T. TEACHER TRAINING
9 PROGRAM; CREATING A STATEWIDE PROGRAM TO PROVIDE TARGETED TRAINING AND SUPPORT
10 TO EARLY CAREER TEACHERS IN THE FIRST 3 YEARS OF THEIR TEACHING CAREERS, INCREASE
11 TEACHER RETENTION, AND ENHANCE EDUCATION FOR MONTANA STUDENTS; PROVIDING
12 PROGRAM PARAMETERS AND DUTIES FOR THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION; ESTABLISHING
13 REPORTING REQUIREMENTS; PROVIDING AN APPROPRIATION; PROVIDING A DEFINITION; AND
14 PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.”
15
16 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
17
18 NEW SECTION. Section 1. (1) There is a statewide
19 Montana bolstering educators' support and training teacher training program administered by the office of public
20 instruction. The program may be known as the Montana B.E.S.T. program.
21 (2) The purpose of the program is to support teachers who are new to the teaching profession,
22 increase teacher retention, and enhance education for Montana students through a training program for early
23 career teachers by providing them with targeted, individual support. Participation in the program is at the
24 discretion of the board of trustees of a school district employing an early career teacher.
25 (3) The program must:
26 (a) connect early career teachers with experienced mentor teachers in the same content area or
27 grade level for a 1-year structured training program;
28 (b) include robust and systematic training for mentor teachers to ensure a high-quality and ****
69th Legislature 2025 HB 340.1
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1 effective program;
2 (c) provide a platform capable of supporting activities and communication between and among
3 mentor teachers and early career teachers and capable of reporting through remote means;
4 (d) provide ongoing training and support for the paired early career and mentor teachers;
5 (e) provide the opportunity for in-person interaction through regional gatherings, site visits, and
6 other professional development activities;
7 (f) emphasize support for early career teachers in impacted schools as defined in 20-4-502;
8 (g) include surveys and other data collection considered necessary by the commissioner of higher
9 education to demonstrate program impact; and
10 (h) involve collaboration between the office of the commissioner of higher education, the office of
11 public instruction, school districts, professional educator preparation programs, and organizations serving
12 teachers and administrators.
13 (4) Contingent on funding appropriated by the legislature, the office of public instruction shall
14 create and administer a program meeting the requirements of this section.
15 (5) The legislature intends that funding provided for this program be used for:
16 (a) $2,500 stipends for mentor teachers;
17 (b) $600 stipends for early career teachers that include a minimum amount of $300 from the
18 school district employing the early career teachers; and
19 (c) administrative costs not to exceed 15% of the state funding provided.
20 (6) In accordance with 5-11-210, the office of public instruction shall report annually to the
21 education interim committee on the status and impacts of the program.
22 (7) For the purposes of this section, "early career teacher" means a teacher who is new to the field
23 of teaching or in the first 3 years of the teacher's teaching career.
24
25 NEW SECTION. Section 2. (1) There is appropriated $1 million from the state
26 general fund to the office public instruction for each year of the biennium beginning July 1, 2025, for the
27 purposes described in [section 1].
28 (2) The legislature intends that the appropriation in this section be considered part of the ongoing ****
69th Legislature 2025 HB 340.1
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1 base for the next legislative session.
2
3 NEW SECTION. Section 3. [Section 1] is intended to be codified as an
4 integral part of Title 20, chapter 4, and the provisions of Title 20, chapter 4, apply to [section 1].
5
6 NEW SECTION. Section 4. [This act] is effective July 1, 2025.
7 - END -