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Trustees renew memberships in MTSBA and MQEC; MQEC noted as litigation-capable advocate
Summary
Board approved renewals for Montana School Boards Association membership and for the Montana Quality Education Coalition (MQEC), a member of the CAMPS coalition that has pursued litigation on behalf of districts.
Missoula trustees approved renewing the district’s membership in the Montana School Boards Association and the Montana Quality Education Coalition (MQEC).
The board voted to continue membership in the Montana School Boards Association after a brief question about timing. Trustees then approved renewing MQEC membership; staff said the MQEC membership fee has been $4,000 a year since 2022. Staff explained MQEC is a component of CAMPS (the Coalition of Advocates for Montana’s Public Schools) and that MQEC has retained counsel to litigate on behalf of participating districts in past cases, including litigation over a recent charter school bill that currently has an injunction pending. Trustee Mercer moved to approve MQEC membership; Trustee Walsh seconded. Both items were approved by the trustees present.
Staff noted MQEC maintains a litigation reserve funded through dues and that litigation costs vary by case. Lance Melton was identified by staff as the executive director of the Montana School Boards Association. The board discussion emphasized that these memberships support district advocacy and, in MQEC’s case, collective legal action when organizations participating in the coalition pursue that route.
