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Bill ties National Board stipends to inflation, raising state share of teacher stipend
Summary
HB 260 would increase and index the state stipend for National Board certified teachers to align with the Quality Educator Payment; sponsor estimates a modest annual cost increase and proponents said the change improves retention and recognition of accomplished teachers.
Representative Luke Muszkiewicz introduced House Bill 260, which would adjust Montana’s stipend for National Board certified teachers to account for inflation and tie future adjustments to the legislature’s annual inflation factor by linking the stipend to the Quality Educator Payment (QEP).
Muszkiewicz said the bill would move the state stipend from a fixed dollar amount to a percentage of the QEP so it automatically adjusts with the broader funding formula. He described examples under current assumptions: the state portion would increase from $1,000 to approximately $1,419 (with a $473 district match for a $1,892 total), and for poverty‑impacted schools the combined total could be higher. He asked the committee to rely on the forthcoming fiscal note prepared by OPI for exact costs.
Support for HB 260 was extensive and largely led by National Board certified teachers and education organizations. Rob Watson (School Administrators of Montana) and multiple NBCTs told the committee the certification process is rigorous and the stipend recognizes and helps retain accomplished teachers. National Board teachers and district administrators testified that certification requires hundreds of hours of work, can cost roughly $2,000 to certify initially, and that increased stipends would make Montana more competitive with neighboring states’ incentives.
Witnesses and committee members asked technical questions about funding sources, district matching mechanics, the number of NBCTs in Montana and comparative stipend levels in other states. Paul Taylor of the Office of Public Instruction answered procedural and fiscal questions and noted a fiscal note was forthcoming. Representative Muszkiewicz closed by saying the bill is a modest, structural fix to keep stipends aligned with inflation and thanked educators for testifying. The committee did not take a vote in the hearing; members signaled they expected executive action in the coming week.
