District #1 School Board Deals with Fewer High School students and Larger Budget
 | Author:
Nancy Marks, Reporter
Nancy Marks: MT43 News Secretary and News Editor |
District #1 School Board Deals with Fewer High School students and Larger Budget
Nancy Marks
Reporter
Townsend School District’s budget passed on August 8 continues to rise even though the high school enrollment is down. Total funds for the year 2023 were $ 7.3 million. The budget passed on August 8 by the school board stands at $ 8.25 million. The reason the budget remains high while high school enrollment lags is a complicated issue.
Townsend School District has not escaped the painful reminders of the effects of COVID. Schools all over the country were forced to close and teach students remotely when the pandemic hit in early 2020. Broadwater High School census has never fully recovered.
In 2020 the number of high school students was at its highest at 232 registered students. After a slow decrease in numbers since then, high school enrollment stands at 195 for the 2023-2024 year. Many students turned to homeschooling, dropped out or decided to try for a GED online rather than returning to school.
Additionally, the total student enrollment in high school and elementary for last year was 696. The monies from the Office of Public Instruction(OPI) are based on last year’s number. This year the total enrollment is 734. The 2024 number of students will not be used to calculate the average number belonging (ANB) until next year. “We will not see an increase in funds from our ANB until next year for those additional students,” Hedalen said.
According to Superintendent Susie Hedalen, she and her staff have tried to implement programs and classes that will bring back high schoolers to stay in school to graduate. Those include school-to-work programs so students can participate in real work situations including carpentry, electricians and plumbing as well as restaurant jobs and nurse’s aide position.
The school’s recruitment program also includes dual-credit courses so students who graduate with the intention of going on to college will have college credits as well.
More mandated services for special needs children, more students in the new elementary school who require more teachers and increased costs for technology upgrades are part of the budget increase. Hedalen said more paraprofessional staff are needed to attend to the special needs of students in class. Enrolled special needs students who require out-of-school treatment are covered under this budget line. The amount went from $67,000 in 2023 to over $134,000 in 2024.
Another issue is the need for more teachers in elementary school. Enrollment has burgeoned from a low 462 students in 2021 to 539 registered for the 2023-2024 year. “We have four kindergarten classes, four first grade classes and four fifth grade classes averaging 20 students per class in our new elementary school. We knew this was coming so we are so glad for the new facility, but to equip and supply those extra classes is expensive. We have hired several new teachers and several assistants,” Hedalen explained.
The board approved a retirement budget line with an additional $150,000 more than was listed in 2022. Several long-term teachers have retired over the past few years. But according to Pam Watson, school assistant clerk, the marked increase is because the state has raised both public employees’ retirement and the teachers’ retirement funds.
Hedalen explained that of the total budget, the mill levy from taxpayers remains stable at 116.5 mills in 2024, which is down from 135.16 mills in 2023. Because there are more property owners in the county to pay taxes, the mill value goes down, but the schools receive more levied funds.
The remainder of the budget comes from grants such as the 21st century grant which will pay for the 5th day of the week’s programs. Other funds are ESSR (Covid relief funds) and Title I funds from the state and federal government. The 4-Day week was approved by the board in May of this year. Although the teachers received a 4% raise, they will work the same amount of hours with longer days and one day a month on Fridays. “The board and I are doing our very best to cut costs where we can, to stay within budget for this coming year. It will be tight,” Hedalen concluded.
