20-9-201. Definitions and application. (1) As used in this title, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, “fund” means a separate detailed account of receipts and expenditures for a specific purpose as authorized by law or by the superintendent of public instruction under the provisions of subsection (2). Funds are classified as follows:

Terms Used In Montana Code 20-9-201

  • Adult education: means the instruction of persons 16 years of age or older who are not regularly enrolled, full-time pupils for the purposes of ANB computation and the provision of advanced opportunities to qualified pupils pursuant to Title 20, chapter 7, part 15. See Montana Code 20-7-701
  • 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
  • fund: means a separate detailed account of receipts and expenditures for a specific purpose as authorized by law or by the superintendent of public instruction under the provisions of subsection (2). See Montana Code 20-9-201
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
  • 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 food services: means a service of providing food for the pupils of a district on a nonprofit basis and includes any food service financially assisted through funds or commodities provided by the United States government. See Montana Code 20-1-101
  • 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
  • Traffic education: means instruction in motor vehicle, bicycle, pedestrian, and school bus traffic laws or motorcycle laws, in the acceptance of personal responsibility on the public highways, in the causes and consequences of traffic accidents, and in the skills necessary for the safe operation of bicycles and motor vehicles or motorcycles. See Montana Code 20-7-501
  • Transportation: means :

    (a)a district's conveyance of a pupil by a school bus between the pupil's legal residence or an officially designated bus stop and the school designated by the trustees for the pupil's attendance; or

    (b)individual transportation. See Montana Code 20-10-101

  • Trustees: means the governing board of a district. See Montana Code 20-1-101

(a)A “budgeted fund” means any fund for which a budget must be adopted in order to expend money from the fund. The general fund, transportation fund, bus depreciation reserve fund, tuition fund, retirement fund, debt service fund, building reserve fund, adult education fund, nonoperating fund, and any other funds designated by the legislature are budgeted funds.

(b)A “nonbudgeted fund” means any fund for which a budget is not required in order to expend money on deposit in the fund. The school food services fund, miscellaneous programs fund, building fund, lease or rental agreement fund, traffic education fund, interlocal cooperative fund, internal service fund, impact aid fund, enterprise fund, custodial fund, extracurricular fund, metal mines tax reserve fund, endowment fund, litigation reserve fund, and any other funds designated by the legislature are nonbudgeted funds.

(2)The school financial administration provisions of this title apply to all money of any elementary or high school district. Elementary and high school districts shall record the receipt and disbursement of all money in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The superintendent of public instruction has general supervisory authority as prescribed by law over the school financial administration provisions, as they relate to elementary and high school districts. The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules necessary to secure compliance with the law.

(3)Except as otherwise provided by law, whenever the trustees of a district determine that a fund is inactive and will no longer be used, the trustees shall close the fund by transferring all cash and other account balances to any fund considered appropriate by the trustees if the fund does not have a cash or fund balance deficit.