School closures will be part of some options of the master facilities plan presented to the Helena Public Schools board of trustees early next year due to budget restrictions and federal funding for school programs.

Superintendent Rex Weltz said that the possibility of a school closure, “is real.”

According to Weltz, the plan will be looking at all possible outcomes for the future of the district. There will be roughly four plans presented to the board of trustees in early 2024, which will include options ranging from multiple school closures to no closures at all.

District officials said school funding on the state and federal levels needs to be increased to avoid possible solutions, such as consolidation. The district said that the formula for calculating funds for schools is outdated and not able to keep up with current inflation rates.

Even though the district has managed to trim the original budget deficit from $6.5 million to $2.2 million since last spring, the deficit is likely to rise again due to increased operation costs and lower enrollment.

Helena IR: School closures to be option in new master facilities plan in Helena Public Schools