Significant school funding legislation awaiting the governor’s signature has altered when some local school districts will make levy requests this year.

Senate Bill 175 by Sen. Llew Jones, R-Conrad, is the chief piece of legislation that would increase state funding for public schools.

The bill’s pending approval or veto has kept local school districts on their toes when it comes to budgeting, so some are relying on a provision in Montana code that allows districts to set a date other than a regular school election day when the Legislature is in regular session.

Kalispell Public Schools will decide whether or not to hold a levy election at its May 14 board meeting.

Columbia Falls School District has scheduled a high school and elementary district general fund levy election June 4. The board recently adopted a resolution to set a levy amount and district clerk Dustin Zuffelato said he is figuring how it will affect taxpayers.

On Tuesday — the standard school election day — seven local school districts will run elections for either trustees, levy requests or both.

Kila, Somers-Lakeside, West Glacier and Whitefish are seeking voter approval of extra tax levies.

Kila and West Glacier are making technology levy requests: $20,000 for Kila and $9,420 for West Glacier. These levies are specific to technology-related expenses such as purchasing, renting, maintaining equipment/networks and training personnel.

Whitefish and Somers-Lakeside are requesting general fund levies, which cover a broad range of day-to-day operation and facility maintenance expenses that keep schools running. These include personnel, heating/cooling, technology, building repairs and purchasing classroom supplies such as textbooks.

Whitefish School District decided to request a $36,000 general fund levy since it had to hold an election for two contested seats on the board.

“We really didn’t know by then whether Senate Bill 175 was going to pass,” district Clerk Danelle Reisch said.

Somers-Lakeside is seeking a $200,000 general fund levy.

The district has seen its revenue decrease by $6,759 due to declining enrollment, $11,300 due to the federal sequestration in the form of Title I funding and the discontinuation of $25,000 in Rural Education Achievement Program funding. Title I funding helps districts provide extra educational assistance to academically at-risk or disadvantaged students.

Rural Education Achievement funding is provided to assist rural school districts in raising student achievement. Somers-Lakeside has used the money in the past to supplement Title I teacher salaries said district clerk Diane Fetterhoff.

Due to population growth in the town of Lakeside, however, the district recently was notified by the Office of Public Instruction that it no longer was defined as “rural,” and, as a result was not eligible for the money.

The combined loss of approximately $43,059 in revenue has added to the district’s list of financial needs that include a roof replacement and heating upgrades.

“Presently, the district needs approximately $45,000 to $50,000 to address immediate facility needs and that’s just scratching the surface,” Somers-Lakeside Superintendent Paul Jenkins wrote in an email to The Daily Inter Lake.

The district also has personnel expenses. Although enrollment has declined districtwide, particular grade levels — kindergarten, third and fifth — have increased, requiring additional staff of two to three-and-a-half positions.

The district has posted levy information and district needs at www.somersdist29.org.

In many school districts, there were not enough trustee candidates to hold elections. In those cases, candidates are elected by acclamation.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at [email protected].