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Committee hears plan to fund a statewide digital toolkit for teachers and students
Summary
House Bill 861 would appropriate funds for a statewide digital instructional toolkit used by schools for supplemental curriculum, career exploration, and English‑learner support; proponents emphasized rural reach and teacher retention benefits.
Representative Eric Tillman presented House Bill 861 asking the committee to fund a statewide digital toolkit to provide supplemental instructional resources, career exploration modules and content tailored for Montana (including Indian Education for All lessons).
Proponents described a pilot deployed with ESSER funds that reached 76 schools and cited metrics of about 3,000 distinct educator logins and an estimated 122,000 students reached through classroom use. Rob Watson (school administrators) and Office of Public Instruction representatives explained that the funding would cover licensing via an RFP process and that the procurement could result in a different vendor than the pilot but retain the statewide, optional toolkit model.
Committee members asked about licensing details, whether the student counts represent unique logins (they do not — the educator logs in and shares with a class), and whether the toolkit aligns to state standards. Proponents said the product is aligned and vetted, includes modules for English language learners and CTE/career connections, and can be updated more frequently than textbooks.
What happens next: The committee closed the HB 861 hearing; if the bill proceeds it will require procurement/contract details and oversight language on licensing and access to be specified.
