2001 Montana Legislature

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HOUSE BILL NO. 629

INTRODUCED BY B. EGGERS



A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE TRUSTEES OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT TO USE FUNDS IN THE TECHNOLOGY ACQUISITION FUND FOR MATCHING FUNDS TO IMPLEMENT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY-BASED OUTREACH PROGRAMS; PROVIDING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION; AMENDING SECTIONS 20-2-121, 20-3-106, 20-9-533, AND 20-9-534, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE."



     WHEREAS, the Information Technology Association of America estimates that the technology industry will employ approximately 1.6 million Americans in 2001; and

     WHEREAS, school districts throughout Montana need to provide teachers and administrators with technology equipment and also need to ensure that teachers in public schools, community colleges, tribal colleges, colleges of technology, and the University System receive adequate professional development to effectively and efficiently integrate technology in their teaching; and

     WHEREAS, it is essential that the Board of Public Education, the Board of Regents, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, tribal colleges, colleges of technology, community colleges, and the Legislature coordinate efforts to implement and integrate a statewide information technology program based on advanced computer technology, research, professional development, and training for teachers and administrators and on community-based outreach programs necessary to expand economic development in the State of Montana; and

     WHEREAS, the Board of Public Education is urged to expand its professional development standards to support school districts in the enhancement of professional development opportunities for teachers and administrators to improve teaching and learning in the area of technology and to encourage the implementation of community-based outreach programs for technology training.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:



     Section 1.  Section 20-2-121, MCA, is amended to read:

     "20-2-121.  Board of public education -- powers and duties. The board of public education shall:

     (1)  effect an orderly and uniform system for teacher certification and specialist certification and for the issuance of an emergency authorization of employment by adopting the policies prescribed by 20-4-102 and 20-4-111;

     (2)  consider the suspension or revocation of teacher or specialist certificates and appeals from the denial of teacher or specialist certification in accordance with the provisions of 20-4-110;

     (3)  administer and order the distribution of BASE aid in accordance with the provisions of 20-9-344;

     (4)  adopt and enforce policies to provide uniform standards and regulations for the design, construction, and operation of school buses in accordance with the provisions of 20-10-111;

     (5)  approve or disapprove a reduction of the number of hours in a district's school day in accordance with the provisions of 20-1-302;

     (6)  adopt policies prescribing the conditions when school may be conducted on Saturday and the types of pupil-instruction-related days and approval procedure for such those days in accordance with the provisions of 20-1-303 and 20-1-304;

     (7)  adopt standards of accreditation and establish the accreditation status of every school in accordance with the provisions of 20-7-101 and 20-7-102;

     (8)  approve or disapprove educational media selected by the superintendent of public instruction for the educational media library in accordance with the provisions of 20-7-201;

     (9)  adopt policies for the conduct of special education in accordance with the provisions of 20-7-402;

     (10) adopt rules for issuance of documents certifying equivalency of completion of secondary education in accordance with 20-7-131;

     (11) adopt policies for the conduct of programs for gifted and talented children in accordance with the provisions of 20-7-903 and 20-7-904;

     (12) adopt rules for student assessment in the public schools; and

     (13) expand professional development standards to include a technology and training component to support and assist districts in obtaining grants and enhancing professional development opportunities and community-based outreach programs related to technology; and

     (13)(14) perform any other duty prescribed from time to time by this title or any other act of the legislature."



     Section 2.  Section 20-3-106, MCA, is amended to read:

     "20-3-106.  Supervision of schools -- powers and duties. The superintendent of public instruction has the general supervision of the public schools and districts of the state and shall perform the following duties or acts in implementing and enforcing the provisions of this title:

     (1)  resolve any controversy resulting from the proration of costs by a joint board of trustees under the provisions of 20-3-362;

     (2)  issue, renew, or deny teacher certification and emergency authorizations of employment;

     (3)  negotiate reciprocal tuition agreements with other states in accordance with the provisions of 20-5-314;

     (4)  approve or disapprove the opening or reopening of a school in accordance with the provisions of 20-6-502, 20-6-503, 20-6-504, or 20-6-505;

     (5)  approve or disapprove school isolation within the limitations prescribed by 20-9-302;

     (6)  generally supervise the school budgeting procedures prescribed by law in accordance with the provisions of 20-9-102 and prescribe the school budget format in accordance with the provisions of 20-9-103 and 20-9-506;

     (7)  establish a system of communication for calculating joint district revenue in accordance with the provisions of 20-9-151;

     (8)  approve or disapprove the adoption of a district's budget amendment resolution under the conditions prescribed in 20-9-163 and adopt rules for an application for additional direct state aid for a budget amendment in accordance with the approval and disbursement provisions of 20-9-166;

     (9)  generally supervise the school financial administration provisions as prescribed by 20-9-201(2);

     (10) prescribe and furnish the annual report forms to enable the districts to report to the county superintendent in accordance with the provisions of 20-9-213(6) and the annual report forms to enable the county superintendents to report to the superintendent of public instruction in accordance with the provisions of 20-3-209;

     (11) approve, disapprove, or adjust an increase of the average number belonging (ANB) in accordance with the provisions of 20-9-313 and 20-9-314;

     (12) distribute BASE aid and special education allowable cost payments in support of the BASE funding program in accordance with the provisions of 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-342, 20-9-346, 20-9-347, and 20-9-366 through 20-9-369;

     (13) provide for the uniform and equal provision of transportation by performing the duties prescribed by the provisions of 20-10-112;

     (14) request, accept, deposit, and expend federal money in accordance with the provisions of 20-9-603;

     (15) authorize the use of federal money for the support of an interlocal cooperative agreement in accordance with the provisions of 20-9-703 and 20-9-704;

     (16) prescribe the form and contents of and approve or disapprove interstate contracts in accordance with the provisions of 20-9-705;

     (17) approve or disapprove the conduct of school on a Saturday in accordance with the provisions of 20-1-303;

     (18) recommend standards of accreditation for all schools to the board of public education and evaluate compliance with the standards and recommend accreditation status of every school to the board of public education in accordance with the provisions of 20-7-101 and 20-7-102;

     (19) collect and maintain a file of curriculum guides and assist schools with instructional programs in accordance with the provisions of 20-7-113 and 20-7-114;

     (20) establish and maintain a library of visual, aural, and other educational media in accordance with the provisions of 20-7-201;

     (21) license textbook dealers and initiate prosecution of textbook dealers violating the law in accordance with the provisions of the textbooks part of this title;

     (22) as the governing agent and executive officer of the state of Montana for K-12 vocational education, adopt the policies prescribed by and in accordance with the provisions of 20-7-301;

     (23) supervise and coordinate the conduct of special education in the state in accordance with the provisions of 20-7-403;

     (24) administer the traffic education program in accordance with the provisions of 20-7-502;

     (25) administer the school food services program in accordance with the provisions of 20-10-201 through 20-10-203;

     (26) review school building plans and specifications in accordance with the provisions of 20-6-622;

     (27) prescribe the method of identification and signals to be used by school safety patrols in accordance with the provisions of 20-1-408;

     (28) provide schools with information and technical assistance for compliance with the student assessment rules provided for in 20-2-121 and collect and summarize the results of the student assessment for the board of public education and the legislature;

     (29) upon request and in compliance with confidentiality requirements of state and federal law, disclose to interested parties all school district student assessment data for a test required by the board of public education;

     (30) administer the distribution of guaranteed tax base aid in accordance with 20-9-366 through 20-9-369; and

     (31) support school districts in the development of model curriculum guides and professional development training plans and programs for use by teachers and administrators to improve teaching and learning in the area of technology and support the implementation of community-based outreach programs in accordance with 20-9-533; and

     (31)(32) perform any other duty prescribed from time to time by this title, any other act of the legislature, or the policies of the board of public education."



     Section 3.  Section 20-9-533, MCA, is amended to read:

     "20-9-533.  Technology acquisition, professional development, and community outreach fund -- limitations. (1) The trustees of a district may establish a technology acquisition, professional development, and community outreach fund for school district expenditures incurred for:

     (a)  the purchase, rental, repair, and maintenance of technological equipment, including computers and computer network access; and

     (b)  associated technical training and professional development to expand basic skills and curriculum integration skills for school district personnel; and

     (c)  the development of community-based outreach programs to meet local and regional technology needs; or

     (d)  use as matching funds to generate additional money to implement professional development and training modules or community-based outreach programs to improve technology teaching and training.

     (2)  The trustees of a district shall fund the technology acquisition, professional development, and community outreach fund with the state money received under 20-9-534 and with other local, state, and federal funds received for the purpose of funding technology, professional development, and community-based outreach programs.

     (3)  The trustees of a district may not use revenue in the technology acquisition, professional development, and community outreach fund to finance contributions to the teachers' retirement system, the public employees' retirement system, or the federal social security system or for unemployment compensation insurance."



     Section 4.  Section 20-9-534, MCA, is amended to read:

     "20-9-534.  School technology purchases -- professional development. By September 1, the superintendent of public instruction shall allocate the annual amount appropriated for grants for school technology purchases, professional development, or community-based outreach programs to each district based on the ratio that each district's BASE budget bears to the statewide BASE budget amount for all school districts multiplied by the amount of money provided in 20-9-343(3)(a)(ii) in the current school year."



     NEW SECTION.  Section 5.  Appropriation. There is appropriated $100,000 from the general fund to the office of public instruction to fund one professional staff person and the related personal services and benefits to implement and support the professional development and community-based outreach programs provided for in [sections 1 through 4].



     NEW SECTION.  Section 6.  Effective date. [This act] is effective on passage and approval.

- END -




Latest Version of HB 629 (HB0629.01)
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