One of the Montana Legislature’s blockbuster proposals to boost school funding received universal, bipartisan acclaim during its debut hearing this week. Some of its supporters worry about the strings attached to the money.
The so-called “STARS Act” would inject up to $100 million into the state’s public school system. It includes money to raise pay for starting teachers, bonus payments for schools that graduate students with career or college credits, and allows districts with high housing costs the ability to ask voters for more support.
Lolo School District superintendent Dale Olinger told lawmakers Wednesday the district has never had more difficulty recruiting and retaining teachers, a problem he believes the STARS Act will help solve.
“It represents a significant step forward making Montana an even better place for our students, and a more desirable place to teach,” Olinger said.
The bill is the product of more than a year of work by lawmakers trying to catch schools up with budgets kneecapped by high inflation.
The right-leaning think-tank Frontier Institute supports the STARS Act, as does the labor union representing Montana’s public school teachers. The state superintendent and Gov. Greg Gianforte also back the policy.
Some supporters of the bill said they were worried it could impact salary bargaining efforts. It requires districts to increase starting pay for teachers over time in order to qualify for the extra state money, but doesn’t require the same bumps for veteran teachers.
Bill sponsor Republican Rep. Llew Jones of Conrad said the bargaining status quo hasn’t been able to lift starting salaries statewide.
“I don't know how better to say it. We’ve been cannibalizing young teachers for a long time, and it’s time we stop,” Jones said.
No one testified against the bill during its first hearing.
