20-9-802. Definitions. As used in this part, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following definitions apply:

Terms Used In Montana Code 20-9-802

  • Aggregate hours: means the hours of pupil instruction for which a school course or program is offered or for which a pupil is enrolled. 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
  • Principal: means a person who holds a valid class 3 Montana teacher certificate with an applicable principal's endorsement that has been issued by the superintendent of public instruction under the provisions of this title and the policies adopted by the board of public education and who has been employed by a district as a principal. See Montana Code 20-1-101
  • 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
  • Pupil instruction: means the conduct of organized learning opportunities for pupils enrolled in public schools while under the supervision of a teacher. 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
  • School day: means the school day set by the trustees as provided in 20-1-302. See Montana Code 20-9-802
  • Trustees: means the governing board of a district. See Montana Code 20-1-101
  • Unforeseen emergency: means a fire, flood, explosion, storm, earthquake, riot, insurrection, community disaster, or act of God or a combination of the foregoing that acts as a principal cause for a school district's inability to conduct a portion of the minimum aggregate hours of instruction required by 20-1-301. See Montana Code 20-9-802

(1)”Declaration of emergency” means a declaration by a board of trustees that an unforeseen emergency has occurred in the district.

(2)”Reasonable effort” means the rescheduling or extension of the school district’s instructional calendar to make up at least 75% of the hours of pupil instruction lost due to an unforeseen emergency through any combination of the following:

(a)extending the school year beyond the last scheduled day;

(b)the use of scheduled vacation days in the district’s adopted school calendar pursuant to 20-1-302;

(c)the conduct of pupil instruction on Saturdays as provided in 20-1-303; or

(d)extending instructional hours during the school day as provided in 20-1-302.

(3)”School day” means the school day set by the trustees as provided in 20-1-302.

(4)”Unforeseen emergency” means a fire, flood, explosion, storm, earthquake, riot, insurrection, community disaster, or act of God or a combination of the foregoing that acts as a principal cause for a school district’s inability to conduct a portion of the minimum aggregate hours of instruction required by 20-1-301.