This is significantly lower than the national average of $60,000, according to the National Education Association (NEA). The lack of affordable housing in Ronan, Montana, is a significant factor contributing to the teacher shortage in the area. The town is experiencing a housing crisis, with limited options for affordable rentals and a high demand for available housing.
Johnston’s idea was to create a “housing incentive program” that would offer financial assistance to teachers who relocate to the Ronan/Pablo District. This program would be designed to attract teachers to the area and help them afford to live there. The program would be funded by a combination of local and state resources. The local community would contribute through property taxes, and the state would contribute through a grant program.
With about $1 million in ESSER funds left that needed to be spent this year, the administrative team and school board decided to implement Johnston’s idea to build teacherages to “hopefully entice and retain good new teachers.” A group called Proactive Learning is already building housing for individuals with autism on the west side of Ronan. Johnston talked with them about acquiring some land, and they agreed to sell. “It’s a win-win situation,” Johnston said. “ Proactive Learning received some capital, and we received land that would work great for teacher housing.” Sandra Beal, the Ronan/Pablo District Curriculum, Grants, and Federal Programs Director, worked very hard to get permission for the project from the Montana Office of Public Instruction because no other schools were doing this sort of project. Permission was obtained.
“At this time, we’re building two, two-bedroom duplexes,” Johnston said. “We want to rent them out affordably,” he added. Under restrictions approved by the board, the housing won’t be permanent. Teacher residents will be given four years to figure out where they want to live, “and if Ronan/Pablo School District was a good fit for them and vice versa.” “Hopefully we can recruit teachers, retain them, and have it on a four-year cycle,” Johnston explained Construction is going well, with completion slated for this fall. “We just have to order appliances and flooring. The sheetrockers have been in there. Once they start doing the fine stuff, like the cabinets, it goes pretty fast.”
“We wanted to work with local businesses.”
The project involved the construction of a new 10,000 square foot building. The building was designed to be a multi-purpose facility, capable of hosting a variety of events and activities. The project was funded by a combination of public and private funding sources. Public funding came from the city of [City Name], while private funding came from a local foundation.
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