Using a 2025 law, Big Sky’s Madison County residents start process to leave Ennis School District and join Big Sky School District
By Jen Clancey STAFF WRITER
The portion of Big Sky residents who live in Madison County may soon transfer from the Ennis School District to the Big Sky School District.
On Monday, June 15, Madison County’s clerk and recorder and attorney gave initial approval for Big Sky residents to start the transfer process. The Madison County area, composed of 538 registered voters, pays Ennis School District taxes, though the 16 public school students can only attend BSSD schools due to geographical hurdles. The county line problem results in a complicated payment system between Ennis and Big Sky to cover student education costs.
In 2025, the Montana Legislature offered a way out by passing Senate Bill 260.
Recently, SB 260 allowed Big Sky to gradually leave Madison County’s hospital district and create its own local wellness district. The legislation also allows residents to petition to withdraw from a school district when barriers to access exist.
The road for current Big Sky petitioners can go one of two ways: both school districts can agree to the transfer, or one school district can withhold approval and require petitioners to obtain 325 of the 538 residents’ signatures and support their stance in a hearing.
Heather Morris, a parent to students in the Madison County portion of Big Sky, and a part of the transfer effort, hopes the first option is successful.
“My pie in the sky hope would be that Ennis School District would release this portion of Madison County that falls to Big Sky and we can just move on from there,” Morris said. The transfer would allow for parents to have a say in the schools their kids attend, Morris noted.
“We can’t vote for school board members. We can’t run for school board. We can’t vote for levies and bond measures that impact our school. All of our voting for such school matters is done for Ennis School District, which in my mind, doesn’t make sense,” Morris said.
Withdrawal via SB 260 appeared as a “window of opportunity,” Morris said.
The taxable value in Ennis School District is about $619 million, according to the Montana Department of Revenue, making its mill levies a more financially powerful option compared to other school districts in the state. In the same county, Sheridan’s elementary and high school districts have about $15.19 million in combined taxable value and Twin Bridges K-12 School District is valued at $6.14 million.
That explains why Ennis School District’s mill levies are significantly lower than nearby district’s taxes—in Twin Bridges, residents pay 104.9 mills toward their schools’ general fund, while Ennis School District taxpayers pay 3.51 mills. Funding isn’t solely dependent on local property taxes though, as state dollars, special education and support for schools with low tax value also make up a school’s budget.
If the petition is successful, the taxable area of Big Sky that’s within Madison County will be split between Big Sky School District and Ennis School District for three years. During those three years, the area’s tax value and revenue will go toward both districts and any levies on the area would need to be split between both districts.
Ennis School District superintendent was not available for comment ahead of press time.
