Kalispell School District 5

What Kalispell School District 5 does

Kalispell School District 5 (legally Kalispell Public School District 5, dba Kalispell Public Schools) is a Montana state government entity operating public K-12 education across 11 schools in the Flathead Valley, including Flathead High School and Glacier High School (Grades 9-12), Kalispell Middle School (Grades 6-8), six elementary schools (Edgerton, Elrod, Hedges, Peterson, Rankin, Russell), the Linderman Education Center for alternative programming, and the Agricultural Education Center for vocational work. The district provides a full standard K-12 portfolio plus supplemental programs: a Driver's Education Center ($360/student, multiple scheduling formats, behind-the-wheel and classroom), a Work-Based Learning/Future Industry Leaders internship program, special education and Section 504 services for ages 3-21, multilingual learner support using the WIDA framework, mental health services through the HEART program, a federally funded Summer Food Program, and an annual Doris Mountain Summit on Personalized Competency-Based Education.

The technology stack is third-party and conventional rather than proprietary: PowerSchool serves as the student information system and parent portal (district code WZLK), Google Apps for Education supports instruction and operations, Finalsite powers the public web presence, Mealtime handles online meal payments via MyMealtime.com, EduTrak Connect processes student fee payments, and the WIDA Screener assesses multilingual learners. Mobile apps are published for iOS (App Store ID 1527574744) and Android (package com.schoolpointe.mt_kalispellps). The district exposes no public or partner API; the only AI-adjacent feature in production is Google Translate-based website localization.

The business model is government-funded rather than commercial: primary revenue comes from Montana state education aid and local property taxes, supplemented by voter-approved operating levies (a $1.1M Elementary Levy approved May 5, 2026, and a separately passed High School Levy for 2024-25), a dollar-for-dollar Montana state income tax credit for donations up to $200,000 per year, and nominal user fees (Driver's Education at $360/student). Enrollment is open to district residents at no tuition via PowerSchool. The district is governed by an elected Board of Trustees (Jinnifer Mariman, Chair) under Superintendent Matt Jensen, with central administration at 233 1st Avenue East, Kalispell, and approximately 1,032 staff across the district.

Name

Kalispell School District 5

Legal name

Kalispell Public School District 5

Website

https://sd5.k12.mt.us

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Kalispell School District 5 is a Montana public K-12 school district operating 11 schools across the Flathead Valley, serving district residents with tuition-free education, special services, and community-funded programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public K–12 Combined Schools (EDAJAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public High Schools (EDAJAAAD)

Keywords

• Public K-12 education
• School district services
• Special education programs
• Driver education training
• Food service programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Kalispell

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Public School Funding: Revenue from Montana state education funding, local property taxes, and voter-approved levies. The district passed a High School Levy and has an Elementary Levy of $1.1M.
2. Innovative Educational Programs Tax Credit: Dollar-for-dollar Montana state income tax credit for donations up to $200,000 per year to public schools for innovative educational programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Kalispell School District 5 delivers free public K-12 education across 11 schools (two high schools, one middle school, six elementary schools, Linderman Education Center, and Agricultural Education Center) for district residents. Supplementary offerings include the Driver's Education Center with classroom and behind-the-wheel instruction, the Summer Food Program providing federally funded meals, and Work-Based Learning internships through the Future Industry Leaders Program connecting students with community employers.

Product overview

Kalispell School District 5 operates as a traditional public school district offering a comprehensive K-12 educational portfolio. The district's product ecosystem includes 12 schools (6 elementary, 1 middle, 2 high schools, and specialized centers) providing core educational services plus supplementary programs. Key offerings include the Driver's Education Center for traffic education, the Summer Food Program for nutritional support, and the Work-Based Learning/Future Industry Leaders internship program connecting students with community employers. The district maintains official mobile applications for iOS and Android, hosts the annual Doris Mountain Summit professional development conference, and utilizes integrated platforms including PowerSchool for student information management, Google Apps for Education, and WIDA assessment tools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Driver's Education Center Comprehensive driver's education program offering classroom instruction and behind-the-wheel training for students age 14.5 and older. Classes are offered in 5-week, 8-week, 10-week, and hybrid formats with 60+ hours of structured learning, at a cost of $360 per student on a first-come first-served basis.
• Summer Food Program Federally-funded meal program providing free nutritious meals to children during the summer months when school is not in session, operated by the district's Food Service department.
• Work-Based Learning / Future Industry Leaders Program Internship program connecting Kalispell Public Schools students with real workplace experiences across the Flathead Valley. Includes partnerships with over 13 community employers in fields including healthcare, law, education, automotive, construction, and government.
• Kalispell Schools Mobile App (iOS & Android) Official district mobile application available on the iOS App Store and Google Play Store, providing parents and students access to district news, calendars, school information, and resources.
• Doris Mountain Summit 2026 Annual educational conference for professional development focusing on Personalized Competency Based Education (PCBE). Features breakout sessions on student agency, instructional tools including AI, leadership development, and systems design.

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

AI capability1 record

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and support.

• University of MontanacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent teaching placement partnership for semester-long classroom experience in KPS schools, part of Montana Teacher Residency program with yearlong immersive co-teaching and $1,400/month stipend
• Montana State University (MSU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent teacher placement partnership for semester-long classroom experience in KPS schools
• UM WesterncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent teaching placement partnership for semester-long classroom experience in KPS schools
• Benchmark Human ServicessupportOthersCommunity partner for special services supporting children ages birth to 3 with developmental disabilities
• Family OutreachsupportOthersCommunity partner providing support services for families with children ages 3 to 16
• AACT MontanasupportOthersIn-home Applied Behavior Analysis services for autism therapy in Montana
• A.W.A.R.E. Inc.supportOthersCommunity partner providing services for individuals with disabilities
• Center for Restorative Youth Justice (CRY-J)supportOthersRestorative justice services for youth in the community
• DREAM Adaptive RecreationsupportOthersAdaptive recreation programs for individuals with disabilities
• MonTECHsupportOthersAssistive technology resources provided by Rural Institute for Individuals with Disabilities
• Montana Down Syndrome AssociationsupportOthersFamily resources and support for individuals with Down syndrome
• Montana Empowerment CentersupportOthersParent training and information center for special education families
• Rural Institute for Inclusive CommunitiessupportOthersResearch-based transition guidance and resources for special education
• Vocational Rehabilitation and Blind ServicessupportOthersState services for job training and vocational rehabilitation
• Kalispell Education FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit foundation supporting Kalispell Public Schools through fundraising and educational program enhancement
• Flathead Valley Quick Response TeamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCrisis response team of school counselors available to support schools in event of tragedy including student/staff death or suicide

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Great Falls Public Schools: Central Montana public K-12 district with similar multi-school portfolio. Directly comparable Montana public school district operating under the same state funding and levy framework.
• Billings Public Schools: Montana's largest public K-12 district serving Yellowstone County. Comparable in scale and full K-12 structure, providing benchmark for staffing, levy reliance, and program breadth among Montana public districts.
• Helena Public Schools: Montana capital-area public K-12 district with similar state-funded, levy-supported structure. Directly comparable as another Montana public district operating special education, multilingual learner, and career-readiness programs.
• Missoula County Public Schools: Montana's second-largest public K-12 district serving Missoula with multiple elementary, middle, and high schools. Directly comparable as a Montana public K-12 district of similar scale, structure, and state funding environment.
• Bozeman Public Schools: Southwest Montana public K-12 district serving Gallatin County with similar grade configuration and voter-levy funding mechanisms. Comparable as a Montana public school district navigating growth and community-funded program expansion.

Others

• Flathead High School: One of the two high schools wholly operated by Kalispell School District 5 (not an independent peer). Listed as adjacent only because it is a subsidiary of the subject district — not a true peer.

Regional players

• Spokane Public Schools: Large Pacific Northwest public K-12 district serving eastern Washington, near the Montana border. Comparable in scale, multi-school structure, and reliance on voter-approved levies and state funding, though operating under a different state's regulatory regime.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Kalispell_PS
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@kalispellpublicschools
• Facebookfacebook.com/kalispellschools
• Instagraminstagram.com/kalispell_public_schools

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kalispell School District 5