NewsLocal NewsWestern Montana News

Actions

May 2, 2023 school election results (unofficial)

Voting Ballots
Posted at 8:03 PM, May 02, 2023
and last updated 2023-05-03 12:25:54-04

The unofficial results of the Tuesday, May 2, 2023 elections are being tallied.

Several school trustees, levies, and bonds were decided in Western Montana.

Click here to view the latest results.

The results are not official until the votes are canvassed.

The majority of Tuesday's elections centered on school bonds and levies.

MISSOULA COUNTY

Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) joins several other Western Montana schools that have announced levies in the school election. MCPS has requests for a general fund levy and a building reserve levy for both its elementary and high school districts.

The MCPS Elementary Building Reserve Levy is requesting an increase of $700,000 each year for five years for the purpose of roof repairs, electrical and mechanical system upgrades, grounds maintenance, facility modification and construction.

If passed it would add under $13 on a home valued at $200,000.

The MCPS High School Building Reserve Levy is requesting an increase of $700,000 each year for seven years for the purpose of roof repairs, electrical and mechanical system upgrades, grounds maintenance, facility modification and construction.

If passed it would add just over $7 on a home valued at $200,000.

The MCPS General Fund Levy request for the elementary schools is $261,504. This would be an increase to the existing voter-approved levy. The general fund levies will go towards utilities, curriculum materials and teacher salaries.

If passed it would raise taxes on a $200,000 home by $5.

The General Fund Levy request for the high schools is $128,054 also to be used for the purpose of instruction and operation of the high schools. This levy is also an increase to the existing voter-approved levy.

If passed, it would increase taxes on a home valued at $200,000 by $1.38.

Additional MCPS levy request information can be found at https://www.mcpsmt.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=18726.



The Frenchtown School District is asking community members to vote on an operational levy.

The levy request is $513,551 in extra funding. The money would go towards building operation and technology costs, extra programming and teacher and support staff salaries. Frenchtown school officials have told KPAX they have not received additional general operation funds from voters since 2007.

If passed, the levy would increase property taxes on a home worth $200,000 by $93 annually.

Additional Frenchtown School levy request information can be found at https://www.ftsd.org/article/1047576.



Target Range School requesting a $375,000 operating levy for the purpose of increasing wages, salaries, and benefits for teachers and staff to be competitive with local market wages.

Friends of Target Range say district voters haven't passed a general fund levy since 2007. They say impacts from years of underfunding have caught up with the district.

If passed, taxes would increase by $75 annually on a $200,000 home.

Additional Target Range School levy request information can be found at https://www.target.k12.mt.us/article/622590.



The Lolo School District requesting a general fund levy in the amount of $48,000 to support operational expenses and staff salaries. This levy request is not related to the construction of the new school.

The levy would cost about $6.11 per year for homes with an assessed market value of $100,000.

Additional Lolo School levy request information can be found at https://www.loloschools.org/article/1072605.



The Bonner School District is requesting an operational levy in the amount of $43,000 for the purpose of district operations. The district says the last time an operational levy was approved in Bonner was 18 years ago.

The funds would help maintain and strengthen academic programs, increase the hourly wage of our custodians, cooks, and instructional aides and retain and recruit teachers.

If passed it would raise taxes on a $200,000 home to just under $19 per year.

Additional Bonner School levy request information can be found at https://www.bonner.k12.mt.us/article/1064432.



Seeley Lake Elementary School requesting a $23,000 general fund levy. The money would help Seeley Lake Elementary maintain the current programs that they offer.

If passed taxes would be raised on a home with a market value of $200,000 by approximately $6.43 annually.

FLATHEAD COUNTY

Two general fund levies are up before Kalispell voters on Tuesday.

The money raised covers a broad range of costs related to the daily operation of schools and education for students, including salaries and benefits, technology and maintenance.

Kalispell Public Schools requesting $354,000 for the elementary school district. If passed, it would raise taxes on a $300,000 home by $20 annually.

The high school levy request is in the amount of just over $2.4 million. The high school district includes Glacier and Flathead High schools and 13 surrounding partner schools whose students attend these two high schools.

If the high school levy is passed, it would raise taxes on a $300,000 home by $60.

Additional Kalispell Public Schools levy request information can be found at https://www.sd5.k12.mt.us/about-us/elementary-high-school-general-fund-levy.

RAVALLI COUNTY

Several school districts across Ravalli County asking voters to approve bonds and levies.

The Hamilton School District bond request is for $69.5 million.

The money would go toward building a new middle school on district-owned property that would include classrooms, a music area, a library, a gym, a common area, outdoor playfields and more.

The bond money would also be used to improve Hamilton High School to construct a secure main entrance, additional classrooms, a flex room and a weight room. The money would go towards building a new bus barn facility.

If passed the bond would raise taxes approximately $17.25 per month for a home with $100,000 of taxable value. 

The Hamilton School District also requesting a general fund levy in the amount of $945,000 for the operating and maintenance of the school district. That includes safety and security improvements, recruitment and retention of staff, and maintaining and expanding scholastic programs.

If passed the levy would raise taxes on a $200,000 home by $85 per year.

Additional information about the Hamilton School District bond and levy requests can be found at https://www.hsd3.org/page/2023-hsd3-bond-and-levy.



The Corvallis School District is requesting $300,000 general fund levy for the purpose of providing educational programs and operations. All of the operating levy dollars go to staff costs and operations.

If passed, taxes will increase on a $200,000 home by $42 annually.

Additional information about the Corvallis School District levy request can be found at https://www.corvallisschools.org/o/csdmd/page/levy.



The Florence Carlton School District is requesting a $657,000 general fund levy. School officials say because of population growth, operational costs of a new building and inflation have prompted the need for more funding.

If passed it would raise taxes on a $200,000 home by $134 annually.

Additional information about the Florence Carlton School District levy request can be found here.



The Darby School District is requesting a $220,000 general fund levy. The funding would be used to recruit and retain high-quality staff, continue rigorous programming and maintain facilities.

If passed it would raise taxes on a $200,000 home by $45 annually.



Lone Rock School near Stevensville is requesting a $250,000 general fund levy to increase teacher's salaries to become more competitive with other Bitterroot Valley schools, facilities maintenance, updated textbooks among other needs.

If passed taxes would increase to $109 annually on a $200,000 home.

Additional information about the Lone Rock School levy request can be found here.

LAKE COUNTY

The Polson School District is asking voters to approve two bond measures at the elementary and high school levels. Combined, the bonds are asking for $40 million in funding to drastically improve school buildings, some of which are more than 70 years old.

The district is asking for $23.3 million for Polson elementary schools. The money would go towards addressing school safety and deferred maintenance needs, enhancing educational opportunities and constructing and remodeling the three elementary schools that include Cherry Valley, Linderman and Polson Middle School.

The Polson School District is also requesting a $16.6 million bond for the high school. The funds would go towards addressing student safety, and deferred maintenance needs, providing job training opportunities and accommodating student enrollment.

Additional information about the Polson School District requests can be found at https://www.polson.k12.mt.us/bond.

SANDERS COUNTY

Three Sanders County schools have levy requests before voters — Plains, Hot Springs, and Noxon.

Plains Schools are asking for a $100,000 general fund levy for maintenance and operations.

If passed it would increase taxes on a $200,000 home by approximately $34.84.



The Hot Springs School District is requesting a $150,000 general fund levy for general operations and maintenance.

If passed it would increase taxes on a $200,000 home by $177.12

Additional information about the Hot Springs School District request can be found at https://www.hssdmt.org/article/1066916.



Noxon Public Schools is requesting two technology levies, one for their elementary school, and the other for the high school. Each issue proposes an additional $15,000 per year for five years.

The money would be used for the purpose of purchasing, renting, repairing and maintaining technological equipment as well as funding subscription or license service fees.

If passed it would raise taxes on a $200,000 home by approximately $4.

MINERAL COUNTY

Drummond Public Schools — which is the largest school district in Granite County — is requesting a general fund levy for their elementary and high school.

These funds will be used to mainly fund the need to update and maintain Drummond school buildings and property, fund non-accredited programs, and costs associated with personnel.

The District also sees a need to increase the safety and security of students and staff.

Drummond Elementary School is seeking just over $45,000. Taxes would raise about $2 a month on a home valued at $200,000.

The high school levy is in the amount of $63,000. If passed it would raise taxes by $2.33 on a $200,000 home.

Additional information about the Drummond School District requests can be found at https://www.drummondschool.net/page/2023-mill-levy.