Montana Code Annotated
Part 3. High School Districts
20-6-312. County high school unification

20-6-312. County high school unification. (1) Any county high school may be unified with the elementary district where the county high school building is located to establish a unified school system under a unified board of trustees. The territory of an existing joint high school district must remain a part of the joint high school district.
(2) A proposition to unify a county high school with the elementary district where the county high school building is located must be introduced whenever:
(a) the trustees of the county high school and the trustees of the elementary district individually pass resolutions requesting the county superintendent to order an election to consider a unification proposition; or
(b) not less than 20% of the electors of the high school district where the county high school is located who are qualified to vote under the provisions of 20-20-301 petition the county superintendent to order an election to consider a unification proposition.
(3) When the county superintendent has received the trustees' resolutions or a valid petition, the county superintendent shall, within 10 days after the receipt of the last resolution or petition and under the provisions of 20-20-201, order the county high school to call an election to consider a unification proposition. The trustees of the county high school shall call and conduct an election in the manner prescribed in this title for school elections. An elector who may vote on the unification proposition must be qualified to vote under the provisions of 20-20-301. The ballot for a county high school unification proposition must be substantially in the following form:
"OFFICIAL BALLOT
COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL UNIFICATION ELECTION
Shall.... County High School be unified with District No....., .... County to establish a unified school system under a unified board of trustees?
☐ FOR the unification of the county high school.
☐ AGAINST the unification of the county high school."
(4) When the county superintendent receives the election certificate from the trustees of the county high school, the county superintendent shall issue an order declaring the unification of the county high school with the elementary district identified on the ballot as of the next July 1, if a majority of those electors voting at the election have voted for the unification proposition.
(5) If a majority of those electors voting at the election have voted against the unification proposition, the county superintendent shall order the disapproval of the unification proposition.
History: En. 75-6538 by Sec. 197, Ch. 5, L. 1971; R.C.M. 1947, 75-6538; amd. Sec. 16, Ch. 219, L. 1997.

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