State School Payments
The April State School Funding Payments for FY2023 are posted at the following link: State School Payments
The April 25, 2023, payment includes Direct State Aid, Quality Educator Component, At Risk Component, Indian Education for All, Student Achievement Gap, Data for Achievement, Special Education.
The May payment will be made on May 25, 2023.
If you have questions regarding payments, please contact Autumn Belmont (406) 444-9852
ESSA Training
The Office of Public Instruction will conduct two ESSA Training Webinars. The dates and link are below:
Thursday May 2, 2023 at 1:00 PM
Join Zoom Meeting
https://mt-gov.zoom.us/j/84583814570?pwd=cW1BVHNVbzEvdEdBRXQxTHNjUmdDZz09
Meeting ID: 845 8381 4570
Password: 265844
Dial by Telephone
+1 646 558 8656
Meeting ID: 845 8381 4570
Password: 265844
Find your local number: https://mt-gov.zoom.us/u/k4FlLLPJZ
Wednesday, May 24, 2023 at 1:00 PM
Join Zoom Meeting https://mt-gov.zoom.us/j/89436757298?pwd=RG5SRjAxbVA5VXdNbXZuR2dGQjdNUT09
Meeting ID: 894 3675 7298 Password: 973569
Dial by Telephone +1 646 558 8656 Meeting ID: 894 3675 7298 Password: 973569 Find your local number: https://mt-gov.zoom.us/u/kjrzAc2R9
For Additional Information please contact Andrea Mohammadi, Business Analyst, (406) 444-1960.
Indirect Cost Rate Applications - Due April 30th
Only 13% of schools have tuned in their Certification for Indirect Cost Rate! The deadline is fast approaching.
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 to aid in the determination of an adjusted indirect cost rate.
Completed Indirect Cost Rate forms can be emailed to OPISchoolFinance@mt.gov or mailed to PO Box 202501, Helena MT 59620-2501
If you have questions about how to complete the indirect cost rate application, please contact: Barbara Quinn, School Finance Senior Manager, 406-444-3249 or Amanda Zigan, Computer Support Technician, 406-444-3096.
Budget Amendments
In accordance with 20-9-162, MCA, budget amendments must be adopted prior to the end of the school fiscal year (June 30th). A budget amendment may be adopted only for the purposes outlined in 20-9-161, MCA. The budget amendment packet may be found here: Budgets (mt.gov).
Questions: For information on Budget Amendments, please contact: Laci Novark, Budget Analyst, 406-444-4401 or email OPISchoolFinance@mt.gov
Extracurricular Activities Participation – Due Jun 30th
Students participating in extracurricular activities in the 2022-2023 school year and who meet the requirements of 20-9-311(13), MCA may be included in the district’s FY2024 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: Andrea Mohammadi, Business Analyst, (406) 444-1960.
FY2023 Elections School Elections
Upcoming Election Deadlines:
- Thursday, March 23-Saturday, April 22 – Notice of election is posted.
- Wednesday April 12, 2023, Absentee Ballots Available.
- Wednesday April 12 through Monday April 17, 2023- Mail Ballots Mailed.
- Saturday April 22 through Sunday April 30, 2023- Absentee/Mail Ballot Counting Notice/Polling Location Accessibility Notice/Publication of Information Concerning Voting Systems.
- Monday May 1, 2023, Deadline for absentee ballot request/Deliver certified copy of the lists of registered electors.
- Tuesday May 2, 2023, ELECTION DAY!!!!!!
- Monday May 8, 2023, 1st date that provisional ballots may be counted.
- By Friday May 26, 2023, Trustees canvass the votes, issue certificates of election, and publish results.
- Monday May 8 through Monday June 5, 2023, Deadline for filing a petition for recount.
- Monday May 9 through Monday June 5, 2023, Deadline for convening the School Recount Board.
- By Friday May 26, 2023 Deadline for trustees to hold organizational meeting to elect chair and appoint clerk.
- Thursday June 1, 2023 Deadline for trustees to request county election administrator to conduct school elections for next year.
- By Friday June 9, 2023, Candidate completes and files Oath of Office with the County Superintendent.
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, 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.
Questions: For information on Tuition, please contact: Nicole Thuotte (406) 444-2080, Andrea Mohammadi, Business Analyst, (406) 444-1960 or Barbara Quinn, School Finance Senior Manager, 406-444-3249.
Isolation Applications – Due Jun 30th
Schools that need to apply for Isolation, please have applications completed and sent to OPI before June 20th, 2023.
Questions: For more information please contact: Andrea Mohammadi, Business Analyst, (406) 444-1960.
FY2022 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 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 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 second semester will be made with the June 2022 payment.
Upon receipt of 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.
The Targeted Support is not a separate grant but has been added to the Allocation page. However, you need to open an Amendment to your application in order to see the Targeted Support column.
Questions: For information on Targeted Support, please contact: Barb Quinn, School Finance Senior Manager at (406) 444-3249 or email OPISchoolFinance@mt.gov.
FY2024 Preliminary General Fund Budget Data Sheets
The Office of Public Instruction (OPI) has posted the FY2024 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, Budget Analyst, 406-444-4401, Andrea Mohammadi, Business Analyst, (406) 444-1960, or Autumn Belmont at (406) 444-9852.
Impact Aid Application Amendments
Amendments to FY2024 Impact Aid applications will be accepted through June 30, 2023. If your district needs to make corrections to the FY2024 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.
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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