Teton County District board taps reserves to keep community school coordinators through May 31, 2025

The Teton County District board on Tuesday approved using district reserve funds to keep two community school coordinators employed through May 31, 2025, after a federal Community Schools Grant was unexpectedly removed, according to the meeting transcript.

Speaker 2, who identified the district as having been listed among affected recipients, told the board the district received notice via a Blue Schools Coalition Treasure Valley announcement and that the federal program "would go away as of 12/31/2025." The district immediately formed a communications plan, met with coordinators, and joined formal appeals filed by other districts.

The board’s funding decision followed a finance presentation from Speaker 2 showing the district’s stabilization reserve at $5,000,328.86 and a three-month target of $5,228,678, leaving roughly $100,186 above the target. Speaker 2 proposed using approximately $100,000 of that surplus to fund the two coordinator positions and to work with community partners to cover tutoring and equipment needs for the remainder of the school year.

"This was unforecasted," Speaker 2 said, arguing that the withdrawal meets the reserve fund’s emergency purpose. The transcript shows questions from other board members about the exact three-month target figure; Speaker 1 said audit materials suggested a different number but did not block the motion.

Speaker 3 described outside advocacy the district has pursued, including conversations with the offices of U.S. Sens. Jim Risch and Mike Crapo and a supportive letter referenced as coming from Critchfield. "I’m more optimistic than I was before I met with them," Speaker 3 said, adding that the district’s appeal had statewide visibility.

Several board members and commenters warned that the community school model costs about $213,000 and is not sustainable long term without the federal grant. Speaker 2 cautioned the district could sustain the current commitment through May but that continuing the program beyond the short term would require state, philanthropic or other support.

Speaker 5 raised concerns about accounting "holes" identified in the financial audit and asked whether the district needs additional grant-writing capacity or further audits. Speaker 2 responded that the district is "fiscally sound" but could improve financial transparency and internal capacity.

After discussion, Speaker 4 moved to "approve the funding for the community school coordinators through 05/31/2025" to be paid from the reserve funds; Speaker 3 seconded the motion. The transcript records the board calling for the vote and multiple "Aye" responses. The transcript does not record a roll-call tally listing each board member’s recorded vote by name.

The board asked for updates at the next regular meeting on whether federal funding has been reinstated and on program progress. A community representative thanked the board and reported about $10,000 in donor commitments pledged after the announcement.

The board’s action is procedural and temporary: the district will pursue the appeal, seek outside philanthropy and report back at its next meeting. The transcript does not show a formal plan for sustaining the positions beyond the current school year if federal funding is not restored.

The district termed the vote an emergency use of reserves to preserve services to students pending the outcome of appeals and external fundraising.