Columbia Falls School District trustees voted Monday to move forward with a revised proposal for the Columbia Falls Trades Academy, after the Montana Board of Public Education rejected the district’s first application in January.

Revised charter application

The district initially proposed the charter school in October 2025. The Board of Public Education approved only two new charter schools during that cycle but encouraged Columbia Falls School District to refine and resubmit its application.

The board said the earlier proposal did not provide enough evidence of academic quality or demonstrate that the school could operate successfully. Superintendent Cory Dziowgo said the new application remains largely similar to the previous version, while adding more-developed partnerships with local businesses.

Flathead Valley Community College plans to provide a letter supporting the application.

Trades and schedule

The proposed academy would provide Columbia Falls high school students with skilled-trades instruction and credentials. The earlier plan included training in framing, plumbing, electrical work, heating and air conditioning, and complete tiny-home construction.

The district’s Glacier Park Cabin Project already offers students trades-related opportunities. Under the previous proposal, the academy would operate at Canyon Elementary in Hungry Horse and use a four-day school week, with Fridays reserved for internships and enrichment.

Seventh- and eighth-grade students could eventually have the option to enroll, although they would not participate during the academy’s first year.

Jill Rocksund, board chair of the Columbia Falls School District, said the proposal could provide a model for trades education and help students enter the workforce after graduation. “It’s exciting,” Rocksund said.

Review timeline

The updated application is due to the Board of Public Education by Friday, Oct. 30. The board’s January meeting is scheduled for Jan. 14-15 in Helena.

If approved, the Columbia Falls Trades Academy plans to open in August 2027. Board-approved charter schools receive five-year grants, and districts receive one year to prepare before an approved school begins operating.

The academy would join Kalispell Rising Wolf Charter and Flathead PACE Academy, which were approved in 2024 and are associated with Kalispell Public Schools’ Glacier High and Flathead High.