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Committee hears widespread support for bill to fund preschool special education through school formula
Summary
The House Education Committee heard testimony from sponsors, educators and parents backing House Bill 168, which would let districts include mandated special-education preschool instruction for 3–4-year-olds in A and B funding counts to address a long-running funding gap.
Representative Jonathan Karlen opened testimony on House Bill 168, saying the bill makes a technical but consequential change so preschool-age children with disabilities can be counted in the school funding A and B formula based on aggregate hours of instruction. Karlen told the committee the change would address an “unfunded mandate” created by the current statute (cited in testimony as 27 4 11).
The bill drew broad support from school boards, disability advocates, early-childhood providers and parents. Isabel Melton, who testified for the Montana School Boards Association, described the measure as a necessary technical cleanup because current law prevents preschool programs from being included in A and B calculations. Doug Reisig of the Montana Quality Education Coalition and Katelyn Jensen of 0 to 5 Montana said allowing A and B funding for eligible 3–4-year-olds will help districts avoid cutting other services or levying nonvoted tuition to cover mandated services.
Parents and district leaders gave concrete examples of local impacts. Nick Fish described his daughter’s progress in a Hellgate preschool special-education program and explained that, because of rising demand, Rosser Elementary notified his family it was reducing her days. Dr. Molly Blakely (Hellgate) provided a cost snapshot: the district’s special-education preschool program for 17 students in 2025 had program costs reported at $225,601 while IDEA funding covered $13,195, leaving the district to cover the remainder. Tamara Covington (Billings Public Schools) said Billings serves 156 preschool students ages 3–5 with 7.6 FTE preschool teachers, 2.2 FTE speech-language pathologists and 13.12 FTE support staff; she said only 55 of 156 students currently receive partial A and B funding and that the district’s IDEA Part B allocation was $140,068.
Committee members asked for clarification about program models and eligibility. Colette Getten (Great Falls) explained IDEA eligibility categories and common preschool settings (resource and self-contained classrooms, often half-day) and described typical goal areas (communication, self-help, social-emotional, and motor skills). Paul Taylor of the Office of Public Instruction said OPI has a preliminary fiscal workup estimating roughly 2,786 children enrolled in relevant programs, with approximately 900 in the age range affected and an OPI estimate of about $3.7 million beginning in fiscal year 2027; he cautioned the committee that these were preliminary figures and urged waiting for an official fiscal note.
Sponsor Karlen closed by noting Montana previously funded preschool special education prior to 1993 and said the bill restores fairness by aligning funding with the statutory mandate. The committee closed the hearing on HB 168; no formal committee vote on HB 168 occurred during the hearing record.
The testimony highlighted two common local responses when districts lack state funding: drawing from general education funds (reducing services for other students) or imposing nonvoted tuition levies on local taxpayers. Supporters said including preschool special-education hours in A and B calculations would share the cost between state and local taxpayers and reduce pressure on local general funds.
Next steps: OPI will issue the official fiscal note and the bill sponsor indicated willingness to supply follow-up information to the committee.
