BILLINGS - A group in Billings has been looking at the possibility of a high school for students at Elder Grove, Elysian, Blue Creek and Canyon Creek.
The Montana Legislature passed House Bill 707, which would allow those boards to stay independent for kindergarten through eighth grade, but come together on a high school district.
For supporters of a new high school, it's a big step in the process.
If signed by the Governor, the law would allow the four school districts to maintain separate districts for elementary and middle schools and form a high school board if they have at least 1000 students.
“This is amazing,” said Susie Layton, Southwest Billings Smart Growth co-chair “It's still a steep climb, but it makes it one step closer.”
Layton’s group surveyed parents earlier this year.
The survey showed support for a new high school and consolidating the districts was a big concern.
She says the plan now is to form a steering committee, figure out how much the districts are growing along with building capacities and other information to help voters potentially make a decision.
“The demographic study is a next positive step that would give us information that we need to decide whether we want to put this on the ballot,” Layton said.
Layton says the group’s role is to bring the information to the parents in the school boards.
“We respect what the school boards are going through, what their concerns are for their own individual districts,” she said. “And those are important and we don't want to bypass the things that they're already doing in their districts.”
