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Committee hears $1 million teacher mentoring pilot; amendment makes funding one-time
Summary
House Bill 340 would fund a statewide mentoring and induction program for early-career teachers with $1 million proposed in the bill; proponents said such investment would reduce turnover and yield long-term savings. The committee approved a one-time appropriation amendment and later advanced the bill.
Representative Melissa Romano, sponsor of House Bill 340, told the House Appropriations Committee that HB 340 would create a teacher mentoring and induction program intended to reduce early-career teacher turnover in Montana. Romano said the bill proposes $1 million in funding, largely for stipends to experienced mentor teachers and for new-teacher stipends, and that the estimates draw on a prior grant-run program at Montana State University.
Romano said the program’s costs would include mentor stipends ($2,500 for experienced teachers), new-teacher stipends ($600, half required from local districts), and travel to regional meetings and observations. She cited data showing teacher shortages and emergency authorizations and said retaining more teachers would save districts money and potentially improve student outcomes.
Proponents included Rob Watson, director of school administrators in Montana and a representative of a coalition of advocates for Montana’s public schools, who cited a study estimating a $1.50 return for every $1 invested in robust mentor programs after five years. Kim Popham, representing the Montana Federation of Public Employees, described her experience as a mentor and urged passage; other witnesses described program details and the bill’s reporting and sunset provisions.
Committee members asked technical and implementation questions. Representative Barker asked whether the program could operate across district lines; Rob Watson said a multi-district agreement is not required but could be beneficial. Representative Barker asked whether retired teachers could serve as mentors; Watson said related bills are moving in the Legislature to relax restrictions that would allow retirees to serve. Representative Nicastro and others pressed for clarity about the bill’s timing, contract-day expectations, and how the proposed stipend work outside of contract hours; witnesses said mentoring and training would typically occur outside the standard duty day and on days beyond the contract school days.
Representative Nicastro also asked about the bill’s language that indicates intent that the appropriation be considered ongoing while the bill contains a sunset. Vice Chair Beatty told the committee he planned to propose an amendment to make the appropriation one-time only for the biennium so the program would run as a pilot and the legislature could reassess costs after the biennium. Representative Romano said she had no objection to treating the appropriation as one-time and called the pilot approach appropriate given uncertainties about implementation and cost assumptions.
During executive action the committee considered an amendment (HB0304.002.001) making the appropriation one-time only (OTO); the amendment passed by voice vote. The committee then advanced the bill as amended; a roll-call vote recorded 14 yes and 9 no, sending HB 340 forward with the amendment that makes the appropriation OTO and retains reporting requirements and the sunset date.
