Montana § 20-6-807 - Governing Board -- Initial Board -- Elections -- Terms

§ 20-6-807. Governing Board -- Initial Board -- Elections -- Terms

Governing board -- initial board -- elections -- terms. (1) Subsections (2) through (5) apply to a public charter school not governed by the local school board. (2) The governing board of a public charter school district must be composed of 7 members. The boundaries of the charter school district consist of the legal description of the campus of the charter school. A majority of the governing board members must be qualified electors of the county in which the public charter school is located. Members must: (a) be qualified electors in the county in which the public charter school is located or a contiguous county but need not be qualified electors of the located school district; and (b) possess documented knowledge or experience in the mission or focus of the public charter school. (3) An applicant for a proposed public charter school shall identify the members of the initial governing board of the charter school district of which the charter school is a part in the proposal submitted to the board of public education. The initial governing board is responsible for preoperation of and initial operation of the public charter school. (4) At the regular school election in the first year of operation of a public charter school, members must be elected by the qualified electors of the located school district in the same manner as local school boards, except as provided in subsections (2) and (5), in an election conducted by the local school board in the school district in which the public charter school is located. Any elector qualified to vote in the located school district under the provisions of 20-20-301 may vote. (5) Members of governing boards serve for terms of 5 years, and the terms of members must be staggered to ensure continuity on the governing board. (6) If the governing board of a public charter school is the local school board, the governing board shall establish and appoint members of an advisory board to provide recommendations and insight regarding the public charter school's operations. Members of the advisory board must include members with knowledge or experience in the mission or focus of the public charter school.