Learn About Community Choice Public Schools

A Community Choice School means a tuition-free, public school open to all students in the state that has autonomy over school governing decisions including, but not limited to, matters concerning finance, personnel, scheduling, curriculum, and instruction as defined in its charter contract. Community Choice Public Schools provide free educational options that may include any or all grades from kindergarten through grade 12.

Community Choice Public Schools are free, public, and open to all.

• Community Choice Public Schools are publicly funded, just like all other public schools, and never charge tuition or have any entrance exams or demands. 
• Community Choice Public Schools are simply another free public school option for students and families in the communities that are fortunate enough to host them.
• Community Choice Public Schools may be established by parents, teachers, community members and businesses in any community across the state. 
• Community Choice Public Schools (called charter schools in other states) have been around for more than 30 years. Forty-five states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam all have well-established versions of Choice Public Schools. 

Choice Public Schools are open to all students.

• Community Choice Public Schools accept any student. If more students want to attend a Choice Public School than seats available, to play fair, the Choice Schools are required to have a public, random and blind lottery. 
• Montana’s Community Choice Public School law ensure that each student has an equal opportunity to enroll.

Community Choice Public Schools are more accountable than traditional public schools and Montana's public charter schools.

• Community Choice Public Schools follow the similar accountability laws as all public schools. They must participate in annual standardized tests and disclose their results with the state. 
• Unlike traditional public schools, Community Choice Public Schools uphold pre-set academic performance standards set in their charter contract  and are accountable to their authorizer and most importantly, to each and every parent who sends their students to the school. If parents are unhappy with a Choice Public School, no matter the reason why, parents can vote with their feet and walk out.
• If a Community Choice Public School does not meet the performance standards set out in their charter contract, their authorizer may revoke or non-renew their charter, thereby, withholding public funding and not allowing the failed school to remain a public school. While closing a public school is serious business and hard to do, if a school does not keep the promises it makes to the students when signing a contract, then they should no longer be allowed to operate as a publicly funded school. This is a significant feature of true charter schools and allows healthy schools to replicate and expand and for new entrants to offer better choices.

Community Choice Public Schools follow the same state and federal special education laws and regulations as other public schools.

• They are responsible for identifying attending students with special needs and administering and adhering to a student's IEP. However, Choice Public Schools are often smaller schools by design, and are much more flexible with how they deliver can IEP services in consultation with a student’s family and IEP team. In fact, many charter schools nationwide have developed with a mission to specifically serve students with IEPs at a very personal level, offering true growth and inclusion rather than just meeting the requirements to be compliant.
• For example, one potential Community Choice Public School, Infinity Education in Miles City, plans to focus on helping students with special needs. One aspect of the school’s design is to group students in classes by learning ability, rather than chronological age like in traditional public schools. They also plan of offering equine therapy and other non-traditional methods to connect with their students and help reveal each student's unique strengths.

The Community Choice Schools Act faces a pending legal challenge from those who want to limit a parent’s right to choose the best public schools for their children. So, there is a temporary, partial-injunction in place until the courts render a decision. This partial-injunction has allowed Montana’s Community Choice Schools Commission to prepare the state for Community Choice Public Schools by developing policies and raising money in preparation for eventually accepting applications from founding groups for charter contracts. The Community Choice Schools Commission's meetings are available for public viewing at bpe.mt.gov. The meetings provide valuable insight into how parents and community members can become involved in the creation of Community Choice Schools. We will update this website with news when Community Choice Public Schools become available for Montanans.