Great Falls Public Schools board members unanimously voted during their Oct. 28 meeting to set their budget process for the 2025-2026 budget.

The budget is driven in large part by student enrollment.

There are two student enrollment counts annually, the first is the first Monday in October and the second is the first Monday in February.

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Brian Patrick, GFPS business operations manager, told the board that in the October count, the district was down 136 students.

The two counts are averaged to determine the student count, which determines the budget, according to GFPS.

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Current state law allows for a three-year average for enrollment, when enrollment is declining, and the ability to ask voters for additional funding up to the state maximum budget, or 100 percent, or to maintain the previous year’s budget, according to GFPS.

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The current school funding formula is that the state funds 80 percent of the total budget and local jurisdictions are left to fund the remaining 20 percent through levies, but those require voter approval.

GFPS will use the following budget development schedule, which is similar to that of recent years:

• December-February: inform the public of budget issues including legislative updates through email lists, Facebook, district website and press releases. District will also analyze the impact of legislative action related to school funding. Background information is available with School Budgeting 101 and District Budget Information 2024-2025
• March 6, 2025: community town hall to review revenue and expense projections, asked/answered responses and community input
• March 18, 2025: board budget committee meeting
• March 24, 2025: regular board meeting to review the budget committee’s recommendation and board action if the board decides to pursue any levies