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Senate committee hears broad support and implementation questions for revisions to Indian Education for All
Summary
Advocates, tribal leaders and the Office of Public Instruction urged the Senate Education and Cultural Resources Committee to pass SB 181, which would tighten reporting and formalize tribal consultation for Indian Education for All; the Board of Public Education asked for clarifying language on professional-development rules.
Senator Jonathan Windiboy introduced Senate Bill 181, saying the measure would revise Montana’s Indian Education for All (IEFA) implementation and clarify that the Office of Public Instruction (OPI) is responsible for overseeing IEFA statewide. Windiboy framed the bill as a response to past litigation and uneven district reporting of IEFA expenditures.
Supporters from across Montana urged a due pass. Lance Forster of the Montana American Indian Caucus submitted a letter and told the committee the caucus stands behind SB 181. Patrick Yawaki, representing several tribal nations, said the bill would create “more accountable measures” and require tribes to be consulted “regularly in good faith.” Susie Hedlund, superintendent of the Office of Public Instruction, said OPI is prepared to meet the bill’s reporting and implementation requirements and described plans for an online portal and expanded professional development.
Several proponents cited concerns that IEFA dollars have not always been spent for intended purposes. Senator Windiboy told the committee that, of 403 school districts, roughly 150 were either not reporting or under-reporting prior IEFA activity; he and witnesses urged stronger reporting and, when appropriate, reallocation of funds to districts that comply. Trish Schreiber, an education philanthropist, pointed to bill language on page 7 that would reduce funding for districts that fail to file required reports.
The Board of Public Education’s executive director, Macaul Flynn, said the board supports much of the bill’s intent but objected to section 3, subsection 5, which he described as requiring the board to include American Indian studies as a “meaningful component” of professional-development and license-renewal requirements. Flynn called the board a “reluctant opponent” only because the rulemaking pathway and timing for professional-development units are set by the board; he asked the sponsor to work with the board on a friendly amendment so administrative rules can align with statute.
OPI budget analyst Paul Taylor answered technical questions about data collection and the trustee’s financial summary (TFS). Taylor said OPI had collected the non‑fiscal data required in prior sessions and that the TFS financial reporting drives future IEFA allocations: a district that receives IEFA revenue but reports no expenditure could face a 100% reduction in future IEFA distribution, while partial reporting would proportionally reduce future allocations.
Senator Windiboy closed by saying he was open to amendments and asked the committee for a due pass; he also cited implementation figures discussed during testimony. The committee did not take a formal vote in the hearing transcript.
The next procedural step identified in the hearing was committee consideration of possible amendments to address the Board of Public Education’s administrative concerns. No formal bill vote was recorded in the transcript.
