Commissioners Approve Bankhead-Jones Fund Distributions to Local School Districts
M.K. French
Farmer Staff Writer
During the McKenzie County Board of Commissioners meeting on July 7, 2026, Auditor/Treasurer Erica Johnsrud presented the distribution plan for this year’s Bankhead-Jones funds, totaling approximately $19.7 million. Following the discussion, the board approved the allocation of these funds to support local school districts.
According to Johnsrud, Bankhead-Jones funds are federal payments distributed to local governments in areas containing certain federally-owned national grassland lands. These funds are restricted in use and must be dedicated specifically to supporting local roads or schools. The primary purpose of this distribution is to provide essential financial support to these local entities, which helps alleviate the budgetary pressures often faced by school districts and allows the county to invest in infrastructure that directly benefits the community.
The board emphasized that prioritizing the distribution of Bankhead-Jones funds to school districts serves as a direct offset to property taxes for county citizens, a practice that has been maintained since 2019. Commissioners acknowledged the need to balance this support with other competing budgetary priorities, including road projects and city funding, while ensuring the county maintains a positive forecasted ending fund balance through 2027.
The approved distributions, designed to address specific needs while remaining equitable based on pupil counts and mill levy calculations, are as follows: the McKenzie School District will receive $11.9 million; the Alexander School District is allocated just over $3.9 million; the Yellowstone School District will receive $3.4 million; the Earl School District is set to receive just under $358,000; and the Horse Creek School District will receive over $42,000.