Committee: Education Interim Committee
Author: Pad McCracken
Posted on July 3, 2018
The Education Interim Committee will hold its final meeting Wednesday-Thursday, September 12-13, 2018, at the State Capitol, Room 152. Meeting materials, including a draft agenda, are posted to the committee website.
On the morning of Wednesday, September 12, the committee will receive various K-12 updates from staff before hearing from the Board of Public Education and the Office of Public Instruction. Reports from the OPI will include progress updates on programs to serve children of military personnel, American Indians, and at-risk students. The morning will conclude with a presentation from the Montana Youth Challenge Academy.
After lunch, representatives from DPHHS will report to the committee on the STARS Preschool Grant Program that was created in HB 639 (2011). Following the preschool report, the committee will turn its attention to the HJ 1 study of funding for programs serving students with special needs, focusing first on gifted and talented children, then on a bill draft revising the funding for special education, LC SPED. The committee will review a draft final report on HJ 1 and discuss any additional findings and recommendations.
Five educators of the year—teachers, principals, and a superintendent—will visit with the committee later in the afternoon, and the day will conclude with a review of previously adopted committee bill drafts and an additional draft revising the definition of “pupil’’—LC PUPL. Public comment will be accepted on all committee bill drafts and reports.
On Thursday, September 13, the committee will focus first on student financial aid and review a bill draft, LC FAID, assembled by the Subcommittee on State Financial Aid Programs. The committee expects to hear input from Board of Regents Chair Fran Albrecht and from the directors of the two flagship university foundations.
Later that morning, the committee will hear from the State Historic Preservation Office on the status of state heritage properties and receive updates on efforts to enhance educational opportunities related to work-based learning, career and technical education, dual enrollment. The committee will conclude with a working lunch to wrap up any remaining business.
Senate members appointed to the committee are Tom Facey, D-Missoula; Edie McClafferty, D-Butte; Dan Salomon, R-Ronan; and Russ Tempel, R-Chester. House members are Fred Anderson, R-Great Falls; Jacob Bachmeier, D-Havre; Moffie Funk, D-Helena; and Don Jones, R-Billings. The committee is chaired by Sen. McClafferty with Rep. Anderson serving as vice chair.
The meeting will be live streamed at http://leg.mt.gov and will be broadcast on Television Montana (TVMT.) Please check your local channel listings to find TVMT in your area. For more information about the meeting, visit the committee’s website or contact Pad McCracken, committee staff.
Committee Website: https://leg.mt.gov/css/Committees/interim/2017-2018/Education/default-2.html Committee Staff: padmccracken@mt.gov or (406) 444-3595
