2023 Montana Code Annotated › Title 20. Education › Chapter 6. School Districts › Part 8. Public Charter Schools › 20-6-812. Funding for public charter schools

20-6-812. Funding for public charter schools.
(1) It is the intent of the legislature that a public charter school receive operational funding on a per-pupil basis that is equitable with the per-pupil funding of the located school district.
(2) (a) For budgeting and funding purposes, when a public charter school is operated by a local school board, a public charter school must be considered a separate budget unit of the located school district, must have its ANB calculated separately from other budget units of the district, and must receive a basic entitlement calculated separately from other budget units of the district when its ANB is greater than:
(i) 70 for an elementary school or program;
(ii) 20 for a middle school or program; or
(iii) 40 for a high school or program.
(b) When a public charter school district exists, funding of the public charter school district must be distributed as BASE aid, except as provided in subsection (2)(c), at 80% of the basic entitlement, 80% of the total per-ANB entitlement, 100% of the total quality educator payment, 100% of the total at-risk student payment, 100% of the total Indian education for all payment, 100% of the total American Indian achievement gap payment, 100% of the total data-for-achievement payment, and 140% of the special education allowable cost payment. The total amount of funding received by a public charter school district under this subsection (2)(b) is both the minimum amount and the maximum amount of public funding for the public charter school district.
(c) A public charter school district is not eligible for a basic entitlement unless its ANB is greater than:
(i) 70 for an elementary school or program;
(ii) 20 for a middle school or program; or
(iii) 40 for a high school or program.
(3) Students attending a public charter school governed by a local school board who are not residents of the located school district generate funding in the same manner as other nonresident students attending a school of the located district under an out-of-district attendance agreement pursuant to Title 20, chapter 5, part 3;
(4) A public charter school district is prohibited from charging tuition and fees.
(5) For a public charter school that is not governed by the local school board, the county treasurer of the county in which a public charter school is located shall establish funds for the public charter school separate from the funds of the located school district.
(6) The governing board of a public charter school shall report annually on the financial activities of the public charter school in the manner prescribed in 20-9-213(6).
(7) A public charter school district may obligate the public charter school district to indebtedness and is solely responsible for those debts. A public charter school district is not responsible for any debt service obligations that exist in the located school district.
(8) Nothing in this part may be construed to prohibit any person or organization from providing funding or other assistance for the establishment or operation of a public charter school. The governing board of a public charter school is authorized to accept gifts or donations of any kind made to the public charter school and to expend or use the gifts or donations in accordance with the conditions prescribed by the donor. A gift or donation may not be accepted if the gift or donation is subject to a condition that is contrary to any provision of law or term of the charter contract.
(9) Money received by a public charter school from any source and remaining in the public charter school's accounts at the end of a budget year must remain in the public charter school's accounts for use by the public charter school in subsequent years.
History: En. Sec. 12, Ch. 510, L. 2023.