MISSOULA — Missoula County Public Schools had four levies on the ballot for the May 7, 2024, elections, three of which were approved by the voters and made official during a special meeting Tuesday night.
But what does that mean for the future of the district’s budget?
With the election results confirmed, the district can begin making decisions on how it will utilize the money coming in from the three levies that were passed.
MCPS Superintendent Micah Hill says even though the high school safety levy did not pass it could mean more than just security expenses could be cut from the budget.
“So on the high school side, we didn’t pass the safety levy. And we had about $375,000 of that...earmarked towards interventionists and other safety-related personnel,” Hill said.
“So that would include things like school resource officers, behavior interventionalists, social workers so without those dollars then we’re not able to continue to — if we keep those positions, we have to cut from somewhere else, so it’s a combination of both," Hill continued.
Although Hill did not specify which positions are in jeopardy with the new budget the school board voted during its regular meeting to inform which teachers and staff will be re-signed or let go by June 1.
“So in our board packet, we list every single teacher, every position in the district for who’s being recalled and who will be offered a contract going into next year,” Hill said. “So that obviously has big budget implications because that represents about 90% of our overall budget.”
