Kalispell Public Schools Launch Levy Campaign
At a press conference on Wednesday, administrators, teachers and local stakeholders praised the school district’s student-centered programs and painted a dire picture of the district’s finances, warning that beloved programs will be cut if voters reject a high school levy in May.
By Denali Sagner
“We’re here to tell a pretty powerful story,” Kalispell Public Schools (KPS) Superintendent Matt Jensen said at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, flanked by teachers, students and business representatives and set to the backdrop of Flathead High School and the setting early spring sun.
“On the one hand, we have an excellent school system,” Jensen said, describing a dedicated and savvy group of teachers and administrators who have scrapped together funding to provide cutting-edge, student-centered learning.
On the other hand, he said, “It would be irresponsible to not tell the truth about the trouble that we are in.”
KPS is facing a nearly $3 million budget deficit, borne from inflation and a state funding formula that, education advocates say, fails public school districts by forcing them to derive nearly 20% of their budget from taxpayer-approved property tax levies. The Kalispell high school district — which includes Flathead High School, Glacier High School, the Linderman Education Center and other high school-specific programs — is the lowest-funded AA district in the state, sitting at only 90% of its full funding capacity. KPS has failed to pass a high school levy since 2007, which, Jensen noted, is before this year’s graduating seniors were born.
At Wednesday’s press conference, students and teachers honed in on the district’s career-focused programming, which has drawn attention across the state, even garnering a visit from the governor, and has become a hallmark of Kalispell’s educational programming. High school students described gaining on-the-job knowledge and career-readiness skills through internships at local nonprofits, construction companies and engineering firms. Local employers said the school’s internship program helps companies line up young talent and shepard students towards lucrative career paths they may have otherwise known nothing about.
Sam Kuhlin, a mechanical engineer at Morrison-Maierle, described working with a Glacier High School intern who shadowed the firm’s engineers during a junior year internship.
A Glacier High School graduate himself, Kuhlin said, “I really wish at the time I had a similar program that Sam, [the high school intern], was able to experience. Very grateful that the school district is able to offer this opportunity to our sophomores, juniors and seniors, and I hope they are afforded the opportunity to continue to do so.”
Kalispell Chamber of Commerce CEO Lorraine Clarno said the chamber voted unanimously to support the levy and is “proud to stand here today as a partner with School District 5.”
“Strong schools mean strong students, which means a strong workforce and stronger Flathead economy. That’s good for all of us,” Clarno said.
Yet amid the celebration laid a dire warning — without the levy, the district will be forced to cut beloved programs, lay off teachers and greatly reduce its educational offerings.
“This levy matters because it will determine whether we continue to build programs like you’ve heard today, or we head down the path of reduction. Either way, the entire Flathead Valley will feel the impact of this election,” Jensen said.
The superintendent continued, “Some may point to the fact that our schools are currently doing well, and that’s the reason not to heed the warning of reducing courses and programs … To me, that makes as much sense as saying, ‘My car is fine as is and this blinking gas light doesn’t deserve my attention.’”
If the levy fails, Jensen said, the district will eliminate 100 course offerings next fall and will set in motion “the process for phasing out legacy programs that have taken decades to build and would take many, many years to restore.”
Already, KPS has accepted the resignations and retirements of 35 teachers as it pushes to reduce its staff. Pending additional resignations, the district plans to lay off five teachers.
KPS faces an uphill battle as it attempts to pass the $2.9 million levy. Residential property tax bills increased approximately 12% in Flathead County between 2022 and 2023, and voters have shown a wariness around passing levies and bonds as the cost of living in the valley continues to rise.
Yet stakeholders remained clear on Wednesday — the cost of funding Kalispell’s schools will pay dividends across northwest Montana’s economy.
“We want to see Kalispell step up and pass the levy in May,” Clarno, of the chamber, said.