Charter Schools

Welcome, Public Charter Schools!

Newly approved public charter schools will need to notify OPI in order to begin the school-opening process. Below, find a fillable form, including a guidance document, in order to facilitate the school opening process and ensure your school receives the proper funding and programmatic support.  If you are looking for the Community Choice School Page click here.

The Montana Board of Public Education is responsible for the applications for public charter schools. Public Charter applications for 2025-2026 school year have closed. 

Board of Public Education Approved Charter School Information 

Upon Board of Public Education approval and a signed contract (see the BPE charter school timeline for specific dates), newly approved charter schools will need to submit school opening documentation to the OPI to begin the school-opening process: 

• Guidance document for opening new public charter schools.
• Fillable form for opening new public charter schools.

Charter School Informational Webinar September 2024
Watch the Recording Here
Topics: AIM Data, Finance, Assessment, Accreditation, and Q&A

Community Discussion on Public Charter Schools:

•  February 28, 2024 7:00 pm (Recording here)
• OPI Webinars for new Public School Charters:  
  • February 29, 2024 at 10:30 am (link)   |   Agenda   |   Recording 
  • March 20, 2024 at 4:00 pm (link)   |    Agenda  |  Recording

QUESTIONS: 

School finance? Contact School Finance

Programs questions? Contact our Chief Program Officer

Assessment questions? Contact our State Assessment Director

Accreditation questions? Contact our Accreditation Team

AIM/Data questions? Contact the AIM unit

Public Charter Schools

HB 549, recently codified as Title 20, Chapter 6, Part 8, (MCA), authorized the establishment of public charter schools in Montana and tasked the Montana Board of Public Education as authorized entity to enter into public charter contracts with a governing board. There are two types of public charter schools – those operating under an existing local school board and those operating as a new school district under a separate governing board.

• The Board of Public Education (BPE) opened the first round of charter applications in October 2023. List of applicants as well as the Board's resolution to approve.  
• Any new charter application that is accepted by the BPE will follow the statutory school-opening process in Montana.

Interested in opening a Public Charter School? 

Here is a link to the Board of Public Education Public Charter School  Application.  Keep watching for the Board of Public Education to re-open the Public Charter application window.  We will continue to work on keeping our page up to date with the most recent information available.  Click this link for a list of schools that have been approved so far then click Resolution to Approve to see the list.