HOW DID WE GET HERE?
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Falling Behind
How our community has failed to invest in our schools.
Since 1950, Helena’s public schools have seen only a handful of successful bond measures — and none for new school construction in the high school district in over 30 years. This timeline shows just how rare local investment has been, especially when compared to other AA districts across Montana. While our peer communities have built new schools, expanded facilities, and upgraded systems, we’ve continued to rely on aging buildings, short-term fixes, and increasingly strained resources. It’s not just a funding gap — it’s a growing equity gap.
OVER THE LAST 95 YEARS, HOW HAVE WE INVESTED IN OUR SCHOOL FACILITIES?
HELENA SCHOOL DISTRICT
FACILITY INVESTMENTS
SINCE 1930
*This does not include all renovations/additions since 1930, only substantial ones
HOW DO THE INVESTMENTS IN HELENA COMPARE TO OTHER DISTRICTS IN MONTANA?
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$14M TOTAL ISSUED OVER THE LAST 75 YEARS
NO REMAINING BOND AMOUNT
Recent Investments at other AA Districts in Montana
We have maintained what we can -
but it's not enough.
The story of deferred maintenance
As deferred maintenance grows, the cost of simply repairing our aging schools skyrockets—often approaching or even exceeding the cost of building new facilities. When critical systems like boilers, electrical panels, and plumbing are decades beyond their expected lifespans, small repairs no longer keep buildings safe or functional. Instead, maintenance becomes a cycle of expensive, short-term fixes that drain resources without addressing the root problems. Over time, this means that even if bonds are passed, their impact is diminished: more money goes into patching failing infrastructure, and less goes toward modernizing learning environments. If we wait too long, we risk reaching a point where replacement becomes the only option—at a much higher price than if we invest strategically now to either fully renovate or rebuild as needed.
Weight of deferred maintenance over time
WHY NOW? CAN'T THIS WAIT?
We have an opportunity.
Now is the most cost-effective moment to act. Construction costs are rising every year, meaning the longer we wait, the more expensive it will be to fix our schools—or to build new ones. Meanwhile, our buildings are aging faster than we can keep up with, and systems that are decades past their life expectancy are at greater risk of catastrophic failure, which could force emergency closures or repairs at even higher costs. Acting now allows us to plan strategically, secure more value for every taxpayer dollar, and ensure our students have safe, modern schools before deferred maintenance turns into an even bigger—and more expensive—crisis.
The Bond is anticipated to cover 43% of the
$120M Total of Deferred Maintenance in the District
$120 MILLION OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE
How have construction costs changes since the three new elementary schools were built?
Will we see construction costs go back down at some point?
Construction costs have risen significantly over the past several years and are projected to continue climbing. In 2018, the cost to build three new elementary schools in Helena was $53.1 million, averaging $276 per square foot. If those same schools were built in 2025, the estimated cost would rise to $86 million, or $450 per square foot—an increase of 62% in total cost in just seven years. Looking ahead to 2030, based on current inflation trends, the projected cost would reach $121.2 million, or $630 per square foot—representing a 128% increase in total cost and a 128% increase per square foot compared to 2018. These escalating costs highlight the financial urgency of acting sooner rather than later.
The small size of the most recent bond in 1996 at the High School level only made minor upgrades and renovations to Helena and Capital High Schools. The infrastructure at the high school level is failing and crumbling, and the time to invest is now before construction costs increase further.
CONSTRUCTION COST COMPARISON
*Projections based on current and previous inflation rates trends
69,315 sf
58,869 sf
64,136 sf
2018
$53.1M
Heading 6
TOTAL COST OF SCHOOLS
$276/SF
AVERAGE SQUARE FOOTAGE COST
2025
$86.5M
63% INCREASE
TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COST OF SCHOOLS
$450/SF
AVERAGE SQUARE FOOTAGE COST
2030
$121.2M
40% INCREASE
TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COST OF SCHOOLS
$630/SF
AVERAGE SQUARE FOOTAGE COST
Our Schools are Failing.
We can't meet basic human needs.
Many of Helena’s public schools are in alarming disrepair. At Kessler Elementary, air quality inside the building during wildfire season was so poor that the principal had to send students outside for PE—because the air outside was safer than indoors. Helena High faces extreme temperature issues, with students wearing blankets in winter, along with persistent pest problems like mice and silverfish. Capital High experiences unexpected power outages that disrupt learning. Across the district, outdated buildings also pose serious accessibility and security concerns. These aren’t just maintenance issues—they’re failures to meet the most basic needs for health, safety, and dignity in our schools.
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Not a matter of if - but when.
Helena High School runs on three aging boilers—one has already been stripped for parts, and the remaining two are all that keep the building heated. If even one fails, the school won’t be able to stay open. That risk has made it impossible to adjust heating for comfort or efficiency. On subzero days, one classroom may be unbearably hot while another leaves students bundled in coats and blankets. A burst pipe in the library still hasn’t been fully repaired because shutting down the boiler to fix it could mean it never starts again.
It’s not a matter of if the boiler fails—it's when. When it does, the district will be forced into emergency split shifts at the Capital High Campus: Helena High from 6 AM to noon, Capital High from noon to 6 PM. This isn’t just a facilities issue—it’s a disruption to education, equity, and student wellbeing. We have the chance to prevent that future, but only if we act.