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School responses in Montana to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

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Responses by state


As students returned to school for the 2021-2022 school year, states set a variety of policies on education and the COVID-19 pandemic, including how schools should open to in-person instruction and whether students and staff would be required to wear masks. By the end of the 2020-2021 school year, about 66% of students nationwide were in states that left closure decisions to schools or districts, 33% were in states with state-ordered in-person instruction, and 1% were in states with state-ordered regional school closures.[1][2] All 50 states closed schools to in-person instruction at some point during the 2019-2020 school year in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

This article summarizes responses to the coronavirus in Montana schools in the academic years ending in 2020, 2021, and 2022. You will find:


Ballotpedia’s coverage of COVID-19 includes how federal, state, and local governments are responding, and how those responses are influencing election rules and operations, political campaigns, the economy, schools, and more.

This page is updated monthly, but our email is always open. We encourage you to share updates from local officials, policymakers, and campaigns in your community at editor@ballotpedia.org.


Timeline by school year

Below is a list of major events involving schools in Montana during the coronavirus pandemic between 2019 and 2022, including school closings and openings, mask requirements, and the release of statewide operating guidance. Know of something we missed? Click here to email us and let us know.

2021-2022 school year

  • Sept. 9, 2021: At the beginning of the school year, Burbio, a school data aggregator, reported two in-person schooling disruptions in Montana.[3][4]


2020-2021 school year

  • June 29, 2021: At the end of the school year, Burbio reported all schools were in-person in Montana .[5][6]
  • Sept. 10, 2020: At the beginning of the school year, Burbio reported a majority of schools were in-person in Montana .[7][8]
  • July 2, 2020: Gov. Steve Bullock (D) announced guidelines for reopening schools in the state. The plan encouraged schools to consider implementing precautions that included limiting occupancy, adjusting transportation schedules, and adopting special cleaning and disinfecting protocols.[9]


2019-2020 school year

  • April 22, 2020: Bullock announced that he would rescind the statewide school closure order on May 7, but that individual districts would be allowed to decide whether to reopen for in-person instruction.[10]
  • April 7, 2020: Bullock announced that the statewide school closure, scheduled to end April 10, was extended through April 24.[11]
  • March 24, 2020: Bullock announced that the statewide school closure, scheduled to end March 27, was extended through April 10.[12]
  • March 15, 2020: Bullock announced that all public K-12 schools in the state would be closed from March 16 to March 27.[13]

Mask and vaccine requirements in the 2021-2022 school year

Mask requirements in schools

See also: School responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic during the 2021-2022 academic year

As of August 1, 2022, no states had school mask requirements in effect. Forty-two states left mask requirements in schools up to local authorities. Seven states banned school mask requirements.

The table below shows statewide school mask requirement laws and orders in states with school mask requirements or school mask requirement bans in place at the end of the 2021-2022 school year.

Mask requirement orders
State Ban or requirement? Type of order Date lifted or altered
Arizona Ban Legislative action N/A
Arkansas Ban Legislative action Sept. 30, 2021 - Suspended by court action
California Requirement California Department of Public Health order March 12, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
Connecticut Requirement Executive order Feb. 28, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
Delaware Requirement Executive order March 1, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
Florida Ban Executive order N/A[14]
Georgia Ban Legislative action N/A
Hawaii Requirement Executive order Aug. 1, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
Illinois Requirement Illinois Department of Public Health order Feb. 4, 2022 - Suspended by court action[15]
Iowa Ban Legislative action May 16, 2022 - Reinstated by court action[16]
Kentucky Requirement Kentucky Board of Education order Sept. 9, 2021 - Suspended by state law
Louisiana Requirement Executive order Feb. 16, 2022 - Lifted by executive action[17]
Maryland Requirement Maryland State Board of Education order March 1, 2022 - Lifted by executive action[18]
Massachusetts Requirement Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education order Feb. 28, 2022 - Lifted by executive action[19]
Nevada Requirement Executive order Feb. 10, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
New Jersey Requirement Executive order March 7, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
New Mexico Requirement New Mexico Public Education Department order Feb. 17, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
New York Requirement Executive order March 3, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
Oklahoma Ban Executive order N/A
Oregon Requirement Oregon Health Authority and Department of Education order March 12, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
Pennsylvania Requirement Pennsylvania Department of Health order Dec. 10, 2021 - Suspended by court action
Rhode Island Requirement Executive order March 4, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
South Carolina Ban Legislative action Sept. 28, 2021 - Temporarily suspended by court action
Tennessee Ban Executive order Dec. 10, 2021 - Suspended by court action
Texas Ban Executive order N/A[20]
Utah Ban Legislative action N/A
Virginia Ban Legislative action N/A
Washington Requirement Washington State Department of Public Health order March 12, 2022 - Lifted by executive action

School mask requirements over time

School mask bans over time


Teacher and school employee vaccine requirements

See also: School responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic during the 2021-2022 academic year

Seven states had issued a statewide requirement for K-12 teachers and staff to be vaccinated against the coronavirus or receive regular coronavirus testing during the 2021-2022 school year. The table below shows teacher and staff vaccine requirement laws and orders in states that issued such policies during the 2021-2022 school year.

Vaccine requirement orders
State Testing instead of vaccination allowed? Type of order Date effective
California Yes California Department of Public Health order Oct. 15, 2021
Connecticut No Executive order Sept. 27, 2021
Delaware Yes Executive order Nov. 1, 2021
Illinois Yes Executive order Issued: Sept. 19, 2021
Suspended by court action on Feb. 4, 2022
New Jersey Yes Executive order Oct. 18, 2021
New York Yes Executive order Sept. 19, 2021
Oregon No Executive order Oct. 18, 2021
Washington No Executive order Oct. 18, 2021


Student vaccine requirements

See also: School responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic during the 2021-2022 academic year

On Oct. 1, 2021, California was the first state to announce a vaccine requirement for eligible students. Louisiana also announced a vaccine requirement for eligible students on Dec. 14, but then announced the state would be removing the coronavirus vaccine from the list of required immunizations in schools on May 18, 2022.

School reopenings and closures (2020-2021 academic year)

See also: School responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic during the 2020-2021 academic year

Initial school year operating plan

See also: Documenting America's Path to Recovery: August 10, 2020

Montana released an initial operating plan for the 2020-2021 school year on July 2, 2020. An analysis of this plan appeared in our Documenting America's Path to Recovery newsletter on August 10. The sections below include an analysis of the plan, the details of the plan, and reactions from officials to the plan.

Montana’s Office of Public Instruction released Reopening Montana Schools Guidance, a set of guidelines and best practices for reopening schools, on July 2. It was most recently updated on July 27.

Governor Steve Bullock (D) said, “We are acutely aware of the role played by in-person teaching, not only in the students’ lives, but also in the lives of the entire family. Public education has shaped who we are today, and we want to make certain that our children have the same experience. This is why we’ve made the safe reopening of our public schools a top priority. Noting the uniqueness of every school district in Montana, our goal for this document is not to be prescriptive, but to provide effective, flexible guidelines to all schools in hopes that we can safely resume in-person instruction in the fall.”

The school reopening guidance allows each school district to make its own decision about when and how it will reopen. The guidance says, “Montana is a ‘local control’ state. The best and final public education decisions are made by school district administrations, local school boards, and community stakeholders who know the context and unique needs of their local communities.”

Montana does not have a statewide date for public schools to reopen. According to EdWeek, public schools in Montana traditionally start the academic year in late August to mid-September, with the exact start date varying by district.

Bullock directed Montana’s public K-12 schools to close on March 16 for two weeks. Bullock extended the order on March 24. After the order expired, local school districts chose to stay closed for the remainder of the school year, opting for online instruction.

Context

Montana has a divided government. The governor is a Democrat, while Republicans hold majorities in both chambers of the state legislature. The state has had a divided government since 2005.

The following tables show public education statistics in Montana, including a rank comparing it to the other 49 states. Rank one is the highest number of each figure, rank 50 is the lowest. All data comes from the Common Core of Data provided by the National Center for Education Statistics.

Montana school metrics
Category Figure Rank
Per pupil spending (16-17) $13,037 26
Number of students (18-19) 147,709 43
Number of teachers (Fall 2016) 10,555 44
Number of public schools (18-19) 826 37
Student:teacher ratio (18-19) 14.1 35
Percent qualifying for free/reduced lunch (16-17) 45.6% 30


Montana school revenue
Category Figure Rank
Total revenue $1,805,295,000 47
Federal revenue percent 12.2% 6
State revenue percent 47.9% 25
Local revenue percent 40.0% 26

Details

District reopening plans
Districts are responsible for developing their own specific reopening plans. The guidance includes the following recommendation for local school districts:

It is recommended that you form a reopening planning team including your school’s/district’s “Emergency Operation Team” (EOP), school leadership, staff, local tribal leaders, and community stakeholders, and assign a lead, at minimum, for the following recovery areas:

  • a) Social, Emotional, and Behavioral
  • b) Academic Programming
  • c) Physical & Structural Safety

In-person, hybrid, and online learning
The guidance allows local school districts to choose a reopening model. It provides guidance on how a school could operate fully online, near-full capacity in-person, or in a hybrid model:

  • Scenario 1: Buildings Closed: All students remote learning.
  • Scenario 2: A limited number of students present in school building, with remote learning occurring for students who are off-site.
  • Scenario 3: Increased capacity/number of students in the school building, limiting number of activities to allow for continued physical distancing, and continued remote learning for students who are off-site.
  • Scenario 4: Near full capacity and full operations, continued vigilance in health and safety best practices, with remote learning for students who are off-site.

The guidance says individual districts should consult with local health authorities to “determine which scenarios best fit their local situations.”

Mask requirements
The guidance does not require students, teachers, and staff to wear masks. It does, however, recommend schools follow the CDC’s recommendations on using face masks.

In-person health recommendations and requirements
The guidance includes recommendations for each scenario of in-person learning. They appear below.

Scenario 1: Under Scenario 1, buildings are closed and all students learn remotely.

Scenario 2: A limited number of students present in school building, with remote learning occurring for students who are off-site. If schools plan to reopen they should consider:

  • Implementing an alternative educational delivery model that includes a mix of in-person and remote learning.
  • Providing focused individual education, especially for at-risk students.
  • How to reconnect and meet the educational needs of students who fall behind in a remote learning environment.
  • The importance of maintaining the connection between students, teachers, and parents.
  • The important role that schools play in the health of students, families, and communities.

Scenario 3: Increased capacity/number of students in the school building, limiting the number of activities to allow for continued physical distancing, and continued remote learning for students who are off-site.

  • Avoid GATHERING in groups of more than 50 people in circumstances that do not readily allow for appropriate physical distancing. It is recommended to continue physical distance in gatherings of any size. Groups larger than 50 people should be canceled unless physical distancing can be maintained.
  • ALL VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS should continue to adhere to stay home guidance. Members of households with vulnerable residents should be aware that by returning to work or other environments where distancing is not practical, they could carry the virus back home. Precautions should be taken to isolate vulnerable residents.
  • It is recommended that gatherings occur in shifts (recess, cafeteria and hallway passing). Larger school events that draw in-person crowds are discouraged (sports, assemblies, dances etc.).
  • All staff are encouraged to continue monitoring for re-emergence of COVID-19 symptoms and be in contact with local health departments and local hospitals/health providers for continued updates on community re-emergence indicators. Continue to monitor attendance for increases in absenteeism.

Scenario 4: Near full capacity and full operations, continued vigilance in health and safety best practices, with remote learning for students who are off-site.

  • For ALL INDIVIDUALS there is no limit on group size, however, everyone should observe physical distancing and minimize contact time with others, and limit time spent in crowded environments.
  • VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS may still need to take precautions, and remote learning for students not onsite should be available.
  • Continue to follow the Governor’s Guidelines for Phase Three.

Confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19
If a student, teacher, or staff member has or is suspected of having COVID-19, the guidance includes the following recommendations:

  • Collaborate with public health to ensure each school has a plan for reporting, contact tracing and both short-term or extended closures in the case of a positive COVID case related to the school or community.
  • Utilize CDC guidelines.
  • Schools may need to implement short-term closure procedures regardless of community spread if an infected person has been in a school building.

Physical distancing
The guidance includes the following physical distancing recommendations:

  • Consider ways to convert outdoor space into learning space for months when weather is accommodating.
  • Keep students in the same groups or classroom, with teachers rotating when practical. *Students may alternate school days. Allow for cleaning time in classrooms between groups. *Space seating/desks at least six feet apart when feasible. Turn desks to face in the same direction (rather than facing each other), or have students sit on only one side of tables, spaced apart.
  • Prohibit congregation in hallways and lunchrooms; if possible, serve lunches in classrooms to avoid gathering of students in the cafeteria; stagger class changes to avoid large groups of students in the hallway; stagger dismissal for the same reason.
  • Install physical barriers, such as sneeze guards or partitions, particularly in areas where it is difficult for individuals to remain at least six feet apart (e.g., reception desks, bathroom sinks). *Provide physical guides, such as tape on floors or sidewalks and signs on walls, to ensure that staff and children remain at least six feet apart in lines and at other times (e.g. guides for creating “one way routes” in hallways).

Physical education
The guidance includes the following recommendations for physical education class:

  • Make time for wiping down and sanitizing areas.
  • Be thoughtful of passing areas between classes and allowing for corridors that maintain physical distancing recommendations.
  • Develop practices that address class size.
  • Ensure handwashing occurs before and after PE class.
  • Take home clothing used for PE class; clothing should not be kept in locker rooms.
  • Allow time for cleaning of shared equipment between classes.
  • Promote physical distancing in areas of congregation (e.g., locker rooms).

Transportation and busing requirements and restrictions
The guidance includes the following recommendations for school transportation:

Consider CDC guidance on pupil transportation. Schools should consider the need for more buses or alternative schedules to safely transport students. When physical distancing on buses is not possible, schools should consider cloth face masks and other mitigation strategies.

Responses

  • Missoula County Public Schools Superintendent Rob Watson said he wanted more specific guidance from the state on certain issues. Watson said, "The health screenings is a great example. There’s really no clear requirement to do a health screening in either the governor’s plan, nor the OPI plan. They recommend that you monitor students and staff for symptoms. But there’s no specificity, like when you should do it, how often you should do it."
  • Big Fork Public Schools Superintendent Matt Jenson also said he wanted more specificity from the state. Jenson said, "Anything from facemasks to social distancing to screening and temp check protocols, how many students can be on a bus at the same time."

Map of school closures

The map below shows the status of school reopenings and closures at the end of the 2020-2021 academic year.

As of July 8, 2021, the status of school closures and reopenings was as follows:

  • Two states (Delaware, Hawaii) and Washington, D.C. had state-ordered regional school closures, required closures for certain grade levels, or allowed hybrid instruction only.
    • 2019-20 enrollment: 410,896 students (0.81% of students nationwide)
  • Thirteen states had state-ordered in-person instruction.
    • 2019-20 enrollment: 15,697,460 students (30.96% of students nationwide)
  • One state (Arizona) had state-ordered in-person instruction for certain grades.
    • 2019-20 enrollment: 1,152,586 students (2.27% of students nationwide)
  • Thirty-four states left decisions to schools or districts.
    • 2019-20 enrollment: 33,449,499 students (65.96% of students nationwide)



School reopenings and closures (2019-2020 academic year)

See also: School responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic during the 2019-2020 academic year


The map below shows the status of school reopenings and closures at the end of the 2019-2020 academic year.

  • States closed to in-person instruction for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year: 48
  • Number of public school students in states closed to in-person instruction for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year: 50,261,464


The chart below shows the first date schools in a state were closed to in-person instruction during the 2019-2020 academic year, divided by the political party of the governor.

School responses by state

To read about school responses to the coronavirus pandemic in others states, click one of the following links below:

General resources

The chart below shows coronavirus statistics from countries across the world. The information is provided by Real Clear Politics.

Click the links below to explore official resources related to the coronavirus outbreak.


See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Number of operating public schools and districts, student membership, teachers, and pupil/teacher ratio, by state or jurisdiction: School year 2019–20," accessed September 10, 2021
  2. ↑ EducationWeek, "Map: Where Were Schools Required to Be Open for the 2020-21 School Year?," June 14, 2021
  3. ↑ To read more about Burbio's school disruption tracking, click here
  4. ↑ Burbio, "Burbio's K-12 School Opening Tracker," accessed August 27, 2021
  5. ↑ Burbio rated Montana's in-person index at 100. To read more about Burbio's school opening tracker, click here. To read more about Burbio's methodology, click here.
  6. ↑ Burbio, "Burbio's K-12 School Opening Tracker," accessed Oct. 8, 2021
  7. ↑ Burbio rated Montana's in-person index between 60-80. To read more about Burbio's school opening tracker, click here. To read more about Burbio's methodology, click here.
  8. ↑ Burbio, "Burbio's K-12 School Opening Tracker," accessed Oct. 8, 2021
  9. ↑ Governor of Montana, "Governor Bullock, Lt. Governor Cooney Release Plan for Reopening Safe and Healthy Schools for Montana," July 2, 2020
  10. ↑ NBC Montana, "Bullock's stay-at-home order lifted Monday with restrictions," April 22, 2020
  11. ↑ KTVQ, "Bullock extends closures of schools, other businesses to April 24," April 7, 2020
  12. ↑ KTVQ, "Bullock extends school closures to April 10," March 24, 2020
  13. ↑ KBZK Bozeman, "Bullock orders closure of K-12 schools for two weeks," March 15, 2020
  14. ↑ On Sept. 2, 2021 the ban was temporarily suspended by court action. An appeals court upheld the ban on Sept. 10.
  15. ↑ Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) ended the statewide school mask requirement on Feb. 28, 2022.
  16. ↑ On Sept. 13, 2021 the ban was temporarily suspended by court action for all schools. On Jan. 25, 2022, the ban was partially reinstated.
  17. ↑ Oct. 26, 2021 - School districts could be exempt from the school mask requirement if they followed CDC quarantine guidance
  18. ↑ Dec. 7, 2021 - School districts could be exempt from the school mask requirement if they met one of the three following criteria: 1) the county vaccination rate was 80% or higher, 2) 80% of school staff and students were vaccinated, or 3) COVID-19 transmission in the county was considered moderate or low for 14 straight days.
  19. ↑ Oct. 1 - Schools could become exempt from the school mask requirement when at least 80% of students were vaccinated
  20. ↑ On Nov. 10, 2021 the ban was suspended by court action. An appeals court upheld the ban on Dec. 1.
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