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Community Choice Schools Commission approves core values, application rules and reporting templates
Summary
The commission voted unanimously Dec. 9 to adopt a core values statement and approve application, guidebook and reporting templates that set the framework for authorizing and monitoring community choice schools in Montana.
The Community Choice Schools Commission on Dec. 9 approved a suite of governance documents intended to set standards for the new statewide authorizing program. Chair Trish Schreibert moved that the commission “accept the core values document as their official guiding principles to fulfill their duties as a statewide authorizer as mandated in title 20,” and the membership voted to adopt it.
The commission also approved an application proposal review policy, a founder (school) application guidebook, a commission member application guidebook and multiple templates for annual reporting — for schools, authorizers and the commission itself. Kathy, the commission’s director of planning, told members the documents reflect national best practices and will be revisited as the program matures.
Members discussed technical clarifications before votes. Dr. Katie Franklin pressed for clarity about how schools’ chosen assessments would be reported; Kathy and chair Schreibert said the annual report template will include a field identifying the standardized assessment each school will use so performance data are comparable over time. Chip Lindenlau pointed out a statute citation typo (20‑11‑111) on page 51; staff confirmed the correction and said the official document has been updated.
Several motions were moved, seconded and approved without recorded opposition. The body also reaffirmed a set of standing subcommittees — including fundraising, policy and a special education consideration group — through 2026. Chair Schreibert said she would follow up with new member Barbara Forester Frank about joining the special education subcommittee.
The measures are procedural steps toward opening the commission’s first application cycle for community choice schools. Staff repeatedly noted the commission can revisit any policy or template in future meetings and that final application cycles will conform to statutory deadlines in title 20. The meeting packet and revised documents are posted on the Board of Public Education website; staff said they will surface any later changes there.
