Schools offer info on levies

Editor's note: The following information is from the Anaconda Public School District website, anacondaschools.org, concerning the permanent building reserve fund safety levies that are on the ballot for the 2024 school election. 

"Over the last three years we have discussed the challenges our district has faced regarding our General Fund Budget. Fortunately, the district has had the ability to use the ESSER [Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief] funding, which was provided to school as part of the Covid-19 Federal Relief program. These funds are expiring in September of 2024 and will no longer be available to use. The General Fund is our main budget resource and it’s where we pay most of our bills. 

"The levy request on the ballot is to help us fund some of our needed safety measures and expenditures that would normally come out of the General Fund, thus allowing us to utilize those cost savings to supply much-needed curriculum, student supplies, competitive wages and staffing, and maintain current safety resources such as counselors, nurses, school resource officer, mental health specialists, camera systems, safety supplies, fire alarm repair/replacement, door security, key card accessibility, etc. The district continues to be challenged by a combination of budget pressure including rising costs for everything from paper to utility bills to wages. We also have supplemented much of our school expenditures with grants and have worked hard to secure this extra grant funding to help us offer the current educational program we have in place. Here are some grants we applied for and received:

Prior grant funding (expired)

• ARPA School Health Workforce Development Grant, $45,000.

• ARP – DPHHS CDC Crisis Response Grant – School Nurse, $45,000.

• ARPA School Health Workforce Grant, $183,000.

• ARP II Homeless Grant, $30,351.

• ESSER II Base Grant: $1,523,286. Special Need: $27,354.

• ESSER III Base Grant: $2,810,008. Lost Instructional: $702,503.

Current grant funding:

• Schoolwide Title, $1,005,927.

• Literacy Grant, $435,604.

• 21st Century Grant, $229,045.

• ESSA Homeless Grant, $2,290.

• Carl Perkins Grant, $22,724.

• Title 1D – Neg./Delq Grant, $11,699.

"Your school board members and school administrators are keenly aware of recent increases in property taxes statewide and understand the taxation process and burdens thrust upon our general public. Because of that, we have worked hard to reduce demands on the budget and continue to find creative ways and other grants to fund our budget. We are thankful the community passed our General Fund levies last year and we also were able to operate on the cuts that we made to our system last year. This year we are not anticipating any cuts to our system, but we are seeking additional funding to continue to operate as we have done this past year.

"The ratios (position to students) for some of our positions that directly impact the safety and well-being of our students are as follows:

• School Nurse (AJSHS), 1 to 456 students.

• School Nurse (PreK-6), 1 to 559.

• Lincoln School Counselor, 1 to 279.

• Fred Moodry Counselor, 1 to 280.

• AJSHS Counselors: 2 to 456.

• School Resource Officer: 1 to 1,015.

"The Anaconda School District has also developed a detailed Strategic Plan that outlines many of our operational plans and needs for the future. A link to the current Strategic Plan can be found here: [See anacondaschools.org for the link to the PDF.]

"We appreciate the support the Anaconda Community has provided to the Anaconda School District and we are looking forward to continuing to building a solid educational system for our students."

Editor's note: The 2024 school election is being conducted entirely by mail, with the deadline to vote being Tuesday, May 7 at 8 p.m. Ballots can be returned by mail or in person to the Anaconda School District Business Office at 1410 W. Park Ave., Anaconda, MT 59711. For more information, call the school district at (406) 563-6361.

Elementary Building Reserve Fund Safey Levy ballot language

Shall the Trustees of Anaconda School District #10 be authorized to annually levy 4.88 mills for the Elementary Building Reserve Fund Safety Levy, being approximately $125,000.00 each year in the Building Reserve Fund for the purpose of planning for improvements to and maintenance of school and student safety; programs and operational expenses to support school and student safety and security; installing or updating security-related facility improvements; and installing or updating response systems using contemporary technologies? Passage of this proposal will increase the annual taxes on a home with an assessed market value of $100,000 by approximately $6.59 and on a home with an assessed market value of $300,000 by approximately $19.77 and on a home with an assessed market value of $600,000 by approximately $39.54. An increase in property taxes may lead to an increase in rental costs. The durational limit of the levy is intended to be permanent.”

High School Building Reserve Fund Safety Levy ballot language

Shall the Trustees of Anaconda School District #10 be authorized to annually levy 4.75 mills for the High School Building Reserve Fund Safety Levy, being approximately $125,000.00 each year in the Building Reserve Fund for the purpose of planning for improvements to and maintenance of school and student safety; programs and operational expenses to support school and student safety and security; installing or updating security-related facility improvements; and installing or updating response systems using contemporary technologies? Passage of this proposal will increase the annual taxes on a home with an assessed market value of $100,000 by approximately $6.41 and on a home with an assessed market value of $300,000 by approximately $19.23 and on a home with an assessed market value of $600,000 by approximately $38.46. An increase in property taxes may lead to an increase in rental costs. The durational limit of the levy is intended to be permanent.”