67th Legislature HB 286.1
1 HOUSE BILL NO. 286
2 INTRODUCED BY J. WINDY BOY
3
4 A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: “AN ACT EXPANDING THE PURPOSES OF THE MONTANA DIGITAL
5 ACADEMY TO SUPPORT ARTICLE X, SECTION 1(2), OF THE MONTANA CONSTITUTION AND THE
6 PRESERVATION OF THE CULTURAL INTEGRITY OF AMERICAN INDIANS; AMENDING SECTION 20-7-
7 1201, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.”
8
9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
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11 Section 1. Section 20-7-1201, MCA, is amended to read:
12 "20-7-1201. Montana digital academy -- purposes -- governance. (1) There is a Montana digital
13 academy at a unit of the Montana university system.
14 (2) The purposes of the Montana digital academy are to:
15 (a) make distance learning opportunities available to all school-age children through public school
16 districts in the state of Montana;
17 (b) offer high-quality instructors who are licensed and endorsed in Montana and courses that are in
18 compliance with all relevant education and distance learning rules, standards, and policies; and
19 (c) emphasize the core subject matters required under the accreditation standards, offer advanced
20 courses for dual credit in collaboration with the Montana university system, and offer enrichment courses; and
21 (d) offer courses to support Article X, section 1(2), of the Montana constitution, including courses in
22 Indian language and culture that:
23 (i) utilize American Indian language and culture specialists as teachers;
24 (ii) support Indian language immersion programs pursuant to Title 20, chapter 7, part 14;
25 (iii) use materials developed by the tribes as part of the Montana Indian language preservation
26 program pursuant to 20-9-537; and
27 (iv) partner to the greatest extent possible with Montana tribal colleges to include dual credit and
28 intergenerational learning opportunities.
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67th Legislature HB 286.1
1 (3) The Montana digital academy must be governed by a board with equal representation from:
2 (a) the commissioner of higher education or a designee;
3 (b) the superintendent of public instruction or a designee;
4 (c) a Montana-licensed and Montana-endorsed classroom teacher appointed by the board of public
5 education;
6 (d) a Montana-licensed school district administrator appointed by the board of public education;
7 (e) a trustee of a Montana school district appointed by the board of public education;
8 (f) the dean of the school of education of the hosting unit of the Montana university system or a
9 designee as a nonvoting member; and
10 (g) the two officers provided for in subsection (5) as nonvoting members.
11 (4) The governing board shall elect a presiding officer and vice presiding officer to 2-year terms
12 without limitation on the number of terms.
13 (5) The governing board shall hire a program director and a curriculum director who shall serve as
14 chief executive officer and vice chief executive officer respectively on the governing board in a nonvoting
15 capacity. The program director shall develop and, upon approval of the governing board, implement and publish
16 policies and guidelines for the Montana digital academy pertaining to:
17 (a) course offerings;
18 (b) software and hardware selection;
19 (c) instructor selection;
20 (d) partnering school agreements;
21 (e) instructor training and curriculum development;
22 (f) course evaluation;
23 (g) grant opportunities; and
24 (h) other activities that are essential to the success of a statewide distance learning program."
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26 NEW SECTION. Section 2. Notification to tribal governments. The secretary of state shall send a
27 copy of [this act] to each federally recognized tribal government in Montana.
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67th Legislature HB 286.1
1 NEW SECTION. Section 3. Effective date. [This act] is effective on passage and approval.
2 - END -
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Statutes affected: Introduced: 20-7-1201