WeVote
Log In

Bill

EB

Bill

HB 381

Provide for educational credit for students volunteering in long term care, nursing home, home care, and child care settings

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Ed Buttrey

Montana bill allows high school students to earn graduation credit by volunteering in nursing homes, long-term care, home care, and child care facilities.

Chapter Number Assigned
#education-k-12 #laborandemployment
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 381

Legislative bill overview

HB 381 allows Montana high school students to earn educational credit toward graduation requirements by volunteering in long-term care facilities, nursing homes, home care settings, and child care centers. The bill creates a pathway for students to gain work experience in healthcare and caregiving sectors while simultaneously fulfilling academic obligations.

Why is this important

Montana faces workforce shortages in healthcare and child care—sectors critical to aging populations and working families. By incentivizing student volunteering through academic credit, the bill aims to build a pipeline of trained workers while addressing immediate staffing needs in these essential services. This dual benefit addresses both educational flexibility and labor market demands.

Potential points of contention

  • Academic rigor concerns: Critics may question whether volunteer hours constitute equivalent educational value to traditional classroom instruction, potentially devaluing academic standards or creating inequitable pathways depending on volunteer opportunities available in different regions
  • Unpaid labor exploitation: Opponents could argue the bill incentivizes unpaid work in for-profit sectors (nursing homes, child care) that might otherwise hire paid employees, effectively subsidizing business operations through student labor
  • Equity and access: Rural and low-income students may have fewer volunteer placement opportunities than urban counterparts, potentially creating disparities in who can actually access this credit option

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.