Montana Legislature Enacts Changes to State and Local Flows of Public School Funding

Montana’s high-profile STARS Act cleared its last hurdle in the policymaking process last week when Gov. Greg Gianforte signed the $100 million investment in starting teacher pay into law. Throughout the past five months, the bill had become emblematic of the Legislature’s debate over how best to fund public education, its price tag underscoring the scope of financial pressures weighing on the state’s K-12 school system.

In announcing the signing, Gianforte framed the STARS Act as “the next step in the right direction to support our educators.” Rep. Llew Jones, R-Conrad, proclaimed the funding...