Popularity of public charters in Montana is high, cost is high too

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More public charter schools are opening in Montana than expected, and they’ll cost the state more money too — an estimated $2.8 million, or three times more than budgeted, for the year.

In legislative meetings last week, lawmakers praised the new schools, but they also said their popularity calls for some sideboards around approvals for new schools in the future.

Rep. David Bedey, R-Hamilton, commended the Montana Board of Public Education, which reviewed an unexpected number of applications for new public charter schools this year and approved 19.

Of those, 17 are slated to open this coming school year. A rough initial estimate from the Governor’s Office of the total cost to the state and local jurisdictions is $7 million.

“It was a tough project, and we have some really exciting programs, but we don’t have an unlimited amount of money,” Bedey said at an interim budget committee meeting on education. “So we are going to have to think our way through this going into the future.”

McCall Flynn, executive director of the Board of Public Education, agreed the topic warrants more conversation. She said the board is already advertising that it’s taking a second round of applications for public charter schools.

In 2023, the Montana Legislature approved a couple of bills to give students more educational options. One, House Bill 562, is pending in court ; a judge found that legislation is likely unconstitutional because it may usurp the authority of the Board of Public Education.

But the legislature also approved House Bill 549 , which allows charter schools to open within the public education system.

This year, Board of Public Education was expecting applications for five or so charter schools, but it received 26. It approved 19, including in Billings, Kalispell, Frenchtown, Corvallis and Helena.

At the budget committee meeting, Chairperson Bedey reminded people those charter schools aren’t “brick and mortar” structures, but programs within school districts.

For the 2025 fiscal year, the cost to the state is estimated to be $1.9 million more than the initially projected $816,000 for three programs.

However, Paul Taylor, with the Office of Public Instruction, said a precedent didn’t exist before, and projections should become more predictable with a base year established.

At the same time, schools need to hit a minimum enrollment for funding, the Governor’s Office said in an email. Other factors include whether the schools are elementary, middle or high school, and the total students enrolled.

At the committee meeting, Sen. Dan Salomon, R-Ronan, said it will be important to streamline the application process for the Board of Public Education so it can more easily make decisions about new proposals.

“I expect we’ll see a bill to do some of those things,” Salomon said.

Bedey agreed. He said he’s excited about the high interest in the charters and work of the Board of Public Education.

However, Bedey said he doesn’t believe the state can sustain 18 or 20 new schools each year, and he suggested refining the process and setting prioritization metrics to help guide the Board of Public Education with future applications.

“They’ll have to say no to some folks,” he said.

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