20-4-601. (Temporary) Grow your own grant program -- administration. (1) There is a grow your own grant program administered by the commissioner of higher education. The purpose of the grant program is to develop teacher pipelines aimed at serving rural and reservation school districts.

(2) (a) The grow your own grant program must involve:

(i) the opportunity for students to take dual credit courses in education while in high school;

(ii) the opportunity for students to engage in work-based learning opportunities in the field of education; and

(iii) collaboration between school districts and institutions of higher education in developing a career pathway for education.

(b) The grant program must allow and encourage small and proximate districts to collaborate in developing their grow your own grant programs.

(c) A school district is eligible for the program if the district has one or more schools impacted by a quality educator shortage.

(d) A postsecondary institution is eligible for a grant under this section.

(3) Contingent on appropriation by the legislature, the commissioner shall create and administer:

(a) a grant program for eligible postsecondary institutions, in partnership with at least one eligible school district, to develop or expand a grow your own grant program that encourages students to pursue a career in teaching; and

(b) a grow your own grant scholarship program that provides a last-dollar grant of up to $5,000 a year, not to exceed the cost of attendance, and not to exceed $10,000 total for any student, to students who:

(i) have participated or are participating in a grow your own grant program as described in subsection (3)(a);

(ii) are currently enrolled in a teacher preparation program in a licensure or endorsement area identified as most impacted by quality educator shortages;

(iii) commit to teaching in a school impacted by a quality educator shortage; and

(iv) if participation in a grow your own grant program occurred solely during high school, earned at least six postsecondary credits toward an education degree.

(4) The legislature intends that grants made to postsecondary institutions pursuant to subsection (3)(a) are one-time startup grants that include:

(a) a matching component provided by either a participating school district or the postsecondary institution; and

(b) a plan by the school district or postsecondary institution to sustain programs beyond the term of the grant.

(5) In accordance with 5-11-210, the commissioner shall report annually to the education interim committee on the status and impacts of the grant programs described in this section. The report must include:

(a) the number of students currently participating in a grow your own grant program;

(b) the number of former participants who hold a Montana teacher certificate; and

(c) the number of former participants who are teaching in the district where they participated in the grow your own grant program.

(6) For the purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(a) "Postsecondary institution" means a unit of the Montana university system or a tribal college or community college located in the state.

(b) "Quality educator shortage" means a shortage identified by the board of public education pursuant to 20-4-503. (Terminates June 30, 2029--sec. 2, Ch. 774, L. 2025.)