Lawmakers clashed Tuesday with education departments across the state over how numerous bills passed in the last legislative session are being implemented or, in some cases, stalled.
Regarding legislation related to parental choice, India's education for all, intervention programs targeting early literacy, public charter schools and teacher salaries, the Office of Public Instruction and members of the Interim Budget Committee on Education and the Interim Committee on Education There were sharp disagreements over the intent of the legislation and the use of language in education. This means that the bill should be implemented.
Education professionals and organizations that support education professionals said OPI has been slow to support school districts and difficult to work with. As a result, programs are not being delivered, administrators are spending hours just trying to figure out how to follow the rules, and teachers are feeling lost, according to testimony from multiple officials during Tuesday's meeting. .
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The relationship between school districts and the education department “went from an alliance to an adversary because there was no help,” said Sherry Turner, executive director of the Montana Association of School Administrators. “There are complaints about a lack of guidance and support, which is impacting policies, procedures and schools.”
More than just bureaucratic infighting, lawmakers and education advocates say the failure to implement these laws in a clean and digestible manner is impacting students and families. Ta.
For example, House Bill 352 creates a pathway and sets aside funding for schools to create summer literacy programs for Montana's youngest students who may need additional support. .
OPI argues that schools cannot take advantage of the opportunity to create such programs this summer due to technicalities in the law that could leave schools vulnerable in the event of a financial audit. . Committee members and several educators want districts to be able to start these early interventions this June, rather than waiting a year for students who need reading and writing support to take advantage of these early interventions. They voiced their support for doing so.
“We are doing our children a disservice by not starting this program this summer,” said Rep. David Bedi, R-Hamilton.
India's Education for All bill, which was drafted in the last session to ensure that schools use IEFA funds for corresponding instruction in the same year, attracted lively debate.
According to data presented to the commission on Tuesday, nearly 150 schools did not report using IEFA funds for IEFA instruction in the most recent academic year, including Indian American culture and history education. The equivalent of approximately $580,000 is intended to support education.
According to House Bill 338 in the 2023 Congress, failure to report the use of IEFA funds for a valid reason will result in schools being ineligible for the funds the following year.
OPI's position is that local school districts are responsible for implementing the IEFA, and that public school boards are responsible for holding schools accountable for not using funds appropriately. Lawmakers say the role falls squarely within the realm of OPI, the state agency that manages funds, tracks student progress and assists schools with things like accreditation, licensing and compliance.
“I don’t even know where to start,” said D-Box elder statesman Jonathan Windy. “From my perspective, this is an avoidance of responsibility.”
Tuesday's meeting lasted nearly 10 hours. But questions directed by committee members to Republican Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen could not be answered because she was not present.
Despite a personal invitation from Bedi, Arntzen refused to attend the meeting.
She was replaced by Rob Stutz, assistant superintendent and chief legal counsel. Stutz argued that OPI values these issues and that Arntzen's absence does not reflect a lower priority on those issues. He also emphasized that he can speak on her behalf under Montana law.
“Overall, OPI has done a really great job” of implementing the many complex pieces of legislation related to education that were passed during the 2023 session, Stutz said. He also believes OPI is “responding to the inquiries” it has received regarding the new law, and said it will “make sure we get answers that are correct, consistent, and beneficial to districts” before issuing final guidance. We have to do it,” he said.
Most committee members were not satisfied.
“I don't blame you for sitting in her place, but I do blame the fact that this is a change in some of the education laws that needs a steady hand and careful leadership heading into the next Congress. ,” said Rep. Linda Rexton (R-Polson). “With all due respect, we need such attendance.”
The Education Interim Budget Committee is scheduled to meet on its own on Wednesday to further interrogate these questions. As a watchdog, it will discuss possible formal action against OPI, which could express dissatisfaction with the way the law is being enforced.
“Let's see what happens tomorrow,” Bedi said. “That's how this thing goes down.”
Carly Graff is Lee Montana's statewide higher education reporter.