20-4-502. Definitions. For purposes of this part, unless the context requires otherwise, the following definitions apply:
(1) "Critical quality educator shortage area" means a specific licensure or endorsement area in an impacted school in which:
(a) in any of the 3 immediate preceding school fiscal years a position was:
(i) filled through the procedures set forth in 19-20-732, 20-4-106(1)(e), or 20-4-111;
(ii) filled from a candidate pool of less than five qualified candidates; or
(iii) advertised and remained vacant and unfilled due to a lack of qualified candidates for a period in excess of 30 days; or
(b) a vacancy for the current school year was advertised for a period of at least 30 days and the district received less than five applications from qualified candidates.
(2) "Education cooperative" means a cooperative of Montana public schools as described in 20-7-451.
(3) "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.
(4) "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.
(5) "Impacted school" means:
(a) a special education cooperative;
(b) the Montana school for the deaf and blind, as described in 20-8-101;
(c) the Montana youth challenge program, as established in 10-1-1401;
(d) a correctional facility, as defined in 41-5-103;
(e) a public school located on an Indian reservation; and
(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.
(6) (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:
(i) holds a valid certificate under the provisions of 20-4-106 and is employed by an entity listed in subsection (6)(b) in a position that requires an educator license in accordance with administrative rules adopted by the board of public education; or
(ii) is a licensed professional under 37-8-405, 37-8-415, 37-11-301, 37-15-301, 37-17-302, 37-22-301, 37-23-201, 37-24-301, or 37-25-302 and is employed by an entity listed in subsection (6)(b) of this section to provide services to students.
(b) For purposes of subsection (6)(a), an entity means:
(i) a school district;
(ii) an education cooperative;
(iii) the Montana school for the deaf and blind, as described in 20-8-101;
(iv) the Montana youth challenge program; and
(v) a correctional facility, as defined in 41-5-103.
(7) "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.