For the purposes of this part, unless the context requires otherwise, the following definitions apply:

1. (1) "Education cooperative" means a cooperative of Montana public schools as described in 20-7-451.
2. (2) "Educational loans" means all loans made pursuant to a federal loan program, except federal parent loans for undergraduate students (PLUS) loans, as provided in 20 U.S.C. 1078-2.
3. (3) "Federal loan program" means educational loans authorized by 20 U.S.C. 1071, et seq., 20 U.S.C. 1087a, et seq., and 20 U.S.C. 1087aa, et seq.

4. (4) "Impacted school" means:

   1. (a) a special education cooperative;
   2. (b) the Montana school for the deaf and blind, as described in 20-8-101;
   3. (c) the Montana youth challenge program, as established in 10-1-1401;
   4. (d) a correctional facility, as defined in 41-5-103;
   5. (e) a public school located on an Indian reservation; and
   6. (f) a public school that, driving at a reasonable speed for the road surface, is located more than 20 minutes from a Montana city with a population greater than 15,000 based on the most recent federal decennial census.

5. (5)

   1. (a) "Quality educator" means a full-time equivalent educator, as reported to the superintendent of public instruction for accreditation purposes in the current school year, who:

      1. (i) holds a valid certificate under the provisions of 20-4-106 and is employed by an entity listed in subsection (5)(b) in a position that requires an educator license in accordance with administrative rules adopted by the board of public education;
      2. (ii) is a licensed professional under 37-8-405, 37-8-415, 37-11-301, 37-15-301, 37-17-302, 37-24-301, 37-25-309, 37-39-308, 37-39-309, or 37-39-311 and is employed by an entity listed in subsection (5)(b) to provide services to students; or
      3. (iii) is employed by an entity listed in subsection (5)(b) to provide educational sign language interpreting for deaf and hard-of-hearing students and who meets the qualifications for educational sign language interpreting established by the board of public education.

   2. (b) For the purposes of subsection (5)(a), "an entity" means:

      1. (i) a school district;
      2. (ii) an education cooperative;
      3. (iii) the Montana school for the deaf and blind, as described in 20-8-101;
      4. (iv) the Montana youth challenge program; and
      5. (v) a correctional facility, as defined in 41-5-103.
6. (6) "School district" means a public school district, as provided in 20-6-101 and 20-6-701.

History: En. Sec. 2, Ch. 1, Sp. L. May 2007; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 59, L. 2009; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 347, L. 2019; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 339, L. 2021; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 232, L. 2023; amd. Sec. 15, Ch. 713, L. 2023; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 536, L. 2025; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 671, L. 2025.