State School Funding Payments
The April State School Funding Payments for FY 2022 were posted at the following link: State School Payments
The April 26, 2022, payments include Direct State Aid, Quality Educator Component, At-Risk Component, Indian Education for All, Student Achievement Gap, Data for Achievement, and Special Education.
The FY 2022 May payment is scheduled for May 26, 2022.
If you have questions regarding payments, please contact Becky Belling at (406) 444-2561.
Farewell
Mari Haefka is transitioning to another state agency. Thank you, Mari, for your support to Montana school districts and the students of Montana. Mari’s last day with OPI was April 22nd. We wish her the best of luck in her new position.
FY2023 Indirect Cost Rate Applications Available
Districts that plan to charge indirect costs (e.g., general administration, accounting services, and personnel services) to FY2023 federal and state grant awards must complete an indirect cost rate application form. The application for an indirect cost rate does not increase the amount of the grant award. The closing date for applying for an Indirect Cost Rate is April 30th, which is compatible with the e-grants system.
The U.S. Department of Education renewed the indirect cost agreement effective for FY2021. Consequently, some aspects of the indirect calculation have changed with this application round:
- School Systems enrolling greater than 2,600 students must redirect costs associated with business manager salary and benefits to direct and unallowable.
- Indirect Cost Rates will be awarded per school system rather than by LE.
- The use of a carry forward calculation has been eliminated. The calculation has been replaced with a five-year rolling average with a 5% discount.
Please review Indirect Cost Rate Instructions and additional documentation for more details. The Indirect Cost Rate Application and resources for FY2023 are available on the OPI website.
Indirect Cost Rate Cover Letter (please read)
Schedule A shows preliminary rates.
Certification forms
If you reclassify costs to adjust the indirect cost rate, please read the Indirect Cost Rate Instructions prior to reclassification of costs for an adjusted rate. A reclassification calculator is available for aiding in the determination of an adjusted indirect cost rate.
If you have questions about how to complete the indirect cost rate application, please contact Barbara Quinn, School Finance Senior Manager, 406-444-3249.
2022 Montana School Bus Standards—Extended Stop Signal Arm
Extended Stop Arm (Page 40) --Effective July 1, 2022
When a school bus route includes a bus stop that requires a child to cross a roadway, the school bus must be equipped with an extended stop arm that partially obstructs the roadway.
A school child may not cross a roadway to enter or exit from a school bus unless the roadway has been partially obstructed by the extended stop arm. 61-8-351, MCA.
Extended Stop Arm must:
- Be equipped with additional flashing red lights as specified in 61-8-351(5)(b) and 61-9-402, MCA.
- Be capable of extending a distance of at least 54 inches from the school bus.
- Be at a height of not less than 36 inches.
- Extended Stop Arm should have an additional illuminated stop sign located at the furthest distance from the school bus.
These new requirements and modifications will have an impact when performing the semi-annual school bus inspections by Montana Highway Patrol Officers. In addition, the TR-13 Bus Inspection Form is in the process of being fully revised and will be available by the effective date of July 1, 2022.
For questions regarding the new requirements and bus standards, please contact Donell Rosenthal at (406) 461-9316.
FY 2022 Semester 2 Transportation Reimbursement Claims
By May 24th school districts must electronically enter and submit Bus Route Reimbursement Claims (TR6) and Individual Contract Reimbursement Claims (TR5) in the Pupil Transportation System.
School districts will receive state and county transportation reimbursement based on actual days for all routes operated for transporting eligible riders from home to school.
(20-10-145, MCA).
NOTE: If school districts experienced unplanned school closures, or routes were not run anytime within the semester, districts may not claim reimbursement for those days.
Individual transportation contract claims will be reimbursed for each day of school attendance for the student and for actual miles transported.
Once the school district has submitted reimbursement claims, a signed copy by the board chair must be sent to the county superintendent.
By June 1st County superintendents must review and electronically approve the TR-5 and TR-6 claims for the second semester.
The state transportation reimbursements for the second semester will be made with the June 2022 payment.
Upon receipt of the electronic state payment notice, the county superintendent orders the disbursement of county reimbursement for second-semester transportation based on state reimbursement.
If you have questions or require assistance entering and submitting the second-semester transportation reimbursement claims, please contact Donell Rosenthal at (406) 461-9316.
ESSER II - Targeted Support
The 2021 Legislature, through HB 630, amended statute to suspend the funding of enrollment increases through the Anticipated Enrollment Increase (20-9-314, MCA) and Unanticipated Enrollment Increase (20-9-166, MCA) processes. However, the legislature provided for additional payments to schools for enrollment increases during FY2022 &FY2023. See the Memo on the ESSER website for more information. The Additional funding was distributed to counties in April. The ESSER II Targeted Support funds are to be distributed through E-grants. The funds may be used for general operations purposes. The accounting codes for the ESSER II targeted support can be found in the Consolidated Guidance Document.
Questions: For information on Targeted Support, please contact: Barb Quinn, School Finance Senior Manager at (406) 444-3249.
School Elections
Upcoming Election Deadlines:
- Saturday, April 23 through Sunday, May 1
- Absentee/mail ballot counting notice
- Polling location accessibility notice
- Publication of information concerning voting systems
- Monday, May 2 (by noon) – Deadline for absentee ballot requests
- Tuesday, May 3 – Election Day!
- Monday, May 9 (not sooner than 3:00 pm) – The first date provisional ballots may be counted
- Friday, May 27 – Deadline for canvass of vote, issuing certificates of election, and publishing official election results
- Friday, May 27 – Deadline for trustees to hold an organizational meeting
- Wednesday, June 1 – Deadline for trustees to request county election administrator conduct elections for the upcoming school year
Note: A preliminary injunction was issued by the 13th Judicial District Court in Yellowstone County on 4/6/2022 affecting the following bills passed in the 2021 legislative session: HB 176, HB 506, HB 530, and SB 169. HB 176 and HB 506 directly affect school districts conducting the May 3, 2022, regular school election. HB 176 created a late voter registration deadline of noon on the day before the election. HB 506 prohibited an election administrator from issuing a ballot to an elector who had registered in accordance with 13-2-110, MCA, but had not yet met the age or residency requirements. As of today, these legislative changes are not to be enforced. Please be advised that this is a pending legal action that could change at any time. Should the OPI receive updated information it will be posted to our Elections webpage and information sent to districts as soon as possible. In the meantime, please direct any voter registration questions to your county election office.
The OPI, in coordination with MASBO, will again be conducting bi-weekly check-in meetings during the election season. The plan was to record these meetings, but, unfortunately, that will not be possible. Here is the schedule for those meetings:
The Zoom link will be available on the MASBO website.
Questions: For information on School Elections, please contact: Nicole Thuotte, Financial Specialist, 406-444-4524.
Targeted Extracurricular Activities Participation
Students participating in extracurricular activities in the 21-22 school year and who meet the requirements of 20-9-311(13), MCA may be included in the district’s FY 23 ANB count. The students must be enrolled in AIM and have their participating data entered as part of the End of Year collection. The guide to entering that information in AIM may be found here: AIM Extracurricular Activities Guide. Additionally, two new documents explaining the legislative changes in SB 72 and SB 157 may be found here: Student Count ANB/Guides & Resources.
Questions: For information on Extracurricular Activities Participation, please contact: Nicole Thuotte, Financial Specialist, 406-444-4524.
School Year 2022-23 Changes
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STRUCTURE CHANGES: School districts with changes to operating status, grade level configurations, school/district name, etc., for the 2022-23 school year should contact the OPI as soon as possible. Please send official notice of these change requests, on district letterhead, signed by the Authorized Representative, to the School Finance email at opischoolfinance@mt.gov.
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PERSONNEL CHANGES: Changes to the board chair, clerk/business manager, superintendent, or principal should be reported to OPI Contacts. Instructions for how to make these changes are found here: Instructions. If you have questions about how to complete the updates, please contact: CentralUpdates@mt.gov
The OPI is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation, require an alternate format, or have questions concerning accessibility, contact the OPI ADA Coordinator, 406-444-3161, opiada@mt.gov, Relay Service: 711.
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