Starting a Private School in Montana
Regulations, Resources, & Support
Montana State Regulations
General Regulations
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There are no requirements for licensing, approval, or registration. Accreditation is optionally available.
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The Montana Office of Public Instruction has assembled a page of detailed requirements for private schools.
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The US Office of Innovation & Improvement has assembled a summary of regulations for private schools operating in Montana.
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Homeschooling has to be instructed by a parent or step-parent. Other arrangements would fall under nonpublic instruction.
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The Montana OPI has no published requirements for school insurance -- consult a professional for guidance in this area.
State Funding Sources & Support
Montana does not provide funding for private education.
Curriculum Requirements
Schools are required to offer the same basic subjects as required by public schools.
Teacher Certification & Hiring
A Montana educator license is required for all administrators, specialists, and instructors working in an accredited Montana school.
Food Services / Lunch
In Montana, school lunch requirements, including funding for schools offering the National School Lunch Program, are managed by the Office of Public Instruction.
Length of School Year
The school year must consist of the same number of instructional hours as public schools.
Recordkeeping & Reports
Schools must maintain student registration and attendance information.
Healthy & Safety Requirements
Students must be immunized or provide documentation of a religious or medical exemption. Schools must hold at least 8 disaster drills each year.
Transportation
Nonpublic school students may ride a public school bus if there is seating capacity available and the child secures a permit from the local school district. The school district may charge the child his or her proportionate share of the cost of operating the school bus.
Testing
There is no testing policy currently in place.
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Montana State Resources
State & Regional Associations
Government Websites
Helping Educators Do the Work That Matters
Quick Guide Nav
We gathered so much information that we had to break it down into 10 chapters. This free information is well-researched- we even hunted down the rules and regulations for each state! If you're thinking about starting a private school, you will find this guide very handy!
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