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Senate concurs with HB 252 (STARS Act) to create performance-based education funding
Summary
Senate Finance and Claims concurred with House Bill 252 (the STARS Act), a performance-based K–12 funding package projected at $55 million in year one growing to $64 million, to raise baseline teacher pay and reward districts for dual-credit and CTE credentialing; committee discussion clarified funding mechanics and that funds may be paused but not clawed back if commitments are not met.
Representative Lou Jones opened the hearing on House Bill 252 (STARS Act), describing a performance-based funding model with approximately $55,000,000 in year one growing to about $64,000,000 in subsequent years. The sponsor said primary uses include increasing baseline teacher pay (conditioned on local commitments to raise pay) and awarding districts for career-technical education credentials and dual-credit attainment.
Proponents included Susie Hedalen, superintendent for the Office of Public Instruction, who supported the bill’s investments in teacher pay and advanced opportunities; Dylan Klapmeier, the governor’s education policy adviser, who said the governor’s budget reflects the STARS Act; Kim Popham of the Montana Federation of Public Employees and Lance Melton of the Montana School Boards Association also testified in support.
Senators probed how the program would be enforced if districts failed to follow through. Representative Jones said the program pauses future payments rather than clawing back funds already spent: "we could not do a clawback provision because it would have been expended dollars... it simply pauses." Several senators expressed support for CTE expansion and the bill was concurred in on a roll-call of 21 yes to 1 no.
