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Senate panel advances bill letting districts hire 'advanced opportunity' facilitators to link students with industry
Summary
The Senate Finance and Claims Committee advanced SB278, which allows school districts to hire an 'advanced opportunity facilitator' to connect students to apprenticeships, internships and industry credentials. Sponsor Sarah Novak said the fiscal note assumes 45 of 90 eligible districts would adopt the role; committee approved the bill in executive action.
Senator Sarah Novak, R-District 36, told the Senate Finance and Claims Committee SB278 creates an "advanced opportunity facilitator" districts may hire to coordinate with local industry, the Department of Labor and higher-education partners to secure internships, job placements and industry credentials for students.
The sponsor said the bill targets 90 districts that currently receive advanced opportunity grant funds and that the fiscal note calculated costs assuming 45 of those districts would adopt the new position. "I think the fiscal note is accurate," Novak said, but added the estimate is a "worst case scenario" and she expects fewer districts would immediately take advantage of the tool.
Rob Watson, executive director of the School Administrators of Montana, testified in support and asked the committee to recognize the position with the Quality Educator Payment, noting the fiscal-note line that estimates an increase to the QEP (about $175,000) if 45 districts qualify. "This is a professional position that...deserves that quality educator payment," Watson said.
Sheridan Hoyer of the Montana Chamber of Commerce also supported the bill as a workforce-readiness measure, saying it "allows but does not require" districts to hire the facilitator.
Committee members asked technical questions about scale and qualifications. In response to Senator Vance's inquiry about how many high schools exist in Montana relative to the 90 districts, Watson estimated "about 200 superintendents...I would say about two-thirds have high schools with them." Novak clarified the facilitator need not be a certified teacher and could be a local businessperson or other community member; she said licensed educators would continue to teach courses while the facilitator would coordinate external partnerships.
After the hearing, the committee took executive action. A motion to "do pass" SB278 was made and the committee took a roll-call vote; the chair declared the bill passed in committee and returned to third reading.
The committee’s action advances the bill to the next stage; sponsors and supporters said the change is aimed at expanding students' access to industry credentials and local workforce connections without mandating district participation.
