Last Wednesday, the Arlee Joint School District School Board voted against consolidating the junior high students into the newly built elementary to create a K-8 building.  

Superintendent Cory Beckham has been making budget cuts across the district to combat declining enrollment. However, the current budget continues to project a deficit, which led him, the budget committee and administration, to assess their options.  

During the Feb. 10 board meeting, Beckham presented an option to combine the junior high with the elementary, or to get more “creative with staffing and scheduling,” which would involve students or staff moving between the two buildings during the school day.  

According to Beckham, the lowest enrollment across the district was in 2011, when the district was in the 400s. He noted that the number in the last few years has ranged from the 430s to the 450s.  

The school is currently at 368, and they are projecting the student population to decline to 358.  

For public schools, more students mean more money in the district's general fund. Average Number Belonging (ANB) is the enrollment metric used to determine state funding.  

Beckham noted that 81% of their funding is tied to ANB. Another financial contribution comes from federal Impact Aid, which is flexible funding given to schools on tribal lands to offset the loss of property tax revenue.  

Beckham said the options he provided to the board Feb. 10 are possible, but not combining the buildings – the directive the board gave him during the special meeting Feb. 25 – means he will have to find more money, which “means further cuts.”  

The combined K-8 building would have served as a temporary solution while the district tried to recoup funds. Beckham said the goal would have been to move back into the building, but sharing temporarily sharing the elementary would allow the district to possibly rent out the gym in the meantime.  

Beckham said at the Feb. 10 meeting regarding the new elementary, that they had the idea to “build it and they’re going come.” Now that the elementary is completed, he said, “We just need students to show up.”  

During that meeting, the public raised concerns about safety with young children being around teenagers, but the administration explained that it was unlikely, given the separated wings in the new elementary school. Members of the public also voiced concerns that junior high is a steppingstone to high school and removing that option could adversely affect students.  

The board ultimately tabled the item and scheduled a special meeting on Feb. 25.  

In a separate interview, Lake County Superintendent of Schools Carolyn Hall said Beckham is in a difficult position and has the district's best interests at heart. She added that he has spent a lot of time looking into finances and exploring possibilities.  

Hall explained that a separate junior high creates added costs because it is like a “mini high school” with separate classes for music, art and languages. It is funded a “bit higher,” she said, but it also has higher requirements. 

“He doesn't want to lose any of what they are but wants to do what's best for the students that they have. And so that's what every administrator is looking at,” Hall said. “If I only have this much of a pie, ‘How do I divide it up in excellence?’”  

“That's the hard part," she added. “You can always do a sloppy job, but can you do it with excellence?”  

Parents voice concerns 

During the special meeting on Feb. 25, around 20 members of the public attended after the information about a possible K-8 spread across social media. At this meeting, the board motioned to approve the consolidation to a K-8 and then opened the floor up to public comment.  

“You're telling us that you're going to be able to keep an eye on these students and keep the bad kids from hurting our vulnerable ones. You're telling us that in the event of a school threat, you're going to do your best to keep all our kids safe in one building,” substitute teacher Kelsey O’Brien said. “As a district, they can't even make sure our basic safety procedures are being followed. Why would we trust adding more students to one building will make it safer?”  

A recurring theme presented by parents at both meetings was to preserve the innocence of children.  

“My concern is bringing these bigger kids to these vulnerable littler kids like my third grader. I just don't see how appropriate that is when these kids are going through puberty,” said parent Sierra Keating.   

Lonnie Mortin, the district clerk, further explained at the meeting that declining enrollment means a declining general fund, and they don’t “have enough to fund all the staff we have right now.” She added that consolidation would mean reducing fewer staff, so the district is trying to save positions by doing this. 

“Mr. Beckham’s recommendation is just to be fiscally responsible,” Mortin said. 

Board members stressed to the public that they are not making this decision lightly, and the district's budget has been a constant point of discussion.  

“Regardless, there are going to be cuts, and I want to make that abundantly clear, which nobody is excited about,” board member Samatha Lytle said.  

Funding deficit could still force consolidation 

Beckham told the parents in attendance that schools are not funded appropriately and urged them to contact their legislators to help make a change. He added that he doesn’t have the money to “throw at all the things our children deserve.”  

“If we continue the course, the school remains underfunded, and we will lose great teachers because of it. This is not a place that I ever want to sit and say, ‘Yeah, I'm grateful that we're going to be able to save a budget,’” Beckham said. “It's not savings. These are people I know, they're families. I know their kids. I know their habits. I know where they hunt.”  

Beckham noted in a later email to the Leader that over his two years as superintendent, he’s kept the board aware of their financial position and has had to reduce both classified and certified staff positions. He also explained that last year they reviewed every line item of the budget to reduce excess spending wherever possible.  

After public comment, the board voted against K-8 consolidation this year but noted that it will come up again.  

The Leader asked Hall if it was an option or current discussion for Arlee to combine districts with St. Ignatius Public Schools or Missoula County Public Schools. She said it is not in discussion right now. She explained that Arlee would first take a look at the districts that share a border with theirs, such as St. Ignatius or Charlo. 

Hall explained that throughout county history, some of these districts were part of a single school system, but they later split into their own districts. However, now with the costs and legal requirements, “we may have this consolidation,” she said.  

The next Arlee school board meeting is March 10.     Superintendent Cory Beckham said cuts will have to be made to save the budget. “It's not savings. These are people I know, they're families. I know their kids. I know their habits. I know where they hunt,” he said.