MT HB153

Expands the School Funding Interim Commission membership to include the Board of Public Education presiding officer, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Board of Regents presiding officer, and the Governor (or their designees), in addition to the existing 12 legislative members and 4 public members

Establishes May 1 deadline for commission appointments, with a 15-day deadline specifically for the 2025-2026 commission following the act's effective date

Creates an Innovation and Excellence in Education Working Group for 2025-2026 that must conduct benchmarking studies comparing Montana's education policies to high-performing domestic and international systems, with recommendations and implementation plan due by January 30, 2026

Adds new funding formula criteria requiring the commission to consider parental choice, elimination of inter-district tuition payments, property tax reappraisal cycle impacts, and rewarding districts based on student academic growth rather than enrollment counts

Appropriates $10,000 from the general fund to the Legislative Services Division for commission activities in May and June 2025, with immediate effective date upon passage and approval