20-6-201. Elementary district classification. (1) Each elementary district shall have a classification of:

Terms Used In Montana Code 20-6-201

  • County superintendent: means the county government official who is the school officer of the county. See Montana Code 20-1-101
  • 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
  • Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
  • Trustees: means the governing board of a district. See Montana Code 20-1-101

(a)first class, if it has a population of 6,500 or more;

(b)second class, if it has a population of 1,000 or more but less than 6,500; or

(c)third class, if it has a population of less than 1,000.

(2)The population of an elementary district must be determined by the county superintendent on the basis of the best available population information for the district.

(3)The county superintendent shall establish the classification of each elementary district in the county on the basis of the population determined for the district and the district classification criteria prescribed in this section. Whenever the population of an elementary district increases or decreases requiring an adjustment of the district classification according to the criteria prescribed in this section, the county superintendent shall declare the district’s classification to be changed in accordance with the determined population, except that the classification of an elementary district may not be changed more than once every 5 years.

(4)Whenever the county superintendent changes an elementary district’s classification with the result that a larger number of trustees is required on the elementary board of trustees, the increased number of trustee positions must be filled in the manner provided for in 20-3-302.