Montana committee hears wide support for STARS Act to raise starting teacher pay, expand CTE incentives

Representative Lou Jones, sponsor of House Bill 252, told the House Education Committee the STARS Act is designed to boost starting teacher pay, expand student pathways through dual-credit and career-technical education (CTE), and give communities limited tools to address teacher housing. ‘‘This bill touches four critical areas,’’ Jones said, calling it ‘‘an investment into Montana’s education system’’ meant to put more money into classrooms for teachers and students.

The bill would modify existing formula components so districts that meet phased benchmarks can receive enhanced ‘‘quality educator’’ payments, Jones said, and would phase a starting-teacher benchmark from roughly 62 percent to 70 percent of the district average over time. Jones estimated the portion of the formula devoted to compressing the pay scale would require about $20–25 million of the broader funding proposal.

Sarah Swanson, commissioner of the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, described a department analysis of educator wages and shortages and said the agency will meet the bill’s aggressive implementation timeline. ‘‘This bill directs the Department of Labor by December 1 to promulgate rules to stand up the list,’’ Swanson said, adding the department will work with industry and education stakeholders to create a credential list and credit equivalents for advanced-opportunity payments.

Supporters at the hearing included school board members, superintendents, teachers and statewide education groups who said the package would help recruit and retain teachers, restore advanced-opportunities funding and stabilize small and rural districts. Dale Olinger, superintendent of the Lolo K–8 district, said HB 252 ‘‘could mean as much as a $185,000’’ boost for some districts. Keaton Sunchild of Western Native Voice highlighted provisions for Indian education and native language immersion, and the governor’s education policy advisor, Dylan Klapmeier, told the panel the governor has included an additional $100 million in his budget to increase teacher pay and support student outcomes.

Several witnesses cautioned about pay-scale compression and the risk that raising starting salaries without corresponding increases at mid-career levels could squeeze budgets or harm retention of veteran teachers. ‘‘Raising the base pay is great. Compressing pay scales is not,’’ said Jacob Warner, a math teacher and bargaining-team member, asking the committee to find ways to protect experienced staff while lifting entry pay. Jones and others said the bill explicitly directs some dollars toward beginning teachers while leaving communities flexibility to use remaining funds for other staff or housing stipends.

The committee’s questions focused on the mechanics: whether AP or dual-credit courses count toward the ‘‘future-ready’’ credit totals (the sponsor said AP and dual-credit both count), how the Department of Labor will set credit equivalents for work-based learning, and how the bill’s housing authority interacts with state law that requires local voter approval for budget increases. Quinlan O’Connor, chief legal counsel at the Department of Labor and Industry, said he could advise the committee on administrative rulemaking tied to the bill’s timely implementation.

No vote was taken at the hearing. Representative Jones closed by defending the bill’s targeted approach to raise the bottom of the pay scale and to incentivize student outcomes; the committee adjourned after roughly two hours and 10 minutes. The bill will move next according to committee scheduling and any subsequent amendments.