Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 20. EDUCATION

CHAPTER 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

Part 3. School Terms and Holidays -- Released Time

School Fiscal Year

20-1-301. School fiscal year. (1) The school fiscal year begins on July 1 and ends on June 30. At least the minimum aggregate hours required in subsection (2) must be conducted during each school fiscal year, except that 1,050 aggregate hours of pupil instruction for graduating seniors may be sufficient. The minimum aggregate hours required in subsection (2) are not required for any pupil demonstrating proficiency pursuant to 20-9-311(4)(d).

(2) The minimum aggregate hours required by grade are:

(a) 360 hours for a half-time kindergarten program or 720 hours for a full-time kindergarten program, as provided in 20-7-117;

(b) 720 hours for grades 1 through 3; and

(c) 1,080 hours for grades 4 through 12.

(3) Except for a circumstance related to an unforeseen emergency pursuant to Title 20, chapter 9, part 8, for any elementary or high school district that fails to provide for at least the minimum aggregate hours, as listed in subsections (1) and (2), to any pupil not demonstrating proficiency pursuant to 20-9-311(4)(d), the superintendent of public instruction shall reduce the BASE aid for the district for that school year by two times an hourly rate, as calculated by the office of public instruction, for the aggregate hours missed by each pupil not demonstrating proficiency pursuant to 20-9-311(4)(d).

History: En. 75-7402 by Sec. 366, Ch. 5, L. 1971; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 373, L. 1974; R.C.M. 1947, 75-7402; amd. Sec. 6, Ch. 288, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 148, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 460, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 22, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 110, Ch. 42, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 430, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 237, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 138, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 9, Ch. 1, Sp. L. May 2007; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 149, L. 2017; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 151, L. 2021.