What a Montana public school must do when it suspends or expels your child — the caps, the hearing, and where the appeal clock actually lives.
Federal floor (all states): notice of the charges, an explanation of the evidence if your child denies them, and a chance to tell their side before a suspension of up to 10 days (Goss v. Lopez). With an IEP, the federal discipline clock adds the 10-school-day manifestation review and the 45-school-day interim-setting rules (34 CFR §§300.530–300.536).
Longest single suspension: 20 school days (10 days, plus 10 more after an informal hearing).
Hearing: Informal hearing with an administrator before a suspension is extended past 10 days; expulsion only by the trustees under local policy..
Appeal deadline: state law does not set one — it is in your district's code of conduct / grievance policy. Send the protective appeal letter today and make the district confirm its deadline in writing.
Expulsion length: no statewide maximum verified — district-set.
Sources: Mont. Code Ann. 20-5-202
Rules checked October 2026 — every rule on this page is cited to its source. Verify day counts against your district's official calendar.
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