Senate committee advances bill allowing districts to hire ‘advanced opportunity’ facilitators

Senate Bill 278, which would let local school boards hire an "advanced opportunity facilitator" to coordinate internships, industry credentialing and connections among schools, employers and state agencies, passed the Senate Finance and Claims Committee and will go back for third reading. Sponsor Sen. Sarah Novak, Senate District 36, told the committee the position is intended as a local liaison to "work with Department of Labor, Higher Ed, local industries, working to get kids credentialed with industry credentials as they graduate school or before they graduate school."

The bill’s fiscal note was a focus during testimony. Novak said the fiscal estimate was written around 90 districts that currently receive advanced opportunity funding and estimated that 45 would take the Quality Educator Payment (QEP) provided under the bill. Rob Watson, executive director of the School Administrators of Montana, urged support and noted the fiscal note figure and the QEP relationship: "line 7 on page 2 item number 7 ... gives you an estimated increase of the quality educator payment ... brings up to $175,000," he said, asking the committee to view the position as a professional role deserving the QEP.

Proponents framed the position as flexible and locally adaptable. Sheridan Hoyer of the Montana Chamber of Commerce said the chamber supports the measure as one that "allows but does not require school districts" to hire the position. Novak clarified the facilitator would not have to be a certified teacher: "it does not have to be a certified educator ... those partnerships ... it doesn't have to be a licensed educator." She said the role could free school counselors, who face large caseloads, to focus on other duties.

The committee opened executive action on the bill and a motion to "do pass" was made. The committee recorded a roll-call vote in which a majority voted to advance the bill; the clerk announced that Senate Bill 278 "has been passed" and will return on third reading.

The bill’s supporters described the measure as a local option that gives boards another tool to expand advanced opportunity programs and industry-aligned credentialing. The sponsor said districts can tailor hiring to local needs and predicted fewer than all eligible districts would immediately adopt the position, calling the fiscal note a conservative ("worst-case") estimate.

Votes at executive action were recorded on the committee record. The committee will send SB 278 forward for further consideration on the Senate floor.

Senate Bill 278: executive action outcome — passed by the Senate Finance and Claims Committee and returned to the floor for third reading.