_____________ bill NO. _____________

INTRODUCED BY _________________________________________________

By Request of the ****

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT ENHANCING AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN MONTANA; REVISING THE REQUIREMENTS AND PAYMENTS UNDER THE ADVANCING AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN MONTANA PROGRAM; CREATING A PAYMENT UNDER THE PROGRAM FOR SMALL SCHOOLS WITHOUT APPROVED AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION THROUGH ALTERNATIVE MEANS; removing rulemaking authority; AMENDING SECTION 20-7-334, MCA; and PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE."

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

Section 1. Section 20-7-334, MCA, is amended to read:

"20-7-334. Advancing agricultural education in Montana program account. (1) There is an advancing agricultural education in Montana program account in the state special revenue fund provided for in 17-2-102.

(2)        Money in the account and money appropriated by the legislature for the purpose of this section must be used by the office of public instruction for addressing the stability of and making improvements to Montana's agricultural education programs. The office of public instruction shall adopt rules to implement the national quality program standards. If the funding for the payments under this section in a fiscal year is less than the total amount for which Montana school districts qualify, the superintendent of public instruction shall prorate the payments accordingly.

(3)        (a) Each agricultural education program in the state that completes the national quality program standard evaluation as adopted by rule and submits a plan of improvement to the office of public instruction's agricultural education specialist may must receive a payment of $1,000 and an additional $1,000 prorated per full-time equivalent teacher endorsed in agricultural education who teaches approved agricultural education courses through the local agricultural education program. A plan of improvement under this subsection (3)(a) may be based on a national quality program standard evaluation or a comprehensive local needs assessment under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006, as amended, as determined by the agricultural education specialist.

(b)        Each agricultural education program in the state that submits to the office of public instruction a detailed budget to increase the quality of its agricultural education program based on the plan of improvement may must receive a payment of up to $1,000 prorated per full-time equivalent teacher endorsed in agricultural education who teaches approved agricultural education courses through the local agricultural education program.

(c)        A high school in a second- or third-class district without an approved agricultural education program that provides agricultural education opportunities through online courses or work-based learning partnerships must receive a payment of $50 for each agricultural education credit awarded to a high school student through an online course or work-based learning partnership. The total amount awarded to a high school in a district under this subsection (3)(c) may not exceed $1,000 in a school fiscal year.

(c)(d)    Each school that adds agricultural education to its curriculum and recruits and retains an endorsed agricultural education teacher must receive a payment of up to $7,500. A school with an existing agricultural education program is eligible for an additional payment of up to $7,500 each time the school expands the program's teaching staff by adding a full-time equivalent teacher endorsed in agricultural education.

(d)(e)    Program administrators in Bozeman and Helena must receive a total of $20,000 annually for the costs of providing a minimum of one onsite visit each year to each participating school."

NEW SECTION. Section 2. Effective date. [This act] is effective July 1, 2023.