In order to qualify for the new incentive, districts will have to provide a base teacher salary of at least $41,613 for the 2026 fiscal year – increasing year to year after that.
The Office of Public Instruction bungled a key program to boost starting teacher pay, and the number of districts using it recently fell by nearly half, according to a report Thursday to a legislative committee.
Eddie McClafferty writes, "I know some of those who are trying to push their agenda prefer us not to teach anything that may include the word “sex.” But let’s face it, folks, when we teach biology, we talk about the reproductive systems."
A bill that would expand a program aimed at addressing Montana’s teacher shortage by offering student loan help to incentivize new teachers to take open positions in hardest-hit schools is one step closer to becoming law.