Committee hears bill to apply statutory inflation adjustment to K‑12 base aid

Representative David Beatty, sponsor of House Bill 15, told the House Education Committee that the bill applies statutorily determined inflation adjustments to the K‑12 base aid formula used to set the minimum funding districts receive.

The measure implements the inflation calculation in 20‑9‑326, Montana Code Annotated (the CPI‑based, three‑year compound growth method) with the statutory 3 percent cap. That cap, Beatty and multiple proponents said, allows districts to plan budgets, negotiate contracts and begin spring hiring.

HB 15 would apply the statutory inflation factor to the several components of the base aid formula used to compute the state share and the portion borne by local property taxpayers. "This bill provides for the present‑law based inflationary adjustment for schools and assists in ensuring Montana's public schools can maintain learning opportunities and school operations," said Emily Dean, director of…