MT HB357

Appropriates $240,000 from the general fund for fiscal year 2027 to support career and technical education (CTE) programs in junior high schools, middle schools, and 7th-8th grade programs

Superintendent of Public Instruction must annually distribute funds to elementary and K-12 school districts with accredited middle grades programs

State funds are intended to enhance existing federal Perkins grants, which currently provide only $5,000 grants limited to small schools on a first-come, first-served basis

Unlike federal Perkins funding, the state money may not be limited by school size and must be distributed equitably

Legislature intends the $240,000 appropriation to become part of the ongoing budget base for future legislative sessions