Policy series catalog

All nine series of BSD7 district policy

1000 series: The board of trustees

~40 policies

Read the full 1000 series policy text
*Use the bookmarks panel in the document to jump to a specific policy number.

Board organization and membership

1000 Legal status, operation and organization: The district's legal name, constitutional basis, and classification as a Class 1 district.
1105 Membership and terms of office: Eight trustees, staggered three-year terms. Seven handle elementary business; all eight handle high school.
1111 Elections: Board elections held first Tuesday after first Monday in May. Nonpartisan. Covers nominations, write-ins, and acclamation.
1113 Vacancies: Eight conditions that create a vacancy. Remaining trustees fill by appointment after public notice; county superintendent appoints if not filled within 60 days.
1120 Annual organization meeting: After May election certification, board elects chair and vice chair, swears in new trustees, appoints clerk.

Board meetings and procedures

1400 Board meetings: Regular meetings second Monday at 5:45 PM, Willson School. Covers special meetings, emergency meetings, budget meetings, and closed sessions.
1420 Meeting procedure: Agenda-setting, public comment, consent agenda, quorum rules, electronic participation, minutes, recording. Audio/video public within 5 business days.
1440 Conduct of meeting: Parliamentary procedure. Policy amendments require two-thirds majority of full board. Emergency items need majority approval to add.
1441 Audience participation: Public comment taken after item introduction, before board debate. Chair may interrupt abusive or irrelevant statements.

Policy adoption and review

1310 District policy and procedures: New or changed policies require two readings and two-thirds majority. State/federal law changes can be adopted after one reading. Superintendent implements all policy.

Board powers and authority

1510 Roles of the board: Four core roles: establish objectives, provide guidance through policy, evaluate performance, provide community leadership.
1513 Management rights: Reserves to the board the right to direct employees, hire, reduce force, maintain efficiency, determine methods, and act in emergencies.
1240 Duties of individual trustees: Individual trustees have no authority except as part of the board acting as a whole. Must visit every school annually.

Ethics and conflicts of interest

1511 Code of ethics: Twelve pledges including: make decisions on facts not special interests, delegate administration to superintendent, maintain confidentiality.
1512 Conflict of interest: Prohibits financial transactions with supervised persons, acting as agents to the district, pecuniary interest in contracts, and nepotism.

Strategic planning

1610 Annual goals and objectives: Board formulates annual goals supporting the long range strategic plan. Superintendent reports annually on achievement.
1612 Long range strategic plan: Mission: ensure high-level learning for all students. Six core values. Four goal areas: academic, operations, community, well-being.

Communications and complaints

1520 Board/staff communications: All official staff communications to the board go through the superintendent. Trustees must visit each school at least once per year.
1700 Uniform complaint procedure: Four-level grievance process: informal discussion, written complaint, superintendent appeal, board appeal.

Emergency powers

1900 Emergency: During declared emergencies, authorizes superintendent to implement health/safety protocols, suspend facility use, deliver online instruction.

2000 series: Instruction

~47 policies

Read the full 2000 series policy text
*Use the bookmarks panel in the document to jump to a specific policy number.

Curriculum, standards, and board authority

2000 Goals: District's educational objectives: intellectual growth, cultural diversity, career skills, elimination of bias.
2050 Student instruction: Master policy for instruction delivery: onsite, offsite, remote, proficiency-based. Defines required instructional hours by grade.
2120 Curriculum and assessment: Board must approve all significant curriculum changes including textbooks and courses. Written sequential curriculum reviewed every 5 years.
2100 School year calendar and day: Board adopts calendar by June 1. Minimum aggregate instructional hours, PIR days, extended school year.

Assessment, grading, and graduation

2420 Grading and progress reports: Grading philosophy: grades reflect what students know. Standards-based K-8, separation of achievement from behavior, GPA calculation.
2410 High school graduation requirements: 23 units total. Covers dual credit, early graduation, diploma requirements. Changes apply to next entering 9th grade class.
2131 Bozeman comprehensive assessment system: District assessment framework: Smarter Balanced, ACT, Montana Science Assessment, Acadience K-5, STAR Reading/Math.

Instructional materials and libraries

2309 School library program: Collection selection, intellectual freedom, First Amendment protections. Selection delegated from board to superintendent to principals to librarians.
2311 Instructional materials: Three tiers: primary/core (board-approved), supplemental (principal-approved), incidental (teacher discretion). 5-year review cycle.
2314 Learning materials review: Formal process for citizens to challenge materials. Review committee evaluates challenged materials. Board decides on core material removals.

Controversial issues and religion

2330 Controversial issues and academic freedom: Students' right to face issues, access information, form opinions. Teachers must guide with objectivity. Board supports academic freedom.
2335 Human sexuality and identity instruction: Opt-out for sex ed, opt-in for identity instruction. Annual advance notice required. Reflects recent Montana legislation.
2332 Religion and religious activities: Students may pray and discuss religion voluntarily. Staff neutral while on duty. Religion taught about, not as doctrine.

Special education and student support

2161 Special education: FAPE under IDEA and ADA. Child Find, dyslexia screening, IEP development, least restrictive environment, due process.
2162 Section 504: Identification, evaluation, and services for 504-eligible students. Procedural safeguards and hearing procedures.
2165 Early targeted interventions: Adopted 2024. Reading/math proficiency by end of 3rd grade. Classroom programs for age 4+, jumpstart summer programs.

Parent engagement and privacy

2158 Parent/family engagement: Six goals covering participation, communication, collaboration, advocacy, shared decision-making. Annual notification of all educational options.
2132 Student and family privacy rights: Prohibits surveys on personal information without consent. Parents may inspect any instructional material.

Special programs

2500 English learner program: Identification, assessment, and services for EL students. WIDA assessments, placement and exit criteria.
2450 Recognition of Native American cultural heritage: Curriculum inclusion per Article X of Montana Constitution. Consultation with Montana Tribes.
2150 Suicide awareness and prevention: Annual professional development on youth suicide prevention. Minimum 1 hour every 3 years for student-facing staff.

3000 series: Students

~58 policies

Read the full 3000 series policy text
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Enrollment and attendance

3110 Entrance, placement, and transfer: Who may enroll (age 5+ by Sept 10), proof of identity, immunization, placement criteria, credit transfer rules.
3120 Compulsory attendance: Parents must ensure children age 7+ attend until age 16 or completion of 8th grade.
3122 Attendance policy: Regular attendance primarily a parent responsibility. Defines excused vs unexcused absences. 5th unexcused = no credit at high school.
3123 Truancy: Habitual truancy: 9+ unexcused days or 54+ parts of days. Principals designated as attendance officers.
3125 Education of homeless children: Equal access regardless of residence or documentation. Remove enrollment barriers, provide transportation, appoint homeless liaison.
3141 Nonresident student enrollment: Board approves or denies out-of-district applications by Jan 31 each year based on capacity and history.

Attendance areas and transfers

3129 Elementary attendance areas: K-5 enrollment system using rounds, lotteries, waitlists, and forced transfers. Siblings get priority.
3126 Middle school attendance areas: Students attend zoned school. Transfer exceptions prioritized by legal/safety, health, academic, siblings, staff children.
3128 High school in-district transfer: Priority system for transfers; no transfers to accommodate athletics. Specific application windows.
3127 Bridger Charter Academy enrollment: Competency-based charter within Bozeman High, grades 9-12. Capped at 130-150 students.

Student rights and equity

3200 Student rights and responsibilities: Students retain constitutional rights at school. Must comply with policies and submit to authority of teachers and administrators.
3210 Equal education and nondiscrimination: Core nondiscrimination policy. Designates Title IX and Section 504 coordinators. Detailed grievance procedure.
3220 Freedom of expression: Protects verbal and written expression unless it substantially disrupts school operations.
3224 Student dress: Wide variety allowed. Prohibits hate speech, drug/weapon imagery, face coverings. Tribal regalia explicitly permitted.

Sexual harassment and bullying

3225 Sexual harassment of students: Title IX grievance process: formal complaint, investigation, determination by preponderance of evidence, appeals. Records 7 years.
3226 Bullying/harassment/intimidation/hazing: Defines bullying, hazing, cyberbullying. Annual staff training. Anonymous Alerts app for grades 6-12.

Discipline and conduct

3300 Suspension and expulsion: Suspension up to 10 days by administrator. Expulsion 20+ days, board-only power. Due process required. Alternative to Expulsion (A2X) program.
3310 Student discipline: Enumerates all disciplinable offenses. Multi-tiered supports at elementary. Prohibits corporal punishment.
3311 Firearms and weapons: Gun Free Schools Act. Mandatory 1-year expulsion for firearms (superintendent may modify). Board reviews annually.
3340 Extra/co-curricular substance use: First violation: 14-day exclusion from competition. Second: season exclusion. Third: 12-month exclusion from all activities.

Student welfare and health

3416 Administering medicines: School nurse administration, emergency epinephrine/glucagon, self-carry asthma/allergy meds, stock albuterol, naloxone.
3415 Sports concussions: Dylan Steigers Act. Removal from play on suspected concussion. Medical clearance required for return.
3413 Student immunization: Required immunizations listed. Medical and religious exemptions. Explicitly does NOT require COVID-19 vaccination.
3422 Suicide awareness and prevention: 2 hours prevention training for all student-facing employees every 5 years.
3655 Student safety (background checks): No unsupervised adult contact without fingerprint-based criminal history check. Implements HB745 (2025).

Records and privacy

3600 Student records: FERPA compliance. Permanent records kept in perpetuity. Parents may inspect within 15 days. Directory information opt-out.
3650 Pupil online personal information protection: Montana's student data privacy law. Written agreements with all online operators. No targeted ads, no selling student data.
3612 District-provided electronic access: Educational purposes only. No privacy expectation. CIPA filtering required. Cyberbullying instruction required.

Student success and activities

3610 Student success: MTSS and PLC framework. Eliminate policies perpetuating achievement gaps. Annual superintendent report.
3510 School-sponsored activities: All clubs board-approved. Secret organizations prohibited. Home school students may participate in extracurriculars.
3550 Student clubs: Curricular vs noncurricular distinction. Equal Access Act compliance. All raised funds are public funds subject to audit.
3150 Part-time enrollment: Home school/nonpublic students may enroll part-time. Graduation needs take priority.

4000 series: Community relations

~22 policies

Read the full 4000 series policy text
*Use the bookmarks panel in the document to jump to a specific policy number.

Communication and transparency

4120 Public information program: Two-way communication mandate. News releases, media coverage, community surveys. Media access protocols for schools.
4340 Public access to district records: All records not restricted by law available for inspection. Fee structure defined. Board minutes available within 5 working days.
4350 Website accessibility: WCAG 2.0 Level AA compliance for all web content. Quarterly accessibility audits. Complaint process established.

Parent organizations, fundraising, and branding

4210 School-support organizations and fundraising: Rules for boosters, PTOs, donors. Donations become public funds. Organizations may not hire or directly pay district employees.
4211 District name, logo, imagery and colors: No unauthorized use of district names, logos, or mascots without superintendent approval.

School access and visitor conduct

4332 Conduct on school property: Comprehensive rules for visitors. Prohibits weapons, drugs, alcohol, tobacco/vape, trespassing. Annual board review.
4315 Visitor and spectator conduct: Ejection authority for unsportsmanlike behavior at events. Superintendent can restrict access in writing.
4316 Accommodating individuals with disabilities: Equal opportunity for disabled individuals. Superintendent serves as ADA Title II coordinator.

Facilities use

4330 Community use of school facilities: School facilities open to community for educational, civic, cultural uses. Priority hierarchy. Self-sustaining rental fee model.

Law enforcement and student safety

4410 Relations with law enforcement: When and how law enforcement is called. Mandatory participation in county school safety team. DPHHS access protocols.
4411 Interviews and investigations by school officials: Administrator investigation authority. School Resource Officer program: SROs from Bozeman PD, considered school officials under FERPA.
4550 Registered sex or violent offenders: All district property off-limits. Parent-offenders may request limited modification for child's events. Superintendent has final authority.

Business partnerships

4530 Cooperative programs with business: Community Partner Program (MOUs, reduced rental) and Corporate Sponsorship Program (evaluated against equity and MHSA rules).

5000 series: Personnel

~49 policies

Read the full 5000 series policy text
*Use the bookmarks panel in the document to jump to a specific policy number.

Hiring and employment

5120 Hiring procedures: Step-by-step for administrative and non-administrative hiring. Advisory committees, reference checks, certification, Veterans' Preference.
5122 Fingerprints and criminal background: Required for all employees, substitutes, contractors with student contact, and unsupervised volunteers.
5140 Employee contracts: Two tracks: probationary (6-month, at-will) and specific-term written contracts. Certified contracts one-year max.

Equal employment and civil rights

5010 Equal employment opportunity: Prohibits discrimination on all protected bases. Designates Title IX and Section 504 coordinators. Five-level grievance procedure.
5012 Sexual harassment in the workplace: Title IX compliance with formal complaint, investigation, decision-maker determination. Only the board may terminate as sanction.
5125 Whistleblowing and retaliation: Protects employees who report wrongful conduct. Retaliation is a major offense resulting in discipline up to termination.

Employee conduct and standards

5223 Personal conduct: Prohibits conflicts of interest, position for personal gain, firearms on property. Curriculum created using district resources belongs to the district.
5232 Abused and neglected child reporting: Mandatory immediate reporting to DPHHS. Failure to report is a misdemeanor and grounds for termination.
5226 Drug-free workplace: All workplaces drug- and alcohol-free. Medical marijuana card does not exempt. Violation may result in termination.

Compensation and benefits

5310 Compensation and pay plans: Certified on face contract; classified hourly. Point-based classification system for classified positions.
5336 Fair Labor Standards Act: Non-exempt classified get overtime at 1.5x after 40 hours. Blended-rate calculations for dual positions.
5331 Insurance benefits: Employees working 20+ hours/week eligible for group health/dental. District pays summer premiums for renewed staff.

Discipline and termination

5255 Disciplinary action: Supervisors reprimand; superintendent may suspend without pay. Only the board may terminate or non-renew.
5250 Termination or non-renewal: Board acts on superintendent's recommendation per state law and negotiated agreements.
5256 Reduction in force: Board has exclusive authority to determine employee numbers. Must follow CBA if applicable.

Leave and family protections

5328 Family Medical Leave: FMLA: up to 12 weeks for birth/adoption, serious health condition. 26 weeks for servicemember caregiver.
5321 Leaves of absence: Sick, bereavement, personal, civic duty. Detailed accrual, sick leave banks, lump-sum payout at termination.

Records and privacy

5231 Personnel records: Permanent, confidential files. Access limited to superintendent, authorized administrators, HR. Records kept 10 years after separation.
5510 HIPAA: District as HIPAA covered entity. Superintendent as privacy officer. Full notice of privacy practices.

Professional development

5340 Certified staff professional development: Minimum 3 days (6 hours each) annually. Professional Development Committee (majority teachers).

6000 series: Administration

11 policies

Read the full 6000 series policy text
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Authority structure

6000 Goals: All divisions operate as a single system guided by board policies implemented through the superintendent.
6110 Superintendent duties and authority: Superintendent is chief executive officer. Board delegates all management powers. May sub-delegate but retains ultimate responsibility.
6122 Delegation of authority: Superintendent may designate any staff member to act in official capacity for policy implementation.
6210 Principals: Chief administrators of their buildings. Major portion of time must be spent on instructional improvement.

Compensation and evaluation

6143 Leadership compensation plan: Formula-based salary: base x (position + experience + education + work year factors). Board sets base amount.
6410 Evaluation of administrative staff: Annual evaluation based on job descriptions, annual goals, and established criteria. Right to attach written response.

Staffing and ethics

6140 Duties and qualifications: All administrators must be appropriately licensed or in approved internship. Written job descriptions required.
6001 Code of ethics for administrators: Prioritize student well-being, act with integrity, implement board policies, avoid using position for personal gain.

7000 series: Financial management

~37 policies

Read the full 7000 series policy text
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Budget and planning

7000 Goals: Education remains primary despite fiscal pressures. Advance planning, superior funding, efficient procedures.
7120 Budget preparation and adoption: Annual calendar: discussions January-July, adoption at public meeting July 24-August 4, forwarded to county superintendent.
7121 Budget adjustments: Mid-year changes: line-item transfers within same fund, budget amendments by majority vote at public meeting.

Revenue and fundraising

7225 Fundraising: All organized fundraising requires pre-approval. Over $2,500 needs central office review. Funds must go into district accounts only.
7260 Donations, endowments, gifts: Superintendent accepts gifts; exceptional gifts require board approval. Donations become public funds once accepted.
7270 Grants: Over $25,000 or requiring matching funds need board approval. Superintendent approves up to $25,000.

Purchasing and expenditure controls

7320 Purchasing: Over $10K: superintendent signature. Over $20K: executive director. Over statutory bid limit: board approval. Formal bidding rules.
7310 Budget implementation: Superintendent administers adopted budget. Monthly expenditure listing for board ratification.
7150 Fraud prevention: Broad definition of fraud. Mandatory reporting, whistleblower protection, investigation procedures, post-incident analysis.

Accounting and financial reporting

7430 Financial reporting and audits: Monthly and annual reports to board. Must comply with statutory provisions and GAAP.
7433 Audits: Annual comprehensive audit by independent auditor. Must cover all district affairs and funds.
7515 Fund balances: Minimum unassigned general fund balance: 5% of annual budget. Majority board vote to commit fund balances.
7425 Extra/co-curricular funds: All student organization money through district accounts or county treasurer. Monthly accounting to board.

Federal funds

7338 Allowability of costs - federal programs: Implements EDGAR and 2 CFR Part 200. Every federal expenditure must pass: necessary, reasonable, allocable, documented.

8000 series: Noninstructional operations

~35 policies

Read the full 8000 series policy text
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Transportation

8100 Transportation: Eligibility: students 3+ miles from school, students with disabilities, homeless, foster. In-town busing is a privilege, not a right.
8110 Bus routes and schedules: Route planning, stop safety standards. Board must approve stops requiring road crossing. Superintendent can cancel routes in emergencies.
8124 Student conduct on buses: Four classes of offenses with escalating consequences. Class IV (weapons) is zero-tolerance. Audio/video surveillance allowed.

Food services

8200 Food services: National School Lunch Program. Students with negative balances always receive a meal and are never denied food.
8205 Meal accounts and charge policy: Donation accounts cover negative balances. No student denied food due to overdraft.

Health, safety, and environment

8301 District safety: Core safety policy: school safety plan, threat assessment team (meets monthly), 8+ disaster drills per year. Detailed monthly drill schedule.
8130 Air quality restrictions: Montana DEQ guidelines determine outdoor activity decisions. Clear authority chain for who makes the call.
8225 Tobacco free policy: All tobacco and nicotine (including vaping) prohibited on school property. Exception for classroom demos and Native American cultural activities.

Risk management and insurance

8300 Risk management: Comprehensive program: identify, measure, reduce risks. Surety bonds for superintendent and clerk. Annual board review.
8310 Memorials: Grief and bereavement protocol. Spontaneous memorials removed within 5 days. Permanent memorials discouraged. Suicide-specific guidance.

Technology and data

8420 Data management: Off-site or cloud backup required. Insurance for computer systems. Hardware/software purchase approval process.
8430 Records management: Retention schedules: student records permanent, employment 10 years after termination. Litigation hold procedures.
8550 Cyber incident response: Cyber Security Incident Response Team. Annual plan review, training for all users, annual testing of response capabilities.

Other operations

8450 Automated external defibrillators: AED program across all schools. Exact locations listed. Quarterly nurse checks. 24-hour incident reporting.
8132 Activity trips: Transportation and lodging for school trips. Staff may not use personal vehicles without superintendent authorization.

9000 series: School facilities

~27 policies

Read the full 9000 series policy text
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Planning and master plan

9000 Goals: Aggressive maintenance/upgrade program. Demographic-driven planning for future facility needs.
9110 Facilities master plan: Rolling five-year plan reviewed every two years. Enrollment projections, property inventory, cost analysis.

Land acquisition and financing

9210 Site acquisition: Board must secure voter approval before purchasing new sites (unless contiguous to existing). Trustees may take options before election.
9221 Bonds: Board may call bond election when building fund is insufficient. Defines the board's core capital-financing authority.

Design and construction

9230 Design and construction: Board approval at every design phase. Two required public meetings. Central transparency mechanism for construction.
9242 Contractor assurance: No contracts to unlicensed contractors. Prevailing wage compliance. Conflict-of-interest protections.
9233 Sustainable building design: New buildings follow Montana High Performance Standards. EPA Energy Star benchmarking for all buildings.

Naming and closure

9250 Dedication of facilities: Buildings, rooms, fields may be named after prominent persons or geographic features. Board approval required.
9260 Closure of facilities: Board has unilateral authority for emergency closures. Planned closures: arrange transportation, citizen comments advisory only.

Operations and security

9300 Operation and maintenance: Safe, healthful condition required. Continuous repair program. Annual budget recommendations. Energy conservation.
9320 Security: Building integrity, fire hazards, equipment safety. Key control. Immediate reporting of vandalism and burglary.

School siting and equity

9500 School siting: Adopted 2020. Walkability, bikeability, community centrality, equity, diversity. Coordination with city/county planning.
9501 Siting determinations and attendance zones: Criteria: 50% of students within 2-mile walking distance, safe routes, diversity, environmental risk. Renovation preferred over new construction.