By Tim Leeds/Havre Daily News/tleeds@havredailynews.com
RUDYARD - Consolidating the KG and Blue Sky school districts won't halt budget declines if the state continues to fund schools as it does now, the board consolidating the districts heard Monday.
The board also heard a request to hold another student vote on what the new district's name, mascot and colors should be, and a request for more discussion about where the high school and elementary school should be located.
Voters in both districts in June approved consolidating Blue Sky and KG after nearly two years of discussion. The Hill County superintendent of schools appointed the interim board to oversee the consolidation.
KG Superintendent John Ballard said projections of funding show the consolidated high school budget at $1.3 million for next year, with the budget dropping to $535,601 in seven years, using the current funding formula and projected enrollment.
That could change depending on how the Legislature responds to a court ruling that declared the state's current method of funding school inadequate, he added.
"Nobody knows for certain what they're going to do in the Legislature," Ballard said.
Ballard said that he doubts that decisions stemming from the court ruling will actually impact school funding
