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Bill to set up decennial school funding commission draws support and criticism over composition and resources
Summary
House Bill 153 would create a decennial school funding study commission and an 'Innovation and Excellence' working group; supporters praised coordination among constitutional education entities and urged adequate funding, while opponents warned the membership gives too much power to executive-branch appointees and called for clearer teacher representation.
Representative David Beatty opened House Bill 153 by saying the measure aims to set the stage for the required decennial study of the public school funding formula and to ensure constitutional education entities have seats at the table early in the session. "This bill calls for the commission's membership to be... early in the session, specifically April 1," Beatty said, arguing early organization would let staff prepare and allow the commission to hit the ground running.
Proponents told the committee the bill would improve collaboration among constitutional entities. Lance Melton of the Montana School Boards Association said HB153 builds on interims that coordinated the Board of Public Education, the Board of Regents, the Office of Public Instruction and school boards, and urged sufficient appropriation for outside expertise. "You're gonna want to have access at least to some degree for outside…
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