House Education hears bill to expand support for educational interpreters, add MSDB to recruitment programs

The House Education Committee on Oct. 12 heard testimony on House Bill 151, a bill by Representative Keogh that would add educational sign language interpreters to several state recruitment and retention programs and make technical changes to support the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind (MSDB).

Representative Keogh opened the hearing saying the interim education budget subcommittee had documented “a real critical shortage of educational interpreters,” with multiple openings in districts including Belgrade, Missoula, Billings and Helena. “Our parents are concerned and the educational future of children who are deaf and hard of hearing is at stake,” Keogh said.

The bill would: add educational sign language interpreters to the list of professionals eligible for the quality educator payment; make interpreters eligible for the quality educator loan assistance program in more districts; permit MSDB and other special state schools to participate in the teacher residency program and the Teach Act by clarifying the definition of “school district” in statute; and allow MSDB to use school buses for student transportation by removing a Public Service Commission certification requirement in current law (MCA 20‑8‑121 as cited in testimony).

Paul Firthmyr, superintendent of the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind, told the committee MSDB serves students statewide through an outreach program and campus programs. He said the PSC certification language had unintentionally required parents to transport students home and said removing the PSC requirement and explicitly allowing school buses would restore MSDB’s ability to coordinate transportation: “That is the simplest part” of the bill, he said.

Firthmyr and other proponents described multiple recruitment barriers: there is no in‑state university pipeline that regularly produces teachers of the deaf or educational interpreters; certification standards differ by setting; and many districts — especially small rural districts — cannot attract qualified candidates. Firthmyr said MSDB has eight interpreters; four currently meet the education interpreter standard used by the Board of Public Education and two more had taken the test and were expected to be certified by the following school year.

Brandy Reinhart, an educational sign language interpreter who testified as an informational witness, described differences among interpreter credentials and referred the committee to the Board of Public Education’s educational interpreter standard (test score 3.5 or higher on the Education Interpreter Proficiency Assessment, EIPA) and to national credentialing bodies (RID/NIC/CDE) that serve different workforce needs.

Proponents urged the committee to approve HB 151 as a recruitment and retention tool. Sarah Novak, a special education/co‑op director and former senator, and Rob Watson of the School Administrators of Montana said the quality educator payment would make interpreter positions more competitive. Parent witness Heidi Houck described the classroom impact on her daughter, who uses cochlear implants and “relies on [an interpreter] for information.”

Office of Public Instruction fiscal staff were present to answer budget questions; Paul Taylor (OPI) identified himself as the informational fiscal contact. Committee members asked about an expected fiscal note; the sponsor said one was being prepared.

The committee did not take a final vote during the hearing. Representative Keogh said she would seek an amendment that would allow districts across the state to use the loan assistance program for educational interpreters and requested the amendment be ready for future committee action.