KALISPELL — Fair-Mont-Egan School District in Kalispell is putting two levy requests in front of voters this May.
The requests include a $140,380.45 general fund levy and a $250,000 technology fund levy at $50,000 annually over five years.
Superintendent Tina Blair said the school district is facing a $250,000 budget deficit for the upcoming school year due to a state literacy grant ending and a lack of state funding to keep up with inflationary costs.
WATCH MORE ABOUT FAIR-MONT-EGAN SCHOOL'S REQUESTS HERE:
“In a small district like this, even a fluctuation of 10 students affects the revenue that we would receive, and it’s based per pupil not necessarily on how many classes you need to have open or the standards that you need to meet,” said Blair.
A general fund levy at the pre-school through 8th grade school district hasn’t passed since 2005. A technology levy hasn’t passed since 2003.
Blair said the school district is facing potential staff cuts if the general fund levy fails.
“That means combined grade levels, multi-year ages in classrooms and more challenging situations for our educators," added Blair.
Blair said funds from the technology levy would bring the school district up to modern digital standards by replacing outdated devices.
“A newer technology fund levy can be used for curriculum, for student information needs, for cybersecurity," she said. "It has a lot more uses than what we would have seen with the 2003 levy.”
Blair said replenishing the general fund is needed to stay competitive with the teaching market as the school district works to retain educators.
“We have invested in these teachers and in their ability to instruct well and they understand our curriculum, and when we lose the teachers, then we lose the quality of the education,” said Blair.
If the general fund levy request is approved, a home with a taxable value of $600,000 would see annual taxes increase by approximately $111.57 a year.
If the technology fund levy request is approved, a home with a taxable value of $600,000 would see annual taxes increase by approximately $34.97 a year over five-years.
More information on the levy requests can be found here.
