The bill aims to revise the Early Literacy Targeted Intervention Program in Montana by expanding its scope to include scholastic literacy, which encompasses both reading and mathematics. Key provisions include allowing school districts to opt in to enroll one on-target student for every three eligible students in classroom-based or jumpstart interventions. Additionally, on-target students enrolled in these programs will be counted for Average Number Belonging (ANB) purposes, which affects funding calculations. The bill also emphasizes the importance of early scholastic literacy interventions in fostering educational success and economic growth.

Several sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) are amended to reflect these changes, including the definitions of early literacy interventions, the evaluation methodologies for determining student eligibility, and the funding mechanisms for these programs. The bill mandates that school districts monitor and report on the efficacy of the interventions, ensuring that data is collected to evaluate their impact on student outcomes. Furthermore, the bill establishes an immediate effective date and specifies that it applies to students enrolled in these programs starting May 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 20-7-1801, 20-7-1802, 20-7-1803, 20-7-1804