State School Payments
The March State School Funding Payments for FY 2023 are posted at the following link: State School Payments
The March 28, 2023, payment includes Direct State Aid, Quality Educator Component, At Risk Component, Indian Education for All, Student Achievement Gap, Data for Achievement, Special Education, and Transportation.
The April payment will be made on April 25, 2023.
If you have questions regarding payments, please contact Autumn Belmont (406) 444-9852
FY 2024 Preliminary General Fund Budget Data Sheets
The Office of Public Instruction (OPI) has posted the FY 2024 Pre-Session Including HB15 Inflationary Increases Preliminary General Fund Budget Data Sheets (PBDS). The Governor signed HB15 which provides for the inflationary increases. The General Fund Budget Excel Spreadsheet has also been updated. The tools below will assist schools in budgeting for the 2024 fiscal year.
- The Preliminary Budget Data Sheets are posted at the following link: CLICK HERE
- The FY2024 General Fund Budget Excel Spreadsheet and FY2024 General Fund Budget Overview Worksheet are posted at the following link: CLICK HERE
Note: Please download the current version of the spreadsheet to your computer (right-click on the link and choose "Save Target As" to save it to your desktop.) Previous versions of the spreadsheet are no longer applicable for preliminary budget purposes.
For any additional questions, please contact Laci Novark at (406) 444-4401, Andrea Mohammadi at (406) 444-1960, or Autumn Belmont at (406) 444-9852.
FY 2024 County Reporting Forms
The Office of Public Instruction (OPI) has posted the FY 2024 County reporting forms at the following link: County (mt.gov)
- County Treasurer Statement (FP6a)
- FY 2024 Countywide School Funds (FP6b)
- Joint District Basic Data (FP8a)
- Joint District Tax Levy Summary (FP8b)
For any additional questions, please contact Autumn Belmont (406) 444-9852.
FY 2024 Special Education Cooperative Reports
The Office of Public Instruction (OPI) has posted the FY 2024 Special Education Allowable Cost Funding Cooperative Preliminary reports at the following link: State School Payments (mt.gov)
For any additional questions, please contact Autumn Belmont (406) 444-9852.
FY 2023 Semester 1 County Transportation Distribution Spreadsheet
The County Transportation Distribution Spreadsheet for Semester 1 has been updated and posted to the OPI Pupil Transportation web page.
Note: Please download the current version of the spreadsheet to your computer (right-click on the link and choose "Save Target As" to save it to your desktop.)
This spreadsheet allows County Superintendents to determine the county portion of transportation reimbursements to be disbursed to school districts for the semester.
State and County Entitlement Reports are finalized and can be viewed in the Pupil Transportation Portal under the Reports tab. This report can be used in addition to the spreadsheet to verify reimbursement amounts to school districts.
If you have questions about semester 1 reimbursements, please contact: Donell Rosenthal or call 406-461-9316.
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.
If you have questions about how to complete the indirect cost rate application, please contact: Barbara Quinn, School Finance Senior Manager, 406-444-3249.
ESSA Per Pupil Expenditure Reporting
To help prepare districts for FY 2023 financial reporting School Finance staff will be presenting live webinars on ESSA Per Pupil Expenditure Reporting. We will be setting dates for the webinars soon. More information to come.
Questions: For information on ESSA Per Pupil Expenditure Reporting, please contact: Andrea Mohammadi, Business Analyst 406-444-1960.
FY 2023 Elections School Elections
Upcoming Election Deadlines:
- Thursday, December 8 through Thursday, March 23 – Trustee candidates file for election
- Tuesday, February 21 – Trustees call for an election
- Thursday, March 30 (by 5:00 pm) – Last day for a candidate to withdraw from the election
- Thursday, March 30 (by 5:00 pm) – Deadline to file as a write-in candidate
- Friday, March 31 – Deadline to notify election judges
- Friday, March 31 – Ballot certification
- Friday, March 31 – Election by Acclamation and Cancellation of the trustee election
- Monday, April 3 – Close of regular voter registration (obtain absentee list from the county)
- Monday, April 3 – Not more than 30 days before the election conduct a performance test and certification of voting system
- Tuesday, April 4 – Start of late registration
- Thursday, March 23-Saturday, April 22 – Notice of election is posted
The OPI, in coordination with MASBO, will again be conducting bi-weekly check-in meetings during the election season. Here is the schedule for those meetings:
- Friday, Mar 24, 2023 10:00 AM Ballot Certification
- Thursday, Apr 6, 2023 10:00 AM Mailing Ballots/Signature Verification
- Friday, Apr 21, 2023 10:00 AM Preparing for the Election
- Friday, May 5, 2023 10:00 AM Post-Election Procedures
- Friday, May 19, 2023 10:00 AM Election Wrap-Up
The Zoom link will be available on the OPI website.
NOTICE OF INTENT TO INCREASE NON-VOTED LEVIES MUST BE POSTED BY MARCH 31ST!
School districts that intend to impose an increase in a non-voted levy in FY2024 for the purposes of funding the Transportation, Bus Depreciation Reserve, Tuition, Adult Education, Flexibility and/or Building Reserve funds, shall adopt a resolution and provide notice no later than March 31, 2023, Per 20-9-116, MCA.
At a minimum, the resolution must show the estimated number of increased or decreased mills to be imposed and the estimated increased or decreased revenue to be raised compared to non-voted levies in the Transportation, Bus Depreciation, Tuition, Adult Education, Flexibility and/or Building Reserve funds imposed in the current school fiscal year and, based on the district's taxable valuation most recently certified by the department of revenue under 15-10-202, MCA the estimated impacts of the increase or decrease on a home valued at $100,000 and a home valued at $200,000.
Publish a copy of the resolution in a newspaper that will give notice to the largest number of people in the district as determined by the trustees and post a copy of the resolution to the school district's website.
Additional requirements for Building Reserve permissive levy: Identify and list the anticipated school major maintenance projects for which the proceeds of the levy will be used in the resolution. Note: Proceeds from the levy may be expended only for the purposes in 20-9-525(2), MCA
Questions: For information on School Elections, please contact: Laci Novark, 406-444-4401; Andrea Mohammadi, 406-444-1960; Barb Quinn 406-444-3249.
Impact Aid Application Amendments
Amendments to FY 2024 Impact Aid applications will be accepted through June 30, 2023. If your district needs to make corrections to the FY 2024 application, complete an application amendment through the IAGS system. Instructions for completing an amendment may be found here: https://impactaid.ed.gov/training-amendments/.
Questions: For information on Impact Aid reporting, please contact: Laci Novark, Budget Analyst, 406-444-4401.
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.
If you have any questions, please email OPISchoolFinance@mt.gov or call Andrea Mohammadi 406-444-1960 or Barbara Quinn 406-444-3249.
MAPT 2023 Bus Driver Conference
Registration is now open for the 2023 Bus Driver Conference that will be held in Great Falls on June 21-23 at the Heritage Inn, 1700 Fox Farm Road.
CLICK HERE to register for the conference. NO AT-CONFERENCE REGISTRATION WILL BE ALLOWED. CLICK HERE for the conference agenda.
Drivers will have the opportunity to fulfill their mandatory 15 hours of training requirements.
For questions about the conference or assistance with registration, please email MAPT at montana.mapt@gmail.com .
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.
School Finance Calendar
The calendar link on the School Finance website has been updated for FY2023. The link will take you to the GEMS Data Reporting Calendar which is populated with important dates and deadlines that happen throughout the fiscal year. It is sortable by month and can be saved into other workable formats like Microsoft Word or Excel. You can find it here OPI (GEMS) Data Collections Calendar We hope this tool will help education staff across the state.
School Year 2023-2024 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 call Andrea Mohammadi at 406-444-1960 or Laci Novark at 406-444-4401.
Updating Contact Information
PERSONNEL CHANGES: All school districts please go to the OPI website - Directory of Montana Schools - to verify your schools’ information. Changes to board chair, clerk/business manager, superintendent, or principal must be changed in OPI Contacts. The instructions on how to update your schools’ information can be found at the following link: Instructions. If you have questions about how to complete the updates, please contact: CentralUpdates@mt.gov.
If you have questions about updates, please contact: Barbara Quinn 406-444-3249.
New to the Team!
School Finance encourages everyone to give a warm welcome to Amanda Zigan. Amanda is our new Computer Support Technician. She has extensive customer service experience and will be a valuable team member in providing support to Montana school districts. Questions can be emailed to OPISchoolFinance@mt.gov or Amanda.Zigan@mt.gov or call (406)444-3096.
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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