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Sponsor says transparency bill would require boards to be told of reductions in force; opponents warn statute duplicates existing law
Summary
House Bill 602 would require districts to notify boards of trustees when reductions in force occur; proponents said the measure costs nothing and protects teachers from hidden RIFs, while Montana School Boards Association and other opponents argued current law already provides mechanisms and the bill risks complicating employment processes.
House Bill 602, introduced by Representative Overstreet, would require school districts to notify the board of trustees when a reduction in force occurs and place the matter on the board agenda; the sponsor said the bill is intended to prevent covert reductions in force that leave teachers believing they were fired for performance reasons.
Representative Overstreet recounted a constituent’s experience—his wife—who received a preprinted notice that her contract would not be renewed and later learned colleagues were told by administrators that staff reductions had been made to balance the budget.…
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