Montana Code Annotated
Part 2. Teacher Employment -- Tenure
20-4-207. Dismissal of teacher under contract

20-4-207. Dismissal of teacher under contract. (1) The trustees of any district may dismiss a teacher before the expiration of the teacher's employment contract for good cause.
(2) (a) The following persons may recommend the dismissal of a teacher for cause under subsection (1):
(i) a district superintendent;
(ii) in a district without a district superintendent, a principal; or
(iii) in a district without a district superintendent or a principal, the county superintendent or a trustee of the district.
(b) A person listed in subsection (2)(a) who recommends dismissal of a teacher shall give notice of the recommendation in writing to each trustee of the district and to the teacher.
(c) The notice must state clearly and explicitly the specific reason or reasons that led to the recommendation for dismissal.
(3) (a) Whenever the trustees of any district receive a recommendation for dismissal, the trustees shall notify the teacher of the right to a hearing before the trustees either by certified letter or by personal notification for which a signed receipt must be returned. The teacher may in writing waive the right to a hearing. Unless the teacher waives the right to a hearing, the teacher and trustees shall agree on a hearing date not less than 10 days or more than 20 days from the notice of intent to recommend dismissal.
(b) The trustees shall conduct a hearing on the recommendation and resolve at the conclusion of the hearing to dismiss the teacher or to reject the recommendation for dismissal.
(4) With the exception of a county superintendent, a person who recommends dismissal pursuant to subsection (2) may suspend the teacher from active performance of duty with pay pending the hearing date if the teacher's behavior or acts that led to the recommendation for dismissal are contrary to the welfare of the students or the effective operation of the school district.
(5) Any teacher who has been dismissed may in writing within 20 days appeal the dismissal under the guidelines set forth in 20-4-204. The teacher may appeal a decision to terminate an employment contract to the county superintendent if the teacher's employment is not covered by a collective bargaining agreement pursuant to Title 39, chapter 31. If the employment of the teacher is covered by a collective bargaining agreement, a teacher shall appeal a decision to terminate an employment contract to an arbitrator.
History: En. 75-6107 by Sec. 88, Ch. 5, L. 1971; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 327, L. 1971; R.C.M. 1947, 75-6107; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 56, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 28, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 6, Ch. 438, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 514, L. 1999.

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