After a pair of pre-levy workshops, where Fair-Mont-Egan’s clerk and superintendent presented the school board with a slate of information about the district’s budget and the potential need for a levy, the board plans to bring an ask to the community this spring — though it has yet to officially approve an ask, and remains uncertain of the final dollar amount.

According to Julie Wood, the district’s clerk, Fair-Mont-Egan has a projected deficit of around $217,000 next school year, should it move forward without plans in place to bring in more funding.

The small, rural district is facing a slew of exacerbating factors that have spelled budget troubles, from the drying up of temporary COVID funds and a literacy grant, to inflation that is hurting the pocketbooks of citizens and schools alike. Another unique factor Fair-Mont-Egan administration highlighted last evening was its enrollment. It currently has a lower-than-usual population of seventh- and eighth-grade students, who bring in more state funds than students in kindergarten through sixth grade.

And that dearth in funding is paired with an abundance of needs including building maintenance, updating curriculums and technology, and keeping teacher pay competitive to retain staff.

The district hasn’t put a levy on the ballot to bring in extra funding in over a decade, working to make do with what it receives and operate within its means — though its last one in 2014 did pass, Superintendent Tina Blair told the board last night.

“Over the years, (the community) has shown that it values the program,” Blair said.

Over the past three academic years, the district has made several staffing cuts. Blair and Wood also proposed several ideas to the board in the workshop that would potentially bring in more revenue to help bridge the gap. But the district’s needs have reached a breaking point where asking taxpayers to help will be necessary.

The board heard and discussed several of the factors at play at its second pre-levy workshop Tuesday evening, along with what options might be on the table.

It made no final decisions at the workshop, however. It planned to have a vote on the matter — along with more-exact figures for the potential ask — for board members to approve at its regular board meeting, which will take place on Feb. 18.

Should the board approve putting a levy ask on the ballot, Fair-Mont-Egan will join Kalispell Public Schools’ elementary district in running an ask for funding. KPS’ board approved a projected levy of $1.6 million in May, with plans to approve a final amount at its March 10 board meeting.

Cayuse Prairie, another rural district on the Flathead Valley’s east side, is also planning to finalize a levy ask after several months of considering what options might be best for that community. Amy Piazzola, the long-time Cayuse Prairie superintendent who will be retiring at the end of the school year, cited many similar factors to Fair-Mont-Egan as contributing to her school district’s potential funding ask.

School and special district elections this spring will take place May 5. Voters will have the chance to weigh in on potential funding asks, along with school board members and a number of rural fire districts, water and sewer districts and more.

Mariah Thomas, education reporter, over and out. And now, onto the rest of your Daily Roundup.