House Education hears bill to add educational interpreters to quality‑educator programs and to clarify MSDB transportation

Representative Keogh opened House Bill 151 by saying the bill is aimed at recruitment and retention of educational interpreters, teachers of the deaf and other specialists, and that it contains statutory edits to ensure eligible positions can access the quality educator payment and loan‑assistance tools.

Paul Firthmeier, superintendent of the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind (MSDB), testified the school serves the entire state through campus and outreach programs and that prior changes to public‑service commission rules had impeded MSDB’s ability to provide routine student transportation home. He urged adding school buses explicitly to statute so MSDB could arrange transportation reliably and not force parents to provide monthly travel. Firthmeier said MSDB serves about 1,200 outreach students statewide and described difficulty recruiting specialists without targeted incentives.

Representative Keogh and witnesses explained the statutory changes in HB151 would:

- Add educational sign‑language interpreters to the definition of professionals eligible for the quality educator payment and thereby allow districts to receive that state payment for qualified interpreters; this change also enables eligible interpreters to participate in the quality educator loan assistance program. - Clarify that MSDB and other special state schools are eligible to participate in the teacher residency program and the TEACH Act by broadening the definition of 'school district' for those programs. - Allow MSDB to use school buses for student transportation by removing the current public‑service commission certification requirement that had led to practical barriers.

Superintendent Firthmeier and other proponents gave examples of certification and pipeline issues: the Board of Public Education requires a 3.5 EIPA (Education Interpreter Performance Assessment) score (cited ARM chapter 55) to qualify as an educational interpreter, while many interpreters hold national RID credentials (NIC/CDE) that the board’s rule does not recognize for the educational setting. Witnesses said that expanding eligibility will prompt better tracking and reporting of interpreter positions statewide.

Advocates highlighted one concrete recruitment tool: the quality educator loan assistance program would allow prospective hires to be offered up to $17,000 in loan assistance over four years as an inducement to move to Montana for interpreter or specialized teacher positions.

Informational witnesses included Paul Taylor (Office of Public Instruction) to address fiscal concerns and Brandy Reinhart (educational interpreter) to clarify certification distinctions. Committee members asked about the anticipated fiscal note, effective dates (the sponsor proposed 07/01/2025), program eligibility limits, and how the change would work for districts adjacent to population centers. The sponsor closed by asking the committee to return the bill from committee with a favorable recommendation and by confirming staff would draft an amendment to clarify loan assistance eligibility statewide for interpreters.

The hearing closed with no immediate committee vote; the committee scheduled additional work and follow‑up as needed.