Montana school threat assessment law

Does Montana require school threat assessment teams?

A district's board of trustees must adopt a school safety plan or emergency operations plan. That plan must include threat assessment practices. It must include an identified threat assessment team, made up of key staff, that meets at least monthly. The Office of Public Instruction (OPI) says Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM) protocols are required under MCA 20-1-401. Public charter schools are subject to Title 20, which contains this section, except as the Public Charter Schools Act provides otherwise, and to the same safety requirements as other public schools.

Who serves on the team?

MCA 20-1-401(3)(b)(ii) describes the team's members only as "key staff"; that provision names no required roles, such as an administrator, counselor or law enforcement officer.

What process does the law set?

The plan must adopt a threat assessment protocol, with policies and procedures for when there is notification of a student threat of harm to others or property. The team may also include behavioral threat assessment for students who need academic and behavioral supports or interventions. OPI points schools to a federal Department of Education BTAM template they can modify, and says no one template fits every school. OPI encourages schools to form a multidisciplinary team and set standard procedures such as threat assessment. This is guidance, not a requirement.

How is the plan reviewed and reported?

Trustees must review the plan at least once a year. Each year, trustees must certify to OPI that the plan has been reviewed.

How is information shared?

The plan must address coordination with the county or regional interdisciplinary child information and school safety team. Each county's commissioners must make sure such a team is formed. The county team exists for timely sharing of information among its members that may help them serve a child. Information about a child shared within the county team may not go beyond the organizations that have an authorized member on the team. School districts may release education records to the county team. By majority vote, the county team may add medical and mental health care providers. County superintendents must send OPI a current copy of the county team's written agreement by September 1. When a student transfers, the forwarded file must include educationally related disciplinary actions; that statute does not mention threat assessment records.

How can schools pay for it?

A district that has certified a current plan to OPI may transfer state or local revenue to its building reserve fund for safety and security improvements. Allowed uses of that money include training in threat assessment practices.

What recent bills matter?

MCA 20-1-401 was last amended in 2023, by Chapter 348 of the 2023 session laws. The Legislature's official 2025 table of code sections affected lists no 2025 change to MCA 20-1-401. The fund-transfer statute, MCA 20-9-236, was amended in 2025 by Chapter 742, which is HB 869. The Education Interim Committee approved draft bill PD 07, to establish a Montana Safe Schools Center, on September 14, 2026. In the draft, the center would be a voluntary technical assistance and resource body at a unit of the Montana university system. The draft would have the center help schools incorporate behavioral threat assessments in emergency operations plans.