Title 20, Title 20

This part may be cited as the "Montana Advanced Opportunity Act".

(1) The purposes of this part are to: (a) expand personalized career and technical education opportunities for middle school and high school pupils; (b) reduce out-of-pocket costs for pupils and families in support of a pupil's postsecondary success; (c) empower pupils to activel…

As used in this part, the following definitions apply: (1) "Advanced opportunity" means any course, exam, or experiential, online, or other learning opportunity that is incorporated in a district's advanced opportunity plan and that is designed to advance each qualifying pupil's …

(1) A district that satisfies the conditions of subsection (2) and is qualified by the board of public education pursuant to subsection (3) is eligible for the funding and flexibilities in subsections (4) and (5). (2) (a) To qualify for the funding and flexibilities in subsection…

(1) Work-based learning must provide all participating students with on-the-job experience and training along with career and complimentary vocational/technical classroom instruction to contribute to each pupil's employability. The students' classroom activities and on-the-job ex…

(1) The legislature finds and declares pursuant to Article X, section 1, of the 1972 Montana constitution that forms of personalized learning authorized under Montana law, including but not limited to work-based learning pursuant to 20-7-1510, proficiency-based learning as define…

(Temporary) Transformational learning -- phase II grant program. (1) There is a transformational learning phase II grant program administered by the superintendent of public instruction. The purposes of the grant program are to: (a) further develop the efforts of the most innovat…

This part may be cited as the "Students With Special Needs Equal Opportunity Act".

(1) There is a Montana special needs equal opportunity education savings account program provided by the legislature as a desirable educational program pursuant to Article X, section 1(3), of the Montana constitution, which gives authority to the legislature to provide for educat…

As used in this part, the following definitions apply: (1) "Eligible postsecondary institution" means an accredited postsecondary institution located in Montana. (2) "ESA student amount" means the sum of: (a) the data-for-achievement payment rate under 20-9-306; (b) the Indian ed…

(1) The superintendent of public instruction shall allow money deposited in the Montana special needs equal opportunity education savings account to be used to reimburse parents for the purchase of the following educational resources only for the benefit of the individual for who…

(1) In order for a qualified student to participate in the Montana special needs equal opportunity education savings account program during the time periods designated by the superintendent of public instruction pursuant to 20-7-1706, the superintendent of public instruction shal…

(1) The superintendent of public instruction shall make information about the program accessible through printed informational materials and the office of public instruction website to parents, students, and school districts. (2) The superintendent of public instruction shall ens…

A public school or school district that previously enrolled a qualified student participating in the Montana special needs equal opportunity education savings account program shall provide a qualified school that has enrolled a participating student with a complete copy of the st…

(1) The superintendent of public instruction shall require qualified schools who enroll students who are participating in the Montana special needs equal opportunity education savings account program to submit quarterly reports of services provided to qualified students as requir…

(1) Following receipt of a signed contract pursuant to 20-7-1705, the superintendent of public instruction shall notify the resident school district of the qualifying student's participation in the program and the amount calculated by dividing the student's ESA student amount by …

There is a special needs equal opportunity education savings trust that is an instrumentality of the state and that is created for a public purpose. The trust consists of participating trusts with each participating trust corresponding to an account. The assets of one participati…

(1) The legislature finds that the ability to read and to perform math at or above grade level is essential for educational success. The legislature also finds that too many Montana children are not proficient in reading or math at the end of 3rd grade. (2) The purposes of this p…

As used in this part, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following definitions apply: (1) "Early targeted intervention" or "intervention" means, as further described in 20-7-1803, any of the following: (a) a classroom-based program; (b) a home-based program; or (…

(1) The trustees of a school district may provide eligible children with any of the interventions described in this section. This part may not be construed to limit the duty or authority of trustees to provide educational opportunities described elsewhere in this title. (2) The b…

(1) An eligible child participating in a classroom-based program pursuant to 20-7-1803(5) must be included in enrollment counts for the purpose of ANB calculations in the manner described in 20-9-311. (2) The superintendent of public instruction shall pay for the costs for an eli…

A library of visual, aural, and other educational media shall be established and maintained by the superintendent of public instruction. The media shall be selected by the superintendent of public instruction on the basis of their usefulness as teaching aids and resources for sch…

The trustees of each district shall establish and maintain a school library in each school of the district. Each school library shall comply with at least the minimum requirements of the standards of accreditation adopted by the board of public education.

The trustees shall adopt those policies necessary for regulating the use and operation of school libraries. These policies may provide for the use of school libraries by the residents of the district, provided that such use does not interfere with the regular school use of the li…

School library books shall be selected by the district superintendent or a principal if there is no district superintendent, subject to the approval of the trustees. In districts not employing a superintendent or principal, the trustees shall select the school library books on th…

The trustees shall report school library information requested by the superintendent of public instruction, by the board of public education, or when there is no district superintendent or principal, by the county superintendent.

The superintendent of public instruction is the governing agent and executive officer of the state of Montana for K-12 career and vocational/technical education. The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt and administer policies to effect the orderly development of a sy…

The trustees of an elementary or high school district may establish and maintain a K-12 career and vocational/technical education course or program that complies with the K-12 career and vocational/technical education standards adopted by the superintendent of public instruction.…

(1) The superintendent of public instruction shall annually distribute money from the biennial appropriation for secondary K-12 career and vocational/technical education. The money must be allocated to high school districts providing approved secondary K-12 career and vocational/…

(1) The superintendent of public instruction shall categorize secondary K-12 career and vocational/technical education programs based on weighted factors, including but not limited to: (a) K-12 career and vocational/technical education enrollment; (b) approved career and technica…

(1) A work-based learning program operated in compliance with 20-7-1510 must include a written agreement executed by the pupil and the pupil's parent or guardian, the school in which the pupil is enrolled, and the work-based learning partner. The agreement must include: (a) a pro…

There is a state director of K-12 career and vocational/technical education appointed by the superintendent of public instruction. The director shall: (1) administer the K-12 career and vocational/technical education policies adopted by the superintendent of public instruction; (…

(1) The superintendent of public instruction shall annually distribute money from the appropriation for middle grades career and technical education. The money must be allocated to elementary and K-12 school districts with accredited and approved junior high, middle school, or 7t…

(1) A student who is 16 years of age or older at a public school or nonpublic school and who is employed on a paid or voluntary basis at a congregate-care facility, child-care facility, or school-age program may earn one unit of credit for graduation for every 8,100 minutes worke…

(1) There is a state-level strengthening career and technical student organizations program. (2) The purposes of the program are to: (a) strengthen Montana's career and technical student organizations by increasing graduation rates, enhancing student leadership opportunities, dev…

The state of Montana hereby reaffirms the acceptance of and assents to the terms and provisions of the act of congress entitled the "Vocational Education Act of 1963" and the "Vocational Education Amendments of 1968" and further hereby accepts and assents to the terms and provisi…

(1) It is the intent of the legislature that the administration of the programs authorized by the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 provide a seamless system of services to those people seeking to improve their career and technical skills. (2)…

(1) The board of regents is the eligible agency for purposes of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006, as amended, which requires a state participating in programs under that act to designate a state board as the eligible agency responsible fo…

(1) (a) The commissioner of higher education and the superintendent of public instruction shall form a state plan committee as necessary to update the state plan for career and technical education as required by 20 U.S.C. 2301. (b) The commissioner of higher education shall appoi…

(1) There is an advancing agricultural education in Montana program account in the state special revenue fund provided for in 17-2-102. (2) Money in the account and money appropriated by the legislature for the purpose of this section must be used by the office of public instruct…

(1) A high school district may utilize a career coach for educational and career counseling opportunities for students. (2) A career coach may offer opportunities for internships or apprenticeships within a community and assist students with high school course offerings, career o…

In this title, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following definitions apply: (1) "Child with a disability" means a child evaluated in accordance with the regulations of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act as having a disability and who because of th…

(1) The conduct of special education programs must comply with the policies recommended by the superintendent of public instruction and adopted by the board of public education. These policies must ensure and include but are not limited to: (a) placement of a child with a disabil…

The superintendent of public instruction shall supervise and coordinate the conduct of special education in the state by: (1) recommending to the board of public education adoption of those policies necessary to establish a planned and coordinated program of special education in …

(1) The department of public health and human services and the state school for the deaf and blind shall cooperate with the superintendent of public instruction in: (a) assisting school districts in discovering children in need of special education; and (b) carrying out the provi…

(1) A child with a disability in Montana is entitled to a free appropriate public education provided in the least restrictive environment. To the maximum extent appropriate, a child with a disability, including a child in a public or private institution or other care facility, mu…