The bill aims to revise the Quality Educator Loan Assistance Program in Montana by expanding eligibility to include all newly hired quality educators in public schools, with a priority for those in impacted schools. It amends existing sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to reflect these changes, ensuring that newly hired educators can receive loan assistance payments. The bill also introduces a process for prorating loan assistance payments if the available funding is insufficient to cover all eligible educators, thereby ensuring that those in impacted schools are prioritized for assistance.

Key amendments include the removal of the requirement that quality educators must work specifically at impacted schools to qualify for loan repayment assistance, allowing for broader eligibility. Additionally, the bill establishes a clear process for prorating assistance based on funding availability, prioritizing educators in impacted schools first. The effective date for these changes is set for July 1, 2025, and the bill applies to applications submitted on or after that date.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 20-4-503, 20-4-504, 20-4-505
HB0509_1: 20-4-503, 20-4-504, 20-4-505