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Trustee Gary Lucine outlines statewide consensus meeting on Montana 'system of education'; funding proposals scaled back
Summary
At a board retreat, Trustee Gary Lucine described plans for an Oct. 2–3 consensus meeting to convene teachers, administrators, parents and legislators to discuss Montana’s system of education. Staff members briefed trustees on MTSBA funding proposals, the TEACH Act starting-salary targets and regional cost-adjustment discussions.
At a district retreat, Trustee Gary Lucine updated the Bozeman Public Schools Board of Trustees on efforts to build statewide consensus about Montana’s “system of education,” announcing a planned Oct. 2–3 meeting at the Grama Tree meant to gather roughly 80 teachers, administrators, parents, students and other stakeholders.
“I'm hoping to have full 80 people there,” Lucine said, describing an attendee list that will include representatives from MTSBA, MFPE, MREA, OPI, the Board of Public Education and invited legislators. Lucine said he had been working to ensure representation from double-A trustees, independent elementary districts and Native American administrators.
District staff (Casey, staff member) summarized three resolutions the board approved on Oct. 9 that feed into the work: revising the process for discussing Montana’s system of education; examining the decennial study and the statutory definition of a basic free system of public education; and pursuing regional cost adjustments in the state funding formula that could affect Bozeman and nearby communities.
Casey described earlier MTSBA think-tank proposals and a scaled-back funding ask. “They had proposed significant funding formula changes that were totaling around a $140,000,000 increase,” Casey said, and added that some legislative players indicated the full package was not achievable, so the plan had been reduced. Casey also summarized elements tied to the TEACH Act and said MTSBA’s modeling suggests a scaled approach where, in fiscal year 2026, a district’s starting teacher salary would need to be at least about 64% of the district’s average teacher salary to meet the proposal’s targets.
Lucine said the meeting will focus on facilitated, consensus-style conversation rather than formal legislation-writing and that national experts (he referenced staff contact with the National Center on Education and the Economy) may help frame what other states have done. Trustees discussed whether the group should be asked to define “our system of education” or to start from the constitutionally grounded statutory definition (Casey noted Article 10, Section 1 of the state constitution and statute 20-9-309 as relevant touchpoints).
On logistics, trustees pressed on teacher participation and paid-leave barriers. Casey said the district would work with local superintendents and administrators to identify educators who could attend and that the district would provide paid leave for Bozeman Public Schools staff selected to participate. Trustee Lucine said he will continue outreach to legislators and other partners and return updates to the board; no formal action or vote was taken during the retreat.
What’s next: Lucine will proceed with invitations, finalize attendees and report back; trustees will be asked for input on legislative priorities as the process proceeds.
