HB339 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Fund 6th graders in middle school at high school ANB rates along with 7th and 8th graders.

What is the status of HB339?

Failed as of June 9, 2025. Latest action: (S) Died in Committee (June 9, 2025).

Where is the official record for HB339?

On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC1777

Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session

Montana HB339: Fund 6th graders in middle school at high school ANB rates along with 7th and 8th graders

Q: What does HB339 do?

In its own words: A bill for an act entitled: "an act revising school funding laws to provide that 6th graders in districts with accredited middle schools school or junior high programs are funded at the midpoint between the elementary anb rates and the high school anb rates along with 7th and 8th graders; providing additional funding for expanding career and technical education in the middle school or and junior high programs; amending sections 20-9-306 and 20-9-311, mca; and providing an immediate effective date and an applicability date.".

Status: Failed, June 9, 2025

What the bill says

A bill for an act entitled: "an act revising school funding laws to provide that 6th graders in districts with accredited middle schools school or junior high programs are funded at the midpoint between the elementary anb rates and the high school anb rates along with 7th and 8th graders; providing additional funding for expanding career and technical education in the middle school or and junior high programs; amending sections 20-9-306 and 20-9-311, mca; and providing an immediate effective date and an applicability date.".

From the engrossed text:

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT REVISING SCHOOL FUNDING LAWS TO PROVIDE THAT 6TH GRADERS IN DISTRICTS WITH ACCREDITED MIDDLE SCHOOLS SCHOOL OR JUNIOR HIGH PROGRAMS ARE FUNDED AT THE MIDPOINT BETWEEN THE ELEMENTARY ANB RATES AND THE HIGH SCHOOL ANB RATES ALONG WITH 7TH AND 8TH GRADERS; PROVIDING ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR EXPANDING CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL OR AND JUNIOR HIGH PROGRAMS; AMENDING SECTIONS 20-9-306 AND 20-9-311, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE AND AN APPLICABILITY DATE." WHEREAS, nearly all Montana school districts have embraced EITHER the middle school OR THE JUNIOR HIGH model and 98% of Montana 6th graders attend a AN ACCREDITED middle school OR JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL; and WHEREAS, currently 6th graders in a middle school are funded at the lower elementary per-ANB rate, while their 7th and 8th grade schoolmates are funded at the high school ANB rates; and WHEREAS, there is no educationally relevant justification for this disparity in funding; and WHEREAS, if 6th graders were funded on par with 7th and 8th graders AT A HIGHER PER-ANB RATE, middle schools would be able to offer more robust program offerings as required in the accreditation standards for middle schools, including EXPANDED ACCESS TO career and technical education courses and pathways. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE …

Read the full official text

Montana HB339: Fund 6th graders in middle school at high school ANB rates along with 7th and 8th graders

What the bill says

Sponsors

Latest actions

Votes

Common questions