Proposal would tie Montana school funding to student needs and enrollment

The proposed definition includes statewide public school transfers, student achievement growth tied to inflation-adjusted funding, and public reporting on added per-student money. The definition applies to Montana's basic system of public elementary and secondary schools. Reports would address whether added per-student funding resulted in improved student achievement.

The proposed formula would use a statewide amount per student, weights for student needs, and current-year enrollment counts. The formula would fund public school districts statewide and account for student needs. Funding would follow students who enroll across district lines without adding taxes for residents of the sending districts or counties. The formula would distribute the state's share of basic school system costs among districts equitably.

The legislature would have to determine the cost of the basic school system and consider whether funding increases led to meaningful achievement gains in states with the highest per-student funding growth. This requirement applies to the Montana Legislature when determining the cost of the basic school system. The review would consider states with the highest per-student funding growth during the most recent 20 years.

The legislature would form a school funding interim commission to reassess the state's funding formula. The commission would review Montana's school funding formula. The legislature would form the commission at least once every 10 years.