_____________ bill NO. _____________

INTRODUCED BY _________________________________________________

By Request of the ****

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT establishing the Tribal computer programming boost scholarship Program; Assigning ADMINISTRATION of the program to the office of public instruction; DESCRIBING the purposes and parameters of the program; PROVIDING AN APPROPRIATION; and PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE."

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

NEW SECTION. Section 1. Tribal computer programming boost scholarship program. (1) There is a tribal computer programming boost scholarship program. The purpose of the program is to:

(a) support the development of computer programming courses at high schools located on Indian reservations in the state;

(b) increase interest among Indian students in pursuing computer programming and other technology-related careers; and

(2) The office of public instruction shall administer the program and develop criteria to determine scholarship awardees.

(3) Scholarships under the program must be used to support the professional development of high school teachers responsible for technology instruction and currently employed or with a contract for employment in a high school located on an Indian reservation in the state or in a high school serving members of the Little Shell Chippewa tribe.

(4) The scholarships may be for up to $2,000 and may only be used to defray the expenses of professional development for a teacher that results in the creation or refinement of world-class computer programming courses offered at the teacher's high school. The professional development must include coursework or other activities taken at a unit of the Montana university system or a community college or tribal college located in the state.

(5) The education interim committee shall include the monitoring of this program in its duties for the 2021 and 2022 interim and may request reports from the office of public instruction.

NEW SECTION. Section 2. Appropriation. There is appropriated $32,000 from the general fund to the office of public instruction for each fiscal year of the biennium beginning July 1, 2021, for the purpose of the tribal computer programming boost scholarship program established in [section 1]. The office of public instruction shall provide funding for at least two high school teachers currently employed or with a contract for employment in a high school located on each of the seven Indian reservations in Montana and in a high school or schools serving members of the Little Shell Chippewa tribe.

NEW SECTION. Section 3. Notification to tribal governments. The secretary of state shall send a copy of [this act] to each federally recognized tribal government in Montana.

NEW SECTION. Section 4. Codification instruction. [Section 1] is intended to be codified as an integral part of Title 20, chapter 7, and the provisions of Title 20, chapter 7, apply to [section 1].

NEW SECTION. Section 5. Effective date. [This act] is effective on passage and approval.