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- 2025
69th Legislature 2025 HB 357
- 1 - Authorized Print Version – HB 357
ENROLLED BILL
AN ACT REVISING EDUCATIONAL LAWS TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR CAREER AND TECHNICAL
EDUCATION IN THE MIDDLE GRADES; REQUIRING THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
TO ADOPT RULES FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE FUNDS; PROVIDING RULEMAKING AUTHORITY;
AND PROVIDING AN APPROPRIATION.
WHEREAS, the academic requirements for junior high schools, middle schools, and 7th and 8th grade
programs contained in the accreditation standards of the Board of Public Education include "career and
technical education courses or pathways such as agriculture, business education, family and consumer
sciences, health occupations and industrial technology education"; and
WHEREAS, high schools receive additional state funding that recognizes the unique costs of
maintaining high-quality career and technical education pathways; and
WHEREAS, there is an increasing awareness of the importance of providing high-quality career and
technical education, including career exposure and exploration, to students in the middle grades; and
WHEREAS, the Office of Public Instruction has utilized the increased flexibility under Perkins V and
Montana's Perkins Plan to provide modest $5,000 Perkins Secondary Reserve Grants limited to small schools
on a first-come, first-served basis; and
WHEREAS, a long-overdue state investment to support middle grades career and technical education
could enhance the Perkins Secondary Reserve Grants and allow larger schools to participate as well.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
Section 1. Funding for career and technical education programs in middle grades. (1) The
superintendent of public instruction shall annually distribute money from the appropriation for middle grades
career and technical education. The money must be allocated to elementary and K-12 school districts with
- 2025
69th Legislature 2025 HB 357
- 2 - Authorized Print Version – HB 357
ENROLLED BILL
accredited and approved junior high, middle school, or 7th and 8th grade programs.
(2) The superintendent of public instruction shall by rule prescribe the method for distribution, the
form of the application, budget procedures, and accounting rules for the funds. The legislature intends that the
state money be used to enhance distributions of federal funding under the Carl D. Perkins Career and
Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 to support middle grades career and technical education in line
with the plan developed under 20-7-330, except that the state money may not be limited by school size and that
the distribution method adopted by the superintendent of public instruction be equitable. The superintendent of
public instruction may prescribe other requirements for the receipt of funding consistent with Title 20, chapter 7,
part 3.
Section 2. Appropriation. (1) There is appropriated $240,000 from the general fund to the office of
public instruction for fiscal year 2027 for middle grades career and technical education as described in [section
1].
(2) The legislature intends that the appropriation in this section be considered part of the ongoing
base for the next legislative session.
Section 3. Codification instruction. [Section 1] is intended to be codified as an integral part of Title
20, chapter 7, part 3, and the provisions of Title 20, chapter 7, part 3, apply to [section 1].
- END -
I hereby certify that the within bill,
HB 357, originated in the House.
___________________________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
___________________________________________
Speaker of the House
Signed this _______________________________day
of____________________________________, 2025.
___________________________________________
President of the Senate
Signed this _______________________________day
of____________________________________, 2025.
HOUSE BILL NO. 357
INTRODUCED BY E. TILLEMAN, J. ISALY, P. ELVERUM, M. BERTOGLIO, K. WALSH, R. MINER, G.
OBLANDER, L. DEMING, L. REKSTEN, M. ROMANO, M. THANE, J. LYNCH
AN ACT REVISING EDUCATIONAL LAWS TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR CAREER AND TECHNICAL
EDUCATION IN THE MIDDLE GRADES; REQUIRING THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
TO ADOPT RULES FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE FUNDS; PROVIDING RULEMAKING AUTHORITY; AND
PROVIDING AN APPROPRIATION.