Montana Code 20-7-1330. Graduation requirements for youth who experience disruption in education — legislative intent
20-7-1330. Graduation requirements for youth who experience disruption in education — legislative intent. (1) The legislature finds and declares pursuant to Article X, section 1, of the Montana constitution that an appropriate means of fulfilling the people’s goal of developing the full educational potential of each person is to allow a pupil who experiences an educational disruption to obtain a diploma if the pupil meets the state‘s minimum high school credit requirement. The legislature believes educational disruptions can interfere with pupil success and intends the policy established in this section to provide additional options for a pupil to achieve the individual’s maximum postsecondary potential.
Terms Used In Montana Code 20-7-1330
- Board of public education: means the board created by Article X, section 9, subsection (3), of the Montana constitution and 2-15-1507. 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
- Person: includes a corporation or other entity as well as a natural person. See Montana Code 1-1-201
- Pupil: means an individual who is admitted by the board of trustees pursuant to 20-5-101 and who is enrolled in a school established and maintained under the laws of the state at public expense. See Montana Code 20-1-101
- 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
- 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
- System: means the Montana university system. See Montana Code 20-1-101
- Trustees: means the governing board of a district. See Montana Code 20-1-101
(2)If an enrolled high school pupil who has experienced an educational disruption meets the minimum high school credit requirement for graduation as established by administrative rules of the board of public education but will not meet a higher credit requirement established by the trustees of the district where the student is enrolled, the trustees of the district shall award the student a diploma. The trustees may distinguish the diploma in a reasonable manner from other diplomas issued by the trustees.
(3)Pursuant to 20-5-101(3), if a pupil who receives a diploma pursuant to this section is not yet 19 years of age, the trustees may admit the individual to provide any reasonable curriculum designed to advance postsecondary success, including courses for postsecondary credit and career training.
(4)For the purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(a)”Board of public education” has the same meaning as provided in 20-1-101.
(b)”Educational disruption” means a disruption experienced during grades nine through twelve caused by homelessness, involvement in the child welfare system or juvenile justice system, a medical or mental health crisis, or another event considered a qualifying educational disruption by the trustees of the district.
(c)”Homelessness” has the same meaning as provided for the term “homeless children and youths” in 42 U.S.C. § 11434a(2).
(d)”Pupil” has the same meaning as provided in 20-1-101.