Missoula district says 83% of $1.5 million elementary safety levy pays staff salaries

Superintendent Hill told the Board of Trustees that the majority of the district's $1,500,000 elementary safety levy is paying for staff salaries and benefits.

"Not shockingly, and in keeping with our declared uses, the majority, 83% of the $1,500,000, is paying for the salary and benefits of staffing at our elementary schools," Superintendent Hill said. "$1,243,430 is being spent on behavior interventionists, counselors, social workers, police, and administration."

Hill said about $420,000 of those salary costs are offsetting what previously came from the general fund, and the remaining $256,000 is being used for infrastructure and security operations. "The remaining $256,000 is being used to pay for infrastructure related costs which is, cameras, software systems, doors, windows, fencing, and other kind of what I would refer to as hard sided security features in our schools, along with paying for staff training and professional development in our security operations," he said.

Hill also updated the board on district-led and hosted safety trainings. He said 20 staff, including administrators, counselors, behavior interventionists and school psychologists, will participate in a national threat-assessment training hosted locally and sponsored by the Montana School Group Insurance Authority. He also described a recent "train the trainer" workshop presented by the I Love You Guys Foundation covering the district's standard response and reunification protocols.

Hill reported other district activity in the same announcement: staff meetings with county officials and other districts about a newly created targeted economic development district, meetings with the Center for Restorative Youth Justice on diversion programming for youth, and a recent visit from the Board of Public Education's executive director to observe the district's charter programs.

The superintendent framed the levy expenditures as sustaining positions that otherwise would have been cut when one-time federal funds (ESSER) ended. "The cost for the behavior interventionist, that was paid for entirely out of ESSER and so when ESSER went away, those positions were going to go away," Hill said.

The board did not take a vote on the levy expenditures at this meeting; Hill presented the update during the announcements portion of the agenda.

Officials and programs mentioned during the update included the Montana School Group Insurance Authority (MSGIA), the Montana School Boards Association (MTSBA), Secure Education Consultants, and the I Love You Guys Foundation. The superintendent identified elementary schools included in related planning as DeSmet Elementary and Hellgate Elementary and noted the district uses the bookmobile and the city library for some charter school services.

The district did not provide additional budget documents in the meeting materials beyond the figures Hill cited. The superintendent said trustees would receive more information as needed in future meetings.