Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 20. EDUCATION

CHAPTER 3. ELECTED OFFICIALS

Part 3. School District Trustees

Number Of Trustee Positions In Elementary Districts -- Transition

20-3-341. Number of trustee positions in elementary districts -- transition. The number of trustee positions in each elementary district shall vary according to the district's classification, as established by 20-6-201:

(1) There must be seven trustee positions in a first-class elementary district.

(2) There must be five trustee positions in a second-class elementary district; however, on a majority vote of the board of trustees, the number may be increased to seven trustee positions at the next trustee election if notice of the action of the board of trustees is published by the clerk of the district in a newspaper of general circulation in the county prior to January 1 of the year of the trustee election. The board of trustees may reduce the number of trustee positions from seven to five upon receiving a petition for that purpose from at least 10 qualified electors of the district.

(3) There must be three trustee positions in a third-class elementary district; however, on a majority vote of the board of trustees, the number may be increased to five trustee positions at the next trustee election if notice of the action of the board of trustees is published by the clerk of the district in a newspaper of general circulation in the county prior to January 1 of the year of the trustee election. The board of trustees may reduce the number of trustee positions from five to three upon receiving a petition for that purpose from at least 10 qualified electors of the district.

(4) (a) If the number of trustee positions in a second-class elementary district is decreased from seven to five in accordance with the provisions of subsection (2), one position is eliminated at the time of the first subsequent regular school election and one position is eliminated at the next regular school election.

(b) If the number of trustee positions in a third-class elementary district is decreased from five to three in accordance with the provisions of subsection (3), one position is eliminated at the time of the first subsequent school election when two trustee positions would have been filled and one position is eliminated at the next school election when two trustee positions would have been filled.

History: En. 75-5902 by Sec. 31, Ch. 5, L. 1971; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 103, L. 1975; R.C.M. 1947, 75-5902(1); amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 591, L. 1989; (4)En. Sec. 2, Ch. 591, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 45, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 208, Ch. 49, L. 2015.