The 1889 Montana Constitution established the State Board of Education as the governing body for all state educational institutions, including the state university. However, the Board was not functional until 1893, when the Legislative Assembly set its official powers and duties. The Board was composed of eleven members, including the Governor, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Attorney General, and had control and supervision over the University of Montana, Montana State Normal College, Agricultural College of Montana, State Orphan's Home, Montana State School of Mines, School for the Deaf and Blind, and the State Reform School. The duties of the Board consisted of creating rules and regulations for the government of state educational institutions, granting diplomas to graduates of those institutions, issuing state and life diplomas or certification, accrediting private and public high schools, and administering funds from the State Board of Land Commissioners or other sources.
In 1959, the duties of the Board were expanded to include serving as the ex-officio Board of Regents of the University of Montana. In 1923, the Legislative Assembly created the State Board of Educational Examiners, which was to be composed of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, one member from the faculty of one of the component institutions of the University of Montana, one county superintendent of schools, one high school principal, and one district superintendent. The duties of this Board consisted of providing rules and regulations for the issuance of all teachers' certificates. These rules were subject to the approval of the State Board of Education. The Board disbanded in 1949 and their duties returned to the State Board of Education.
In 1972, the new Montana Constitution established the Montana Board of Public Education to exercise general supervision over the elementary and secondary schools of the state. The Board consists of seven members appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate to oversee all educational programs not within the jurisdiction of the Board of Regents of Higher Education.
The Board of Public Education is required to adopt standards of accreditation for Montana schools and establish the accreditation status of each school; effect a system of teacher certification, including the accreditation of the teacher and administrator training programs; consider the suspension or revocation of teacher certificates and hear appeals from the denial of teacher certificates; administer and order the distribution of state equalization aid; adopt policies for the special education of handicapped and gifted and talented students; and act as the governing agency for the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind.
Also in 1972, the new constitution established the Montana Board of Regents of Higher Education to supervise, coordinate, manage, and control the Montana University System. This Board consists of seven members appointed by the governor, and confirmed by the Senate to seven year overlapping terms. The Governor and Superintendent of Public Instruction are ex-officio members of the Board.
As of 2025, the State Board of Education is still composed of the Board of Public
Education and the Board of Regents of Higher Education. To learn more, visit the
This collection contains records from the Montana State Board of Education's two subgroups, arranged chronologically. These records were integrated under one collection ID number to help facilitate access and reduce redundancy in the MTHS catalog.
To learn more detail about the records in each subgroup, please click on the links below in the arrangement section to be redirected to those finding aids.
This subgroup includes records from the State Board of Education, from 1893 to 1971. It consists of the records of the State Board of Education as well as the State Board of Educational Examiners. Records of the State Board of Education consist of minutes, which include resolutions, financial and other reports of the Board, the Deaf and Blind School, and vocational schools, graduation lists from state colleges and universities, proposed legislation, and correspondence. The records also include reports, consisting of the 1895 annual report to the Governor, the 1895 report of the Executive Board of the State Agricultural College, and quarterly reports of the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind in Great Falls. Also included is a register of certified teachers, listing teachers who received their life diplomas and state diplomas. The State Board of Educational Examiners subgroup contains minutes of the board, including lists of certified teachers.
This subgroup includes records from the State Board of Education, from 1971 to 2005. It contains records from the State Board of Education, the Board of Public Education, the Board of Regents of Higher Education, as well as the Joint Ad Hoc Curriculum Committee and Joint Vocational Committee. Records include minutes, resolutions, financial documents, correspondence, reports, transcripts of hearing, and more.
This collection is arranged into two subgroups: State Board of Education records from 1893-1971 and 1971-2005.
To learn more detail about the records in each subgroup, please click on the links below to be redirected to those finding aids.
Collection open for research.
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical Society Library & Archives. The Library & Archives does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collection. In some cases permission for use may require additional authorization from the copyright owners. For more information contact an archivist.
In 2025, the various collections of the Montana State Board of Education were integrated under one collection identifier, RS 503, in order to help facilitate access, reduce redundancy in the Montana Historical Society Library & Archives catalog, and to follow best archival practices.
Collections from the State Board of Education that were previously treated as
separate entities are now integrated into
Each of the links above will redirect the user to a specific subgroup of the State
Board of Education. There may be some overlap or inconsistencies in terms of which
records are in which subgroup or sub-subgroup, as these collections have
Please visit the page of a specific subgroup for citation information.
Acquisition information available upon request.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the Montana Historical Society Research Center catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search under these terms.