The Whitefish School Board approved a $30.59 million budget for the 2025-26 school year, representing an increase of about 14% from the last fiscal year. 

Of that almost $4 million increase from last year, $2.2 million is attributed to debt services for the bond approved for the high school expansion. The total debt services between the high school and elementary funds is about $5 million.  

The final budget includes a couple of minor changes from the preliminary budget approved in July. There is an increase of about $100,000 from the preliminary budget allotted toward flexibility funds and debt services.  

The general funds for elementary and high schools will increase by 6.8% and 5.8%, respectively, partly due to inflationary increases from the state. The general funds also reflect an increase in funding from the state through the STARS Act. 

Another increase in funds reflects the transfer of tuition, which follows students if they transfer, and Whitefish School District enrolls more students transferring in than those leaving. 

The budget as a whole reflects only local taxpayer dollars and does not include federal dollars. 

HOUSEKEEPING on the board’s agenda included the approval of eight out-of-district student applications, while three were denied because of capacities. Sixth grade as well as two programs are full.  

The board drew attention to a city of Whitefish public notice of land use action for a proposed liquor license across from the middle school located at 20 Spokane Ave. Historically, exemptions for a 600-foot distance requirement have been granted for other downtown Whitefish businesses, Superintendent Dave Means said.  

The district accepted an $88,000 donation, another installment from the Whitefish Education’s Make Music Resonate campaign.  

THE BOARD reviewed changes to district policy. A representative, Elizabeth Kaleva, from Kaleva Law Office, was on call to explain changes to be implemented in accordance with this year’s legislative session.  

One policy change from HB 406 shifts the timeline for trustee elections. The number of days prior to the election in which people must file for candidacy has increased from 40 days to now at least 85 days in advance.  

One policy was updated to reflect commemorative holidays recognized by HB 591. A new “Freedom Week” in the last full week of September is required to “educate students about the sacrifices made for freedom in the founding of the United States and the values on which the United States was founded,” Kaleva said.  

Freedom Week is loosely defined, she said, “so there’s going to be variety across the state of what that looks like.”  

She noted that Freedom Week will coincide with American Indian Heritage Day, the fourth Friday in September. She also noted that Montana Pioneer Day is Nov. 1.  

Another policy was amended to reflect HB 599, which addresses a parent’s right to opt children out of data collection that is not essential.  

A policy addressing opt-out options and notification policies for sexuality topics and education was “cleaned up,” Kaleva said. 

“If it’s human sexuality instruction you’re opting out, if it’s gender identity, you have to opt in,” Kaleva said. “Some of these laws, if you went back and listened to the legislators, none of it made sense.”  

Another policy gives the option for the district to add math to early literacy programs, making them targeted intervention programs. The district is not adding math at this time, though. 

A new background check requirement for anyone working with students without other supervision could put a hindrance on the district’s school-to-work program, Kaleva said.  

One policy changed high school graduation requirements from 22 to 23 credits.  

The district chose to not adopt an optional policy that outlines what flags or banners permitted by HB 819 can be displayed. 

Other policies address recognition of Native American cultural heritage; release time for religious instruction; ages of students entering (5 – 19 years old); plagiarism in regard to artificial intelligence; suicide awareness training; and cell phone usage, to name a few topics.  

One policy addresses out-of-district enrollment and attendance.  

“What we’re changing in that one is the dates that we are considering out of district applications, is now June, August and January board meetings,” Means said.  

That means the district will no longer take out-of-district student applications every month. 

On a separate agenda item, the board approved a new policy limiting out-of-district students enrolled in programs like special education and preschool, to cap it when there are less than four spaces available out of the maximum 15 spots in each program. It is similar to the existing policy to not allow out-of-district students into respective grades when those grades are at 87% capacity.

    An overview of the local taxpayers' funds going in and out for the Whitefish School District 2025-26 budget.