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Senate Finance Committee Concurred in Bill Adding 3% Inflation Adjustment to K‑12 Funding
Summary
The Senate Finance and Claims Committee concurred in House Bill 15, which applies a 3% inflation adjustment for 2026 and 2027 to Montana’s K‑12 funding formula; education groups urged prompt action so districts can finalize budgets.
Representative David Beattie (House District 86) opened the hearing on House Bill 15, saying the measure "sets the inflation adjustments that are going to be made for K‑twelve based funding" and that the statutory calculation yields a 3% rate for both 2026 and 2027. Proponents said the change is meant to keep base and targeted payments aligned with rising costs.
Doug Reisig, executive director of the Montana Quality Education Coalition, summarized the fiscal note and argued the adjustments are needed to maintain competitive educator salaries and support targeted payments such as quality educator, at‑risk, and Indian education funding. Rob Watson of School Administrators of Montana and other K‑12 groups said the fiscal‑note assumptions include important components and asked the committee for prompt action to give districts accurate budget sheets during ongoing budget development.
Katie Bloodgood of the Office of Public Instruction noted that OPI had issued preliminary budget sheets March 1 and asked the committee to move quickly so schools can finalize budgets and salary negotiations. Representative Beattie closed by saying "the fiscal note in the bill speaks for itself" and asked members to advance the bill.
At executive action the committee moved to concur in House Bill 15; the roll call recorded 18 yes, 4 no and the committee concurred. The bill was returned to third reading with the committee's recommendation.
Why it matters: Supporters said timely adoption helps districts prepare budgets and retain educators; fiscal‑note reviewers noted the adjustments are intended to preserve purchasing power for key funding components.
