BILLINGS — Billings Public Schools welcomed new students and teachers back to class Sept. 2 with a few changes.
This school year, educators will get higher wages and a revised school calendar that shortens the academic year while extending daily contract time.
Watch Superintendent Erwin Garcia talk about what's new for the school year:
“Teachers in Billings start at $50,100 without a master's degree. If they have a master's, it's closer to $58,000,” Lance Edward, president of the Billings Education Association, the district's largest teachers union, said in a recent interview.
The 2025-2026 school year went from 187 days down to 182 school days. In exchange, students will spend about an additional 20 minutes in class each day.
There are also concerns about overcrowding classrooms.
Superintendent Erwin Garcia expressed confidence that the district’s three largest high schools can accommodate enrollment.
“When it comes to the capacity at West, Senior, and Skyview, we still have capacity,” Garcia said.
The available space may be attributed to the growth of three charter schools in Billings, which are drawing students.
“We have students going to the three charter schools that we open,” Garcia said.
Billings School District 2 is also expanding educational opportunities, including the Opportunity School and the Billings Early College School. As of August 2024, those two schools had about 130 students.
Additionally, Billings Public Schools is working to expand its healthcare sciences program.
“We have the healthcare sciences pathway at the career center, but we know that we can double or triple the number of students benefiting from the healthcare sciences pathways,” Garcia said. “We're working with the local hospitals, Billings Clinic, Intermountain (Health), the Native American Coalition, RiverStone Clinic, St. John's United as well.”
Related: Billings Public Schools starts new school year with longer classes
