1000 The board of trustees 50 policies
The district's legal name, constitutional basis, and classification as a Class 1 district.
Eight trustees, staggered three-year terms. Seven handle elementary business; all eight handle high school.
Board elections held first Tuesday after first Monday in May. Nonpartisan. Covers nominations, write-ins, and acclamation.
Eight conditions that create a vacancy. Remaining trustees fill by appointment after public notice; county superintendent appoints if not filled within 60 days.
After May election certification, board elects chair and vice chair, swears in new trustees, appoints clerk.
Individual trustees have no authority except as part of the board acting as a whole. Must visit every school annually.
New or changed policies require two readings and two-thirds majority. State/federal law changes can be adopted after one reading. Superintendent implements all policy.
Regular meetings second Monday at 5:45 PM, Willson School. Covers special meetings, emergency meetings, budget meetings, and closed sessions.
Agenda-setting, public comment, consent agenda, quorum rules, electronic participation, minutes, recording. Audio/video public within 5 business days.
Parliamentary procedure. Policy amendments require two-thirds majority of full board. Emergency items need majority approval to add.
Public comment taken after item introduction, before board debate. Chair may interrupt abusive or irrelevant statements.
Four core roles: establish objectives, provide guidance through policy, evaluate performance, provide community leadership.
Twelve pledges including: make decisions on facts not special interests, delegate administration to superintendent, maintain confidentiality.
Prohibits financial transactions with supervised persons, acting as agents to the district, pecuniary interest in contracts, and nepotism.
Reserves to the board the right to direct employees, hire, reduce force, maintain efficiency, determine methods, and act in emergencies.
All official staff communications to the board go through the superintendent. Trustees must visit each school at least once per year.
Board formulates annual goals supporting the long range strategic plan. Superintendent reports annually on achievement.
Mission: ensure high-level learning for all students. Six core values. Four goal areas: academic, operations, community, well-being.
Four-level grievance process: informal discussion, written complaint, superintendent appeal, board appeal.
2000 Instruction 112 policies
District's educational objectives: intellectual growth, cultural diversity, career skills, elimination of bias.
Master policy for instruction delivery: onsite, offsite, remote, proficiency-based. Defines required instructional hours by grade.
Board adopts calendar by June 1. Minimum aggregate instructional hours, PIR days, extended school year.
Board must approve all significant curriculum changes including textbooks and courses. Written sequential curriculum reviewed every 5 years.
District assessment framework: Smarter Balanced, ACT, Montana Science Assessment, Acadience K-5, STAR Reading/Math.
Prohibits surveys on personal information without consent. Parents may inspect any instructional material.
Annual professional development on youth suicide prevention. Minimum 1 hour every 3 years for student-facing staff.
Six goals covering participation, communication, collaboration, advocacy, shared decision-making. Annual notification of all educational options.
FAPE under IDEA and ADA. Child Find, dyslexia screening, IEP development, least restrictive environment, due process.
Identification, evaluation, and services for 504-eligible students. Procedural safeguards and hearing procedures.
Adopted 2024. Reading/math proficiency by end of 3rd grade. Classroom programs for age 4+, jumpstart summer programs.
Collection selection, intellectual freedom, First Amendment protections. Selection delegated from board to superintendent to principals to librarians.
Three tiers: primary/core (board-approved), supplemental (principal-approved), incidental (teacher discretion). 5-year review cycle.
Formal process for citizens to challenge materials. Review committee evaluates challenged materials. Board decides on core material removals.
Students' right to face issues, access information, form opinions. Teachers must guide with objectivity. Board supports academic freedom.
Students may pray and discuss religion voluntarily. Staff neutral while on duty. Religion taught about, not as doctrine.
Opt-out for sex ed, opt-in for identity instruction. Annual advance notice required. Reflects recent Montana legislation.
23 units total. Covers dual credit, early graduation, diploma requirements. Changes apply to next entering 9th grade class.
Grading philosophy: grades reflect what students know. Standards-based K-8, separation of achievement from behavior, GPA calculation.
Curriculum inclusion per Article X of Montana Constitution. Consultation with Montana Tribes.
Identification, assessment, and services for EL students. WIDA assessments, placement and exit criteria.
3000 Students 131 policies
Who may enroll (age 5+ by Sept 10), proof of identity, immunization, placement criteria, credit transfer rules.
Parents must ensure children age 7+ attend until age 16 or completion of 8th grade.
Regular attendance primarily a parent responsibility. Defines excused vs unexcused absences. 5th unexcused = no credit at high school.
Habitual truancy: 9+ unexcused days or 54+ parts of days. Principals designated as attendance officers.
Equal access regardless of residence or documentation. Remove enrollment barriers, provide transportation, appoint homeless liaison.
Students attend zoned school. Transfer exceptions prioritized by legal/safety, health, academic, siblings, staff children.
Competency-based charter within Bozeman High, grades 9-12. Capped at 130-150 students.
Priority system for transfers; no transfers to accommodate athletics. Specific application windows.
K-5 enrollment system using rounds, lotteries, waitlists, and forced transfers. Siblings get priority.
Board approves or denies out-of-district applications by Jan 31 each year based on capacity and history.
Home school/nonpublic students may enroll part-time. Graduation needs take priority.
Students retain constitutional rights at school. Must comply with policies and submit to authority of teachers and administrators.
Core nondiscrimination policy. Designates Title IX and Section 504 coordinators. Detailed grievance procedure.
Protects verbal and written expression unless it substantially disrupts school operations.
Wide variety allowed. Prohibits hate speech, drug/weapon imagery, face coverings. Tribal regalia explicitly permitted.
Title IX grievance process: formal complaint, investigation, determination by preponderance of evidence, appeals. Records 7 years.
Defines bullying, hazing, cyberbullying. Annual staff training. Anonymous Alerts app for grades 6-12.
Suspension up to 10 days by administrator. Expulsion 20+ days, board-only power. Due process required. Alternative to Expulsion (A2X) program.
Enumerates all disciplinable offenses. Multi-tiered supports at elementary. Prohibits corporal punishment.
Gun Free Schools Act. Mandatory 1-year expulsion for firearms (superintendent may modify). Board reviews annually.
First violation: 14-day exclusion from competition. Second: season exclusion. Third: 12-month exclusion from all activities.
Required immunizations listed. Medical and religious exemptions. Explicitly does NOT require COVID-19 vaccination.
Dylan Steigers Act. Removal from play on suspected concussion. Medical clearance required for return.
School nurse administration, emergency epinephrine/glucagon, self-carry asthma/allergy meds, stock albuterol, naloxone.
2 hours prevention training for all student-facing employees every 5 years.
All clubs board-approved. Secret organizations prohibited. Home school students may participate in extracurriculars.
Curricular vs noncurricular distinction. Equal Access Act compliance. All raised funds are public funds subject to audit.
FERPA compliance. Permanent records kept in perpetuity. Parents may inspect within 15 days. Directory information opt-out.
MTSS and PLC framework. Eliminate policies perpetuating achievement gaps. Annual superintendent report.
Educational purposes only. No privacy expectation. CIPA filtering required. Cyberbullying instruction required.
Phones off and out of sight during instructional time; no use in classrooms, media centers, testing centers or fine arts performances. High schoolers may use them before and after class in common areas — middle schoolers may not. Never in locker rooms or restrooms. Teachers may allow curricular use with principal approval.
Revisions are on the July 27, 2026 agenda for a first reading; any vote comes at a later meeting.
Montana's student data privacy law. Written agreements with all online operators. No targeted ads, no selling student data.
No unsupervised adult contact without fingerprint-based criminal history check. Implements HB745 (2025).
4000 Community relations 33 policies
Two-way communication mandate. News releases, media coverage, community surveys. Media access protocols for schools.
Rules for boosters, PTOs, donors. Donations become public funds. Organizations may not hire or directly pay district employees.
No unauthorized use of district names, logos, or mascots without superintendent approval.
Ejection authority for unsportsmanlike behavior at events. Superintendent can restrict access in writing.
Equal opportunity for disabled individuals. Superintendent serves as ADA Title II coordinator.
School facilities open to community for educational, civic, cultural uses. Priority hierarchy. Self-sustaining rental fee model.
Comprehensive rules for visitors. Prohibits weapons, drugs, alcohol, tobacco/vape, trespassing. Annual board review.
All records not restricted by law available for inspection. Fee structure defined. Board minutes available within 5 working days.
WCAG 2.0 Level AA compliance for all web content. Quarterly accessibility audits. Complaint process established.
When and how law enforcement is called. Mandatory participation in county school safety team. DPHHS access protocols.
Administrator investigation authority. School Resource Officer program: SROs from Bozeman PD, considered school officials under FERPA.
Community Partner Program (MOUs, reduced rental) and Corporate Sponsorship Program (evaluated against equity and MHSA rules).
All district property off-limits. Parent-offenders may request limited modification for child's events. Superintendent has final authority.
5000 Personnel 100 policies
Prohibits discrimination on all protected bases. Designates Title IX and Section 504 coordinators. Five-level grievance procedure.
Title IX compliance with formal complaint, investigation, decision-maker determination. Only the board may terminate as sanction.
Step-by-step for administrative and non-administrative hiring. Advisory committees, reference checks, certification, Veterans' Preference.
Required for all employees, substitutes, contractors with student contact, and unsupervised volunteers.
Protects employees who report wrongful conduct. Retaliation is a major offense resulting in discipline up to termination.
Two tracks: probationary (6-month, at-will) and specific-term written contracts. Certified contracts one-year max.
Prohibits conflicts of interest, position for personal gain, firearms on property. Curriculum created using district resources belongs to the district.
All workplaces drug- and alcohol-free. Medical marijuana card does not exempt. Violation may result in termination.
Permanent, confidential files. Access limited to superintendent, authorized administrators, HR. Records kept 10 years after separation.
Mandatory immediate reporting to DPHHS. Failure to report is a misdemeanor and grounds for termination.
Board acts on superintendent's recommendation per state law and negotiated agreements.
Supervisors reprimand; superintendent may suspend without pay. Only the board may terminate or non-renew.
Board has exclusive authority to determine employee numbers. Must follow CBA if applicable.
Certified on face contract; classified hourly. Point-based classification system for classified positions.
Sick, bereavement, personal, civic duty. Detailed accrual, sick leave banks, lump-sum payout at termination.
FMLA: up to 12 weeks for birth/adoption, serious health condition. 26 weeks for servicemember caregiver.
Employees working 20+ hours/week eligible for group health/dental. District pays summer premiums for renewed staff.
Non-exempt classified get overtime at 1.5x after 40 hours. Blended-rate calculations for dual positions.
Minimum 3 days (6 hours each) annually. Professional Development Committee (majority teachers).
6000 Administration 13 policies
All divisions operate as a single system guided by board policies implemented through the superintendent.
Prioritize student well-being, act with integrity, implement board policies, avoid using position for personal gain.
Superintendent is chief executive officer. Board delegates all management powers. May sub-delegate but retains ultimate responsibility.
Superintendent may designate any staff member to act in official capacity for policy implementation.
All administrators must be appropriately licensed or in approved internship. Written job descriptions required.
Formula-based salary: base x (position + experience + education + work year factors). Board sets base amount.
Chief administrators of their buildings. Major portion of time must be spent on instructional improvement.
Annual evaluation based on job descriptions, annual goals, and established criteria. Right to attach written response.
7000 Financial management 52 policies
Education remains primary despite fiscal pressures. Advance planning, superior funding, efficient procedures.
Annual calendar: discussions January-July, adoption at public meeting July 24-August 4, forwarded to county superintendent.
Mid-year changes: line-item transfers within same fund, budget amendments by majority vote at public meeting.
Broad definition of fraud. Mandatory reporting, whistleblower protection, investigation procedures, post-incident analysis.
All organized fundraising requires pre-approval. Over $2,500 needs central office review. Funds must go into district accounts only.
Superintendent accepts gifts; exceptional gifts require board approval. Donations become public funds once accepted.
Over $25,000 or requiring matching funds need board approval. Superintendent approves up to $25,000.
Superintendent administers adopted budget. Monthly expenditure listing for board ratification.
Over $10K: superintendent signature. Over $20K: executive director. Over statutory bid limit: board approval. Formal bidding rules.
Implements EDGAR and 2 CFR Part 200. Every federal expenditure must pass: necessary, reasonable, allocable, documented.
All student organization money through district accounts or county treasurer. Monthly accounting to board.
Monthly and annual reports to board. Must comply with statutory provisions and GAAP.
Annual comprehensive audit by independent auditor. Must cover all district affairs and funds.
Minimum unassigned general fund balance: 5% of annual budget. Majority board vote to commit fund balances.
8000 Noninstructional operations 54 policies
Eligibility: students 3+ miles from school, students with disabilities, homeless, foster. In-town busing is a privilege, not a right.
Route planning, stop safety standards. Board must approve stops requiring road crossing. Superintendent can cancel routes in emergencies.
Four classes of offenses with escalating consequences. Class IV (weapons) is zero-tolerance. Audio/video surveillance allowed.
Montana DEQ guidelines determine outdoor activity decisions. Clear authority chain for who makes the call.
Transportation and lodging for school trips. Staff may not use personal vehicles without superintendent authorization.
National School Lunch Program. Students with negative balances always receive a meal and are never denied food.
Donation accounts cover negative balances. No student denied food due to overdraft.
All tobacco and nicotine (including vaping) prohibited on school property. Exception for classroom demos and Native American cultural activities.
Comprehensive program: identify, measure, reduce risks. Surety bonds for superintendent and clerk. Annual board review.
Core safety policy: school safety plan, threat assessment team (meets monthly), 8+ disaster drills per year. Detailed monthly drill schedule.
Grief and bereavement protocol. Spontaneous memorials removed within 5 days. Permanent memorials discouraged. Suicide-specific guidance.
Off-site or cloud backup required. Insurance for computer systems. Hardware/software purchase approval process.
Retention schedules: student records permanent, employment 10 years after termination. Litigation hold procedures.
AED program across all schools. Exact locations listed. Quarterly nurse checks. 24-hour incident reporting.
Cyber Security Incident Response Team. Annual plan review, training for all users, annual testing of response capabilities.
9000 School facilities 32 policies
Aggressive maintenance/upgrade program. Demographic-driven planning for future facility needs.
Rolling five-year plan reviewed every two years. Enrollment projections, property inventory, cost analysis.
Board must secure voter approval before purchasing new sites (unless contiguous to existing). Trustees may take options before election.
Board may call bond election when building fund is insufficient. Defines the board's core capital-financing authority.
Board approval at every design phase. Two required public meetings. Central transparency mechanism for construction.
New buildings follow Montana High Performance Standards. EPA Energy Star benchmarking for all buildings.
No contracts to unlicensed contractors. Prevailing wage compliance. Conflict-of-interest protections.
Buildings, rooms, fields may be named after prominent persons or geographic features. Board approval required.
Board has unilateral authority for emergency closures. Planned closures: arrange transportation, citizen comments advisory only.
Safe, healthful condition required. Continuous repair program. Annual budget recommendations. Energy conservation.
Building integrity, fire hazards, equipment safety. Key control. Immediate reporting of vandalism and burglary.
Adopted 2020. Walkability, bikeability, community centrality, equity, diversity. Coordination with city/county planning.
Criteria: 50% of students within 2-mile walking distance, safe routes, diversity, environmental risk. Renovation preferred over new construction.