School Finance January Compass 2023

State School Payments

The December State School Funding Payments for FY 2023 are posted at the following link: State School Payments

The December 16, 2022, payment includes:  Guaranteed Tax Base Aid for General Fund, State Lands Block Grant, and County Retirement.

The January payment will be made on January 26, 2023.

If you have questions regarding payments, please contact Autumn Belmont (406) 444-9852

Impact Aid Applications - due January 31st

The US Department of Education has opened the Impact Aid Grant System (IAGS) for FY 2024 applications:

The Impact Aid section 7002 and section 7003 applications for Fiscal Year 2024 are now available online in the Impact Aid Grant System (IAGS). The application submission deadline for the Section 7002 and Section 7003 applications is 1/31/2023 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. We urge you to begin working on your application well before the deadline. Do not wait until the last minute. Log in to the Impact Aid Grant System [impactaid.ed.gov] to start your application. You will find the link to start your application on the Home page. We have a number of helpful tools available on our IAGS Training [iimpactaid.ed.gov] and Resources [iimpactaid.ed.gov] pages to help you submit your application. In particular, please review the Section 7002 Application Instructions [iimpactaid.ed.gov] and Section 7003 Application Instructions [iimpactaid.ed.gov]. If you need a refresher on IAGS account set up and how to complete an application, see our new slide deck, A Guide to Submitting a 7003 Application in the IAGS [iimpactaid.ed.gov]. Applications submitted after the deadline, but before 4/1/2023 incur a 10 percent payment reduction penalty. Don't let this happen to you!

Data sheets to assist with the completion of the application may be found here:  Impact Aid

Questions: For Impact Aid questions please contact:  Laci Novark, Budget Analyst at 406-444-4401.

Compensation Expenditure Reporting - Due Dec 10th

MAEFAIRS is available to report the FY2023 Compensation Expenditure Report. The Compensation Expenditure report is due to the Office of Public Instruction (OPI) by December 10, 2022.

The FY 2022 Compensation Expenditure Reporting Instructions have been updated and are available on the OPI website.

If you have questions regarding Compensation Expenditure Reporting, please email OPISchoolFinance@mt.gov or contact Laci Novark, Budget Analyst at 406-444-4401 or Andrea Mohammadi, Budget Analyst at 406-444-1960.

For TEAMS/TOE information, contact Ellery Bresler at 406-444-2410.

Spring Student count due - Due February 2/6/2023

The official fall count day is Monday, February 6, 2023.   You may import data once Aggregate Hours are entered in AIM (Infinite Campus), however you will not be able to submit to OPI prior to February 7.  You may import as many times as necessary before submitting your final data.  Student Count for ANB reports must be submitted to the MAEFAIRS system no later than February 10, 2023.

To access MAEFAIRS,  CLICK HERE

Questions: For ANB questions or to correct submitted data, please contact: Andrea Mohammadi, Budget Analyst, 406-444-1960.

Indirect cost rate applications - Due April 30th

Districts that plan to charge indirect costs (e.g., general administration, accounting services, and personnel services) to FY2023 federal and state grant awards using an indirect cost rate must complete an indirect cost rate application form.  Application for an indirect cost rate does not increase the amount of the grant award.

For compatibility with the e-grants system the closing date for applying for an Indirect Cost Rate is April 30, 2023. 

The U.S. Department of Education renewed our 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.

Indirect Cost Rate Application and resources for FY2023 are available on the OPI website.

Please review the instructions and additional documentation for more details.

Indirect Cost Rate Cover Letter (please read)

Indirect Cost Rate Instructions

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. 

Schedule A, which shows preliminary rates.

The Certification forms

If you have questions or need assistance viewing the files, please contact: Jesse Romero, Technology Support Coordinator, 406-444-3096.

If you have questions about how to complete the indirect cost rate application, please contact: Barbara Quinn, School Finance Senior Manager, 406-444-3249.

FY 2023 Elections

OPI School Finance Staff, in conjunction with Nicole Thuotte, AIM Unit Manager and MASBO will be doing the annual election training via Zoom. The bi-weekly check-in meetings will begin sooner this year – to give more opportunities for districts to ask questions and to update districts with legislative changes.  Bi-weekly meetings will begin on January 6, 2023.  A full schedule and links are provided here: Elections Training.

The FY 2023 District Classification Report, the report of Districts Required to Report Campaign Finance, and the Election Handbook are published on the website.  Please check the Election webpage for updates.

If you have any questions, please email OPISchoolFinance@mt.gov or call Andrea Mohammadi 406-444-1960 or Barbara Quinn 406-444-3249.

Tuition Forms - complete and entered to Maefairs

Student Attendance Agreements should be completed upon enrollment in a school (20-5-322, MCA).  Students who are in foster or group homes outside of their resident district should be entered into MAEFAIRS as soon as they are approved by the attending district.  This allows resident districts to review their obligations or dispute their status as resident district – facilitating payments due in the ensuing year.  Please make sure to enter these agreements in a timely manner and run the reports set up for resident districts in MAEFAIRS.  Please see the forms located under Tuition and Attendance.

FP14.2 Foster and Group Home Student Attendance Agreement

FP15 Day Treatment and Out of State Tuition

If you have any questions, please email OPISchoolFinance@mt.gov or call Andrea Mohammadi 406-444-1960 or Barbara Quinn 406-444-3249.

Bus Driver Certificates (TR35)

School bus drivers must hold a valid Montana School Bus Driver Certificate (TR35) for a district to be eligible to receive state reimbursement.

Qualifications for bus drivers are prescribed by 20-10-103, MCA, and by the Board of Public Education in ARM 10.64.201.  The bus driver certificate forms are provided and must be maintained electronically in the Pupil Transportation System. 

The chair of the board of trustees must sign the certificate which is issued to a driver who is authorized and qualified to drive a school bus pursuant to all applicable rules, regulations, and laws. The district must retain a current copy of each bus driver's certificate, provide a copy to the bus service contractor, if applicable, and file a copy with the county superintendent. The bus driver is required to always carry a current and valid hard copy of the certificate while driving a school bus.

If you have questions regarding Bus Driver Qualifications, please contact Donell Rosenthal at (406) 461-9316.

Transportation Semester 2 Bus Inspections – 1/31/2023

The Montana Highway Patrol must perform the first semiannual bus inspection of school buses at least 30 days prior to the beginning of the school term and re-inspect the buses, if necessary, before the beginning of the school term.

Only school buses that pass inspection may be used to transport students and only school buses that pass inspection will receive state and county transportation reimbursement. A school bus that fails to pass inspection will not be eligible for state and county reimbursement until the bus is reinspected and approved by the inspecting officer.

The school district is responsible for contacting the Montana Highway Patrol for bus inspections.  Buses that are placed in operation after the school semester has begun must be inspected and approved by the Montana Highway Patrol before the bus is operated on the established route.

Inspection Forms can be accessed through the Pupil Transportation System and must be entered electronically upon completion of the inspections.

For questions or assistance with the spreadsheet, please contact Donell Rosenthal or call 406- 461-9316.

FY 2023 Semester 1 Transportation Reimbursement Claims

By February 15^th 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 for 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 February 22^nd county superintendents must review and electronically approve the TR-5 and TR-6 claims for the first semester.

The state transportation reimbursements for first semester will be made with the March 2022 payment.

Upon receipt of electronic state payment notice, the county superintendent orders the disbursement of county reimbursement for first semester transportation based on state reimbursement.

If you have questions or require assistance entering and submitting the first semester transportation reimbursement claims, please contact Donell Rosenthal at (406) 461-9316.

New updates to the School Finance webpage

Chart of Account

Understanding School Finance

Pupil Transportation System Programming Updates

School Year 2022-23 Changes

• STRUCTURE CHANGES with an effective date of July 1, 2023: School districts with changes to operating status, grade level configurations, school/district name, etc., 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 or Andrea Mohammadi at 406-444-1960

• PERSONNEL CHANGES: Changes to board chair, clerk/business manager, superintendent, or principal must be changed in OPI Contacts.  Instructions for how to make these changes are found here:  Instructions.  If you have question about how to complete the updates, please contact: CentralUpdates@mt.gov.