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Bill would pay retired teachers to give short induction mentoring to new teachers
Summary
House Bill 837 would fund a retired‑teacher induction program that pairs retired teachers with newly hired teachers for up to 36 hours in the first three months, backed by a $100,000 annual appropriation to OPI. Proponents said the pilot would help retention, especially in rural and CTE classrooms.
Representative Jamie Eiseley introduced House Bill 837 to establish a retired‑teacher induction pilot that pairs retired educators with new teachers for a short, focused induction period. The bill would authorize up to 36 hours per retired mentor during the first three months and include a state general fund appropriation of $100,000 per year to the Office of Public Instruction.
Kim Popham, a former high‑school biology teacher and representative of the Montana Federation of Public Employees, testified that mentoring helps new teachers succeed and can affect retention, particularly in rural districts. Rob Watson, representing School Administrators of Montana and the Coalition of Advocates for Montana's Public Schools, said the program is designed to be fiscally responsible and would respect local control and collective‑bargaining agreements.
Sponsor Eiseley said local costs and mentor pay rates will vary by district and that not all mentors would use the full 36 hours; based on sponsor estimates, the $100,000 appropriation could support roughly 100 teachers or mentors, depending on local pay rates. Committee members asked about aggregate hours and program logistics; sponsor and proponents described benefits including transfer of equipment knowledge, classroom management and budget practices that can be hard to convey to early‑career teachers.
The committee closed the hearing after questioning and sponsor closing remarks urging passage.
