[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6638414,"mediaKeyId","2572345-7d3c43862c325fc2005ba16ceb3f7ed5","parentId",2572345,"title","Board awards internet and data-service contracts and approves consent agendas and personnel reports","audioSeconds",340,"startMs",5470000,"endMs",5810000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2572345-7d3c43862c325fc2005ba16ceb3f7ed5&start=5470&end=5810","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2572345-7d3c43862c325fc2005ba16ceb3f7ed5/thumbnail_5470000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6638414/Montana/Board-awards-internet-and-data-service-contracts-and-approves-consent-agendas-and-personnel-reports","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6638414-c61c62ae204b8c5046e4ae2a907f9342/orig.mp4?Expires=1771173128&Signature=Jt0~84JXbDANu1U50rVPuLkBxGv5XkY8mbiHU8M6NpUfk5-1E476e4hvLZByvnPulpnKzBbLGfN7vDVoExJFuwkioOBxJdjiPIb4T4fcawcvKtw5X61kyHdBdtwYOcj8dGBtpY1iJ01FBn9Zt56imA-XB5gnRBFuF8MWKAksvEt77qTJZWR7Y~09IsBF1MrvR6Bvdyov~zW3QLxgJ8sB7e4fV5KThfCqzVRM0tYyCHfnHLW6jY8L~kbLcKzWnj2xkhWONmxYecUdnLXHgawMthljVNqiESZUW7zejUEATxDauLc5V2n91Ac4Ujpvp~c2173Y8P8EGOAPU8ajzSkNuw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Missoula Elem","date","2025-03-12T15:35:30.837Z","article","The Missoula County Public Schools Board of Trustees unanimously approved multiple routine business items, including awards for district internet and data services and consent-personnel reports.

After an e-rate consultant review, the district recommended renewing service with Blackfoot Communications for district-wide internet; trustees approved the recommendation. The board also approved a bid to lease a dedicated data link for Seeley-Swan High School (Seely/Swan) and accepted Blackfoot’s recommended proposal there as well. IT staff said Seeley-Swan is the only active school in the district that does not have fiber to the site and therefore requires a leased link.

The board approved elementary and high-school consent agendas without discussion and then approved the personnel reports for elementary and high-school staffing as part of the consent motions. Roll-call results were recorded as unanimous for all these items.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","MCPS Board of Trustees Meeting Mar 11 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Trustees unanimously approved the recommended internet services contract (Blackfoot Communications) and a leased data link for Seeley-Swan High School, and they approved elementary and high-school consent agendas and personnel reports.","taxTitle","Missoula Elem, School Districts, Montana","taxId",38287,"location","Montana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6638418,"District previews permissive-levy estimates as budget committee prepares recommendations",417,4743000,5160000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2572345-7d3c43862c325fc2005ba16ceb3f7ed5&start=4743&end=5160","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2572345-7d3c43862c325fc2005ba16ceb3f7ed5/thumbnail_4743000.jpg","/articles/6638418/Montana/District-previews-permissive-levy-estimates-as-budget-committee-prepares-recommendations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6638418-69e4ec60baa2e11b7058443aa9630450/orig.mp4?Expires=1771173128&Signature=nfvu-LrGkvFAlMuvML8l3BigoeWyD4NYYNncVLSTH1pGJ4cfugd~YoMbh6adfBRbfAYn6ZFDJUkwM8ctwN-UqKi2CpQQauk9y2GpNboSsTPLfR4~i3X1apwKpCQ04LbGVXR5STcnlbhXMNqQXSLVInQS3WJ4vqWHxP5fRMDLzJYBftuI0pxOd-ggticHSTsJpSTMfePRZvmEIkwUg72c~uRtPVndAI~HDeI5AZ2XNiPcxPcgMW9AxpAb3niWJQSPsyv-Ltv9cmhr9ySFk7AM6eK1By64Ly~a5LUzimIUOpMLzuFbeR7MwRzWu2vLJ8P5v~nSV9oxz64ZhaFYCHSDJw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Missoula County Public Schools finance team presented preliminary estimates of permissive levies the board must identify before the end of the month, including transportation, excess special-education tuition and building-reserve levies.

Deputy/Business Officer Trevor McHugh (presenting the estimates) said the transportation estimate reflects negotiated percentage increases and planned vehicle purchases, including vans the district hopes to staff directly. He said the tuition levy — which covers excess special-education costs and, under a recent change in state law, some tuition obligations for students attending out-of-district programs — may rise on the elementary side to the full allowable amount (an estimate the district listed as $5.50 per pupil on the draft worksheet).

McHugh said the building-reserve permissive levy estimate shown in the draft was reduced because the district expects the state to assume more of that obligation, and noted the bus-depreciation figure will be added to the final resolution. He described planned permissive-levy scenarios (examples shown at $300,000 and $600,000) and said the district will refine numbers with the budget-levy committee and at the March 25 board meeting.

Board members asked clarifying questions about whether the figures in the presentation represented increases or totals; McHugh said the values shown in the final columns represented the change. Trustee Davy asked whether the special-ed permissive levy was listed; McHugh said that cost is in the tuition fund line and that the district is calculating levies based on per-student excess costs.

McHugh briefly reminded the board that the STARS Act at the state level could provide roughly $3 million to the district, which would materially affect levy decisions. He recommended the board consider operational and safety levy timing together and noted staff will present FY27 projections to the budget-levy committee the following week.

","MCPS staff presented early estimates for permissive levies including transportation, tuition (excess special-education costs) and building reserve; officials said figures will be refined before the March 25 meeting and noted potential state funding via the STARS Act.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6638422,"Board approves revised electronic-device policy; high-school language sent back for 45-day review",1058,3742000,4800000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2572345-7d3c43862c325fc2005ba16ceb3f7ed5&start=3742&end=4800","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2572345-7d3c43862c325fc2005ba16ceb3f7ed5/thumbnail_3742000.jpg","/articles/6638422/Montana/Board-approves-revised-electronic-device-policy-high-school-language-sent-back-for-45-day-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6638422-4f83afdfcaf987f743606dbc90484185/orig.mp4?Expires=1771173128&Signature=dcP1Y7arsxpkswvlmvEl9l9i1P1zr3k-NFf9JN7hlz5Z1HKq8WHOCZU2-jSElMXUBIAJuPVkcll8WZtL-sPbZ75U13Hfi~YKgObzOE5tvu3KxsIFRczstFyDQfwWuAwI84nEfs2Sx4lfDePk3JHUKX-hJzskxmqwpx71fn-sCVDhIGvF7HzzZhegQ4tSrS9uNQu1CfdWcLzALr56f-jgSLk9WA7tbuBz1kzW1h372tjNxg2Q5GMVPLF3QBPIsOsukWTG4qqHlq~cSSJyBDolUG1yy5lmMh8FvpC-64CyV~jr9AyDxbZ5UD1c4Dq37MBQs3D5BruQ3q9iLHrLEKZz5Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Missoula County Public Schools Board of Trustees approved a revised electronic-device policy and directed staff to send the high-school portion back out for 45 days after trustees voted to remove a provision allowing parent pickup for confiscated devices at the high-school level.

Trustee Emily Mercer moved to strike the sentence allowing repeat high-school offenders to require parent pickup of confiscated devices; Trustee Hayes seconded. After public comment that largely supported stricter phone limits, the board voted unanimously to approve the amendment and to post the policy revisions for a 45-day public comment period.

Several public commentators urged a stricter, schoolwide phone ban. Morgan Schlumberger told the board that districts around the country “are going increasingly, completely phone free” and urged the board to apply the same standard to high schools as the K–8 component. Erica Peterman said the policy fight reflects a larger funding and community issue and urged the board to shape school community norms. Porter Hammond and other commenters argued phones cause distraction, bullying and mental-health harms.

Superintendent Micah Hill said the revisions were reviewed by legal counsel and that most technical edits had been incorporated. Trustees asked whether the revised text applied equally to elementary and high school settings; a majority expressed support for removing the parent-pickup language from the high-school section so the district can finalize a consistent approach.

The board’s vote sent the revised policy out for the required comment period; trustees will consider any public input received during that 45-day window before taking a final adoption vote.

","Board amended and approved the district’s electronic-device policy with a motion to remove parent-pickup language from high-school rules; trustees voted to send the revised policy out for the required 45-day public comment period.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6638425,"Parents and teachers urge board to reverse proposed cuts as officials cite enrollment-driven shortfall",2980,150000,3130000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2572345-7d3c43862c325fc2005ba16ceb3f7ed5&start=150&end=3130","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2572345-7d3c43862c325fc2005ba16ceb3f7ed5/thumbnail_150000.jpg","/articles/6638425/Montana/Parents-and-teachers-urge-board-to-reverse-proposed-cuts-as-officials-cite-enrollment-driven-shortfall","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6638425-f55b8dc0973b642c2922ca83201c8535/orig.mp4?Expires=1771173128&Signature=QWBsCU1Cmr8i5FqPeku7o1OkL-XNsIlBRIkerruY8umt1uAqOwW7PILRqnJeov0lWiHRHGyouZOhVH427FTYNk6AY26DncxF1giWs-taIxOeuCYI0Gbgpnsosl5EKj-Y1TsPZLRVVPNpM63uaesC8I-TBxJxGkfeR-lpdOsnJvGBnidMicD-e5jKCBHmOAs5nVQdXPZhaazYicXYJpO1Dju2ev3qJzRn-xPoIagk2wlcHiAjU6w~V5n-16GnaRWKEdxuoAAE6Ul6KEuBWsRMeijwowzJVrzDRrY3JWTwfXLW6tCU2OlBkv0XjtAb8CCQRnhJfhbFoikeCXnTmISSNg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dozens of parents, paraeducators and classroom teachers pressed the Missoula County Public Schools Board of Trustees on staffing proposals they say would raise elementary class sizes and undermine student supports.

Community members described classroom safety and learning concerns and called for alternatives to the cuts. “Don’t increase class sizes. Don’t cut these teachers,” said Jeff Busman, identifying himself as “a parent of a child at Chief Charlo.” Several classroom teachers spoke at length about daily workload, behavior challenges and special-education needs. Emily Earl, a fourth-grade teacher at Hawthorne Elementary, told the board that “filling classrooms to the absolute maximum physical capacity could alleviate some financial strain, [but] the effects will be detrimental to the education the students receive as well as the morale and well-being of the staff.”

The speakers said proposed reductions would force student “leveling” — reassigning families to other neighborhood schools — and could separate siblings. Third-grade teacher Tessa Masters described learning and family disruption if her school loses a teacher and students are reassigned: “If you put 33 children in 1 class, do you think my Gretel would have gotten caught and been put in the right class? No.” Susan Ray, a second-grade teacher at Chief Charlo, said the school’s projected split into two sections of 33 third-graders would place unusual burdens on staff: “18 of them are on IEPs which requires extra planning and meeting time.”

Superintendent Micah Hill acknowledged the human impact and described the district’s fiscal drivers. Hill said K–5 enrollment is down by 84 students from the prior year and that the decline translates to roughly $500,000 less in general-fund revenue because state A and B funding is tied to prior-year counts. He said the district has taken steps to avoid last year’s broad pink slips and instead communicated early with staff; the net effect this year, he said, is roughly a three-position reduction K–5 rather than a larger, across-the-board layoff.

Hill said district policy choices and bargaining rules shape how reductions are implemented and emphasized trade-offs among classroom teachers, special-education supports, behavior interventionists, social workers and other services. “If the balance is we want smaller class sizes, it might mean that the board has forced into a decision to say, well then we have to cut something else to accommodate that request,” he said.

Speakers and board members also disputed how “leveling” would be applied across schools. Multiple commenters said Jeannette Rankin and other nearby schools have lower third-grade counts and that the district’s plan to rebalance students would move children away from neighborhood schools. An elementary special educator who identified herself as one of Chief Charlo’s special-ed staff said the school’s cohort includes 18 students with individualized education programs and that placing nine IEPs into each of two third-grade classes would be “unmanageable.”

Board members pressed for clarity on process and legal constraints. Trustees noted collective-bargaining provisions and administrative placement rules that shape whether and how non-tenured and tenured teachers may be reassigned or laid off, and asked district staff for follow-up on alternatives raised by speakers.

The board did not vote on any specific staffing reduction at the meeting. It approved routine personnel reports and other consent items during the session; those votes do not themselves authorize the school-by-school reductions speakers described. Hill said district staff will continue the placement work and present the board with options, and he urged public engagement on priorities such as class size, special-education supports and other services.

Members of the public repeatedly cited state limits and district policy when arguing against classes above 28 students in early grades; speakers stated their reading of state statutes and district rules and asked the board to prioritize smaller class sizes. The district’s administration acknowledged the statutory and bargaining framework as constraints and said the board will need to weigh trade-offs if it directs the district to preserve lower class sizes.

The discussion followed a year in which the district implemented staffing changes tied to federal ESSER funding and other budget adjustments. Hill said the district is monitoring potential state-level funding changes — including the STARS Act — that could affect the budget, but he did not promise additional revenue.

The board heard public comment for more than an hour on the topic and did not adopt final policy changes at the meeting. Trustees and district staff said they will return to staffing decisions in subsequent meetings and that families will be notified through the district’s established placement processes.

","Dozens of parents and teachers urged the Missoula County Public Schools board to halt proposed teacher cuts and avoid increasing elementary class sizes; Superintendent Micah Hill said declining K–5 enrollment reduced district funding and that the district faces a net reduction of roughly three teacher positions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board awards internet and data-service contracts and approves consent agendas and personnel reports

District previews permissive-levy estimates as budget committee prepares recommendations

Board approves revised electronic-device policy; high-school language sent back for 45-day review

Parents and teachers urge board to reverse proposed cuts as officials cite enrollment-driven shortfall