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Special education in Montana

What Montana calls special education, how long each step takes, who to call, free help, paying for services, and how the state scores.

Special education in Montana

Special education is called
Special Education
The IEP meeting
IEP team meeting
Eligibility team
Evaluation team
Evaluation timeline
60 calendar days. From return of signed consent (ARM 10.16.3321)
IEP timeline
30 days (federal)
Transition planning starts
16 (being checked)
Rights transfer to the student at
18
Developmental delay category
3 to 8 (child count)
Dyslexia law
yes: SB 140 (2019), MCA 20-7-14xx: dyslexia screening in first year of enrollment K-3

Find your district and schools

476 districts and charter districts. 6 special education schools and 0 public charter schools.

Get your Hall PassSchools in MontanaServices for children in Montana (on Disability Atlas)

The state office and your options when you disagree

State special education office
Procedural safeguards (your rights notice)
Mediation
State complaint
Due process

Free help for families

Parent centers

Disability rights agency

Advocacy groups in Montana

Paying for it

Medicaid for children
Healthy Montana Kids Plus (Medicaid)
CHIP
Healthy Montana Kids
Apply
Medicaid for children with disabilities, whatever the family's income
no (KFF 2026)
Schools bill Medicaid for health services
no
Autism insurance law
yes. 18 and under; $50,000 (8 and under), $20,000 (9 to 18) per year
Scholarship or ESA for students with disabilities
unclear: Special Needs ESA (HB 393, 2023) ruled unconstitutional by district court Dec 2025, appeal/operating status unclear; Montana tax-credit scholarship (general)

How school, Medicaid and insurance fit together

How Montana scores

First edition. These grades are new (November 2026) and the weights may still change. Texas graduation data is being confirmed with the state.

State of Schools

D+

Rank 49 of 51

State of Support

C+

Rank 28 of 51

Combined

C-

Rank 36 of 51

PillarGrade
Following the lawD+
Learning togetherC-
ResultsD+
School fundingD+
Family protectionsC
Options and transitionF

IDEA determination 2026: Needs Assistance (2 or more years). How we grade.

Sources for this page are listed in the SPED Atlas research tables (state terms, state help, paying for it). Items marked "being checked" are waiting on a primary source.

Last reviewed: November 2026. Rules, programs and phone numbers change. Check with the office named on this page. Report outdated or wrong information.