Montana School Boards Association

Legal services and labor relations.mtsba has long offered both dues-based & fee-based legal services to member School Boards in Montana in strict compliance with the rules of ethics guiding the practice of law.

Self funded insurance programs for members.see sch o.msgia (workers' compensation program): the Montana School Boards Association administers a self-funded workers' compensation risk and retention program (wcrrp), the largest self-funded program of its kind in the state providing workers' compensation coverage for over 25,000 public School employees. Wcrrp provides competitively priced coverage and a wide range of additional services to member districts including training in all aspects of School district risk management. Lower costs for coverage translate into savings for member districts while extra emphasis on risk management results in fewer successful claims against the district.msgia (property and casualty program): the Montana School Boards Association administers a self-funded property and casualty program providing broad coverages to its members at competitive rates with member services beyond typical market options. Lower costs for coverage translate into savings for member districts while extra emphasis on risk management results in fewer successful claims against the district.mtsuip (unemployment insurance program): the Montana School Boards Association administers a self-funded insurance pool for the Montana schools unemployment insurance program (mtsuip). Rates are significantly lower than coverage costs through the state of Montana. Lower costs for coverage translate into savings for member districts while extra emphasis on risk management results in fewer successful claims against the member districts.

Professional development.mtsba has provided training for public School leaders since its inception in 1926. We offer both dues-based and fee-based training, including virtual, in person and hybrid formats, with trainings provided weekly to seasonally to annually throughout Montana. We also provide training to our members on site at their local districts on topics customized by the member including facilitation of strategic planning to help members engage students, families and communities in aligning public School programs and services to the peoples' goal of developing the full potential of each person."

Administrative leader search services include advertising open positions, application process assistance, screening, interviewing, background checks, contract negotiation, legal assistance, alignment of the search with strategic goals of the district and training in the hiring process.

Member outreach.mtsba publishes publications in quarterly, monthly, weekly and daily formats.mtsba provides its members information on critical issues affecting public education as learning resources to assist its members in improving performance and aligning their services to the peoples' goal of developing the full potential of each person through Montana's system of public schools. Mtsba also maintains and publishes updates of information for both its members and the public on the following websites: mtsba.org, msgia.org, mtsuip.org, mcel.org, rise4montana.org and coalitionofmtk12advocates.org.

Policy services -mtsba provides both dues-based and fee-based policy products and services including model policies and model student and staff handbooks, consultation on policy issues including analysis and customization of policies to meet the needs of the individual member. Our fee based customized policy program also includes a maintenance program to ensure that our members' policies remain current and aligned with the law at all times.

Montana conference of education leadership (mcel): mtsba, in conjunction with the School administrators of Montana (sam), Montana rural education Association (mrea) and Montana Association of School business officials (masbo) provide educational & collaborative opportunities at the Montana conference of education leadership (mcel) each october. Mcel is the largest gathering of pulbic School leaders in Montana and has been operating for over forty years.

Advocacy -mtsba advocates for community ownership and local control of public schools as envisioned in article x section 8 of the Montana constitution. Our ultimate goal is to achieve and support a system of public schools which develop the full potential of each child in every public School.

Reimbursed program expenses -mtsba is reimbursed for various expenses which are program related and consist of reimbursed travel expenses incurred in serving its members and other miscellaneous reimbursed fees. This income is related to all programs described in this return, but has not been identified by specific program.