A change in the tax formula and more funding for schools should result in a lower school property tax bill for many residential property owners in Columbia Falls School District 6.

School District 6 clerk Dustin Zuffelato reported to the school board last week that under the new state formulas, a person with a primary residence assessed for $600,000 should see about a 15% drop in their school tax bills over last year.

Last year, that theoretical home had a tax bill of $1,693, this year it should be about $1,446, a decrease of $247.

The reason is the state Legislature last session changed the tax code, giving primary residences and long term rentals a tax break, while increasing rates for secondary homes and other investment-type properties.

In addition, school funding was increased through the Student and Teacher Advancement for Results and Success Act (STARS).

The Act, and other boosts in state funding resulted in about $790,000 more for the district.

Zuffelato said about 84% of the funds would go toward teacher pay and benefits. That’s welcome news for the district as it enters negotiations this month with its teachers’ union. Teachers  in June came out in force to implore the board to increase salaries in Columbia Falls.

Currently a first-year teacher with a bachelor’s degree and no experience has a starting salary of $42,621 in School District 6.

On the highest end, a teacher with a master’s degree and the maximum number of “steps” would be $80,518.

They told the board they could make from $6,000 to $11,000 annually if they taught at a different district.

But having said that, many of them said they like it here. Columbia Falls has a lot of teachers that grew up here and graduated from here and have now returned to teach here.

All told, this year’s elementary budget is about $22 million, up 6% from the previous year and the high school is about $10.63 million, up 4.12% from 2024.

But not everything is rosy in the budget picture. Enrollment at the elementary level dipped significantly last year as the Kindergarten class was small. The school will get a good look at the enrollment picture in the next few weeks as school starts.

State funding is directly tied to enrollment, so the more kids, the higher the state funding.

In addition, changes in state law require the district to pay tuition to other schools if the child lives in its district, but goes to another, such as West Glacier or Deer Park.

Columbia Falls will pay out $274,757 for 197 students attending other districts at the elementary level, while it will be paid $155,455 for 104 students attending SD6.

That’s a net loss of about $119,000.

At the high school level, the school will be paying will be paying $91,518 for 43 students attending other districts, but it will receive $135,532 for 73 students attending SD6.

That’s a net gain of about $44,000.