With about 26,000 votes cast, only about 500 votes separated those for the levy and those against it. Forty-nine percent of people voted for the levy, and 51% voted against it.

This means the measure failed and Billings Public Schools will need to make some major budget cuts.

Superintendent Jack Copps got the news Tuesday evening at a West-End restaurant where supporters of the levy gathered. KULR-8 was at the event and got Copps' first reaction to the news.

He said he was saddened that the district would have to cut $817,000 from its budget. He said this will likely result is teachers losing their jobs and class sizes increasing.

Copps pointed out that without the levy, the state only provided Billings Public Schools with a 1% increase in the budget, far from enough to offset the 4% annual inflation in cost of living.

More than 50% of registered voters turned in ballots for this School Election. Yellowstone County Election Administrator Duane Winslow said Tuesday's vote had near record turn out. He said that's thanks to mail in ballots.

"When you have 50% turn out it feels good," Winslow said. "If you're having an election and you have the majority of the people make a statement about something it's a lot better than the minority making decisions for the rest of us."

The last time this many people voted in a school election was in 1985. Parents who either have kids in the Billings school system or used to have mixed feelings about the narrow defeat of the $817,000 dollar levy. Many seem concerned with how this will hurt education, while others tell why they were skeptical to pass the levy.

Anne Cole, a parent and part of the Yes for Kids Organization says, "I'm very disappointed. The schools already don't have any extra frills and this is going to mean some staff reductions. And it's going to affect my kid and my kid's school." Alan Christensen, a Billings resident says, "I have four kids that went through the Billings school system and I thought they got great educations, and I'm just very disappointed they didn't support it."

Sean Robinson has 3 children, one of them currently attending school in Billings, he voted against the levy, "If they want more money they need to be more specific about what it's for."

Here's a look at the other levies around our region. Residents of Laurel voted 54% to 45% to approved a high school mill levy. The elementary school levy also passed. This vote was 55% to 44%.

Voters passed a $43,000 general fund levy for Canyon Creek Schools. That vote passed by only 13 votes.

A Red Lodge Elementary School levy passed Tuesday, 733 voted in favor while 523 voted against it.

In Columbus, voters easily passed both high school and elementary school levies. 318 people voted for an elementary levy and 176 voted against. 321 voted for the high school levy and 171 voted against.

Voters in Absarokee passed the $29,000 elementary school levy. One-hundred ninety-five votes in favor, and 104 against.