Montana Code 20-9-705. Joint interstate school agreements
20-9-705. Joint interstate school agreements. (1) The trustees of any district adjacent to another state may enter into a contract with a school district in such adjoining state to provide for the joint erection, operation, and maintenance of school facilities for both districts upon such terms and conditions as may be mutually agreed to by such districts and as are in accord with this section. Any such contract proposed for adoption by the trustees shall be in the form and contain only terms that may be prescribed by the superintendent of public instruction, and any such contract shall be approved by the superintendent of public instruction before it is considered by the electors of the district.
Terms Used In Montana Code 20-9-705
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- district: means the territory, regardless of county boundaries, organized under the provisions of this title to provide public educational services under the jurisdiction of the trustees prescribed by this title. See Montana Code 20-6-101
- school: means an institution for the teaching of children that is established and maintained under the laws of the state of Montana at public expense. See Montana Code 20-6-501
- School election: means a regular school election or any election conducted by a district or community college district for authorizing taxation, authorizing the issuance of bonds by an elementary, high school, or K-12 district, or accepting or rejecting any proposition that may be presented to the electorate for decision in accordance with the provisions of this title. See Montana Code 20-1-101
- State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Montana Code 1-1-201
- Superintendent of public instruction: means that state government official designated as a member of the executive branch by the Montana constitution. See Montana Code 20-1-101
- Trustees: means the governing board of a district. See Montana Code 20-1-101
(2)Before any contract negotiated under the provisions of this section shall be executed, the trustees shall call an election under the provisions of 20-20-201 and submit to the qualified electors of the district the proposition that such contract be approved and that the trustees execute such contract. No agreement shall be valid until it has been approved at an election. The electors at the election shall be qualified to vote under the provisions of 20-20-301, and the election shall be conducted under the school election provisions of this title. The ballot for the election shall be substantially in the following form:
PROPOSITION
SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. …., …. COUNTY
Shall the trustees of this district be authorized and directed to execute the proposed contract with school district number …. of …. County, state of …., for the purpose of (insert the purpose of such contract)?
☐ FOR execution of contract.
☐ AGAINST execution of contract.
(3)The trustees of any district executing a contract under this section shall have the power and authority to levy taxes and issue bonds for the purpose of erecting and maintaining the facilities authorized by this section. Furthermore, the facilities erected or maintained under this section may be located in either Montana or the adjoining state.