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Inter-district open enrollment policies.
Public School
Summary:

Montana offers parents few school choice options.  The state does not support private school choice.  It also offers only limited choice within its public education system.  The Education Commission of the States reports that the state has enacted inter-district open enrollment policies. However, the Center for Education Reform reports that Montana is one of only ten states that has not yet passed a charter school law. 

Recent Developments: No new developments.

Click here for detailed information on Montana's public school system and see below for school choice contacts and a history of school choice legislation in Montana.

State Contacts

Montana Coalition of Home Educators
Trevis Butcher
P.O. Box 43
Gallatin Gateway, MT 59730
Phone: (406) 587-6163
Fax: (406) 587-5630
Website: www.MTCHE.org
E-mail: white@imt.net

 Archived History, Pre-2006
Background/Footnotes: Legislation to establish refundable tuition tax credits was defeated in 1995, 1997, and 1999.[1] A tuition tax credit bill, House Bill 433, was introduced in 1997. Under this law, parents would have received a tax credit of up to $1,000 for private school tuition for their first child, a $700 credit for their second child, and a $500 credit for their third child. The bill died in committee.[2] In 1999, then-State Representative Allen Walters (R-60) introduced H.B. 318, which would have provided a refundable tax credit of $1,200 for tuition, fees, and textbooks. This bill also died in committee.[3]

In 1999, a charter school bill, S.B. 204, was introduced by then-State Senator Tom Keating (R-5) but was tabled. The legislation would have established a five-member Board of Charter Schools, appointed by the governor, to authorize charter schools. Charters would have been issued for 15 years and would have received a review every five years.[4]

In 2001, State Representative Joe Balyeat (R-32) introduced H.B. 555, which would have provided a tax credit of up to $375 for tuition and other expenses for 2001, up to $750 in 2002, and up to $1,000 in 2003 and succeeding years. The bill died in committee.[5] Tax credit legislation was introduced in the fall of 2002 and referred to a committee in 2003. H.B. 398 would have created an endowment tax credit for contributions to scholarship organizations or tuition assistance programs.[6]

Legislation to create a charter school law for Montana was also introduced in the fall of 2002. H.B. 704, the Montana Charter Schools Act, would have established a process for the creation of both charter schools and charter school districts, and charters would have been granted for 15 years. Lawmakers adjourned for the session before acting on either H.B. 398 or H.B. 704, and both bills are now dead in committee.[7]

In January 2005, Representative Roger Koopman (R-70) introduced H.B. 456, which would have created a charter school law for the state.[8] The House voted against the bill on a second reading on February 22 (64 Members opposed and 36 in favor). H.B. 456 would have allowed school districts, a local government or colleges and universities to authorize a charter.[9]

[1] Information provided by Robert G. Natelson, Professor of Law, University of Montana.

[2] See National School Boards Association Web site at www.nsba.org/novouchers.

[3] See Montana State Legislature Web site at http://leg.state.mt.us/css/default.asp.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Montana Legislature, 2003 Session, H.B. 398 and H.B. 704.

[8] Montana Legislature, 2005 Session, H.B. 456.

[9] Center for Education Reform Newswire, Vol. 7 No. 7, February 15, 2005, available at http://edreform.com/index.cfm?fuseAction=document&documentID=1985§ionID=5&NEWSYEAR=2005 (March 1, 2005).