Montana bill seeks to revive, expand 'Grow Your Own' teacher pipeline for rural and tribal schools

Representative Crow introduced House Bill 499 on behalf of House District 15 and asked the House Education Committee for bipartisan support of legislation to revise and extend Montana's Grow Your Own grant program.

"I am asking for your bipartisan support," Representative Crow said, describing the bill as a way to build teacher pipelines in rural and reservation communities.

The bill would authorize the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education to administer grants that partner eligible postsecondary institutions with K–12 districts to develop or expand local teacher-preparation pathways. Proponents described three pilot Grow Your Own programs funded after a 2021 appropriation and said the legislation would restore funding and refine program requirements.

"The Grow Your Own grant program has been a successful model for Blackfeet community and other tribes in the state," said Patrick Yawake, representing tribal education interests for Blackfeet, Fort Belknap and Chippewa Cree communities, who testified in support. He said local teachers trained through the program help incorporate culture and local history into classrooms and provide role models for students.

Beth Durodoye, dean of the College of Arts, Sciences, and Education at Montana State University–Northern, described the campus' Teachers of Promise (TOP) pathway. "Northern offered education specific courses to a total of 167 students delivered in face to face and online formats," she said, and said TOP included dual-credit courses, field placements and counselor support.

Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education staff provided program details and answers to committee questions. Angela McLean, director of American Indian and Minority Achievement and K–12 Partnerships at the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education, said three Grow Your Own models were launched in the 2021 biennium and that institutions continue to enroll students: "While we do not have any completers from that time, we right now have at least a dozen students in the Havre Public Schools who are engaging in the paraprofessional work based model as they are matriculating in dual enrollment." She told the committee more than 50 students had begun pathways during the initial rollout but that tracking suffered when funding lapsed.

Key provisions described in testimony include:

- A last-dollar grant of up to $5,000 per year per student, not to exceed $10,000 total per student; the grant is intended to cover remaining tuition or fees after other aid. - Grants intended as start-up funding with an expectation of matching by participating school districts or postsecondary institutions and a sustainability plan to continue programs beyond grant terms. - Authorization for the commissioner to fund up to two qualifying Grow Your Own programs in Montana postsecondary institutions (text in the bill describes program limits and partnership requirements). - Program eligibility tied to districts with schools identified on the Office of Public Instruction list for quality educator shortages (cited in testimony as Montana Code § 20-4-503).

Committee members asked for concrete counts of teachers produced and for details about how grant funds would be distributed and administered. McLean said the Montana University System would disperse funds early each term to support matriculation and that grant funds would cover tuition and campus administrative costs, with an emphasis on intentional advising and student support.

Representative Crow closed by urging the committee to adopt a measurable goal for the pipeline and by asking for support for the bill. The committee did not take a formal vote during the hearing.

Background and fiscal context offered in testimony: the program began after a 2021 appropriation of $500,000; there was no legislative funding in 2023; proponents said existing campus and tribal partnerships have infrastructure to deliver dual-credit and apprenticeship models. Witnesses noted that most Montana public schools have fewer than 100 students and that two-thirds of Montana students attend school in rural settings, making local preparation models important to reduce cost and increase retention.

No formal motion or vote on House Bill 499 appears in the hearing record provided.