The Education Interim Committee held its first meeting on June 24, 2019, to organize and discuss its interim work. The committee decided to broaden the focus of the House Joint Resolution No. 56 (HJ 56) study of bullying to include student safety and well-being generally, examine K-12 assessments and career and technical education, and continue its collaboration with the Board of Regents in addressing higher education policy and budget issues. The committee elected Rep. Fred Anderson, R-Great Falls, to chair the committee and Sen. Edie McClafferty, D-Butte, to serve as vice chair.

In conducting the HJ 56 study, the committee will begin by reviewing recent legislation addressing student well-being as well as data from the most recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey of Montana students. The committee will also hear about promising practices for addressing student mental health, building resiliency, and reducing bullying and suicide.

The committee discussed a number of K-12 education topics that it plans to examine over the course of the interim including career and technical education and how it is meeting workforce needs, ongoing implementation of Montana’s school accountability plan under ESSA (the federal Every Student Succeeds Act that replaced No Child Left Behind), and student assessment.

The committee will devote time to exploring options for preschool in Montana. This exploration will begin with a review of recently proposed legislation and an evaluation of the STARS Preschool Pilot Program.

Members of the committee expressed a desire to collaborate with the Board of Regents over the interim, including pursuing a joint meeting with the Regents in Bozeman in November. Postsecondary education topics will include an examination of student loan debt and research within the Montana University System.

The committee will hold its next meeting Wednesday-Thursday, September 11-12, 2019, in Room 102 of the Montana Capitol. For more information visit the committee’s website or contact Pad McCracken, committee staff, at padmccracken@mt.gov or 406-444-3595.

The Legislative News.