State School Payments
The February State School Funding Payments for FY 2024 are posted at the following link: State School Payments
The February 26, 2024, payments include: Direct State Aid, Quality Educator Component, At Risk Component, Indian Education for All, Student Achievement Gap, Data for Achievement and Special Education.
If you have questions regarding payments, please contact Laci Novark (406) 444-4401
Funding for Significant Enrollment Increases (SEI) – March 1st deadline
The Office of Public Instruction (OPI) is providing this notice of HB 36 (2023 Legislative session) that revises the funding for significant enrollment increases. HB 36 modifies section 20-9-166, MCA, to allow significant enrollment increase (SEI) payments as described below. It also repeals 20-9-314, MCA, which provided procedures for determining eligibility and the amount of increased average number belonging (ANB) due to unusual enrollment increase.
The SEI Calculation worksheet can be found on the School Finance website under State School Payments>Entitlements
The timeline for the SEI payment is as follows:
- By December 1st of each year following the October enrollment count, the OPI must determine the school districts that qualify for a SEI payment.
- By December 15th of each year, the OPI must notify schools of their eligibility for a SEI payment.
- No later than March 1st, the trustees of a SEI payment qualifying district are to notify OPI of acceptance of all or partial amounts of the allowable SEI payment by passing a general fund budget amendment.
- As soon as passed, the school district general fund budget amendment must be provided to the OPI.
- Upon successful completion of the budget amendment process, the OPI will begin distribution of the SEI payments using appropriation authority from the BASE aid appropriation in HB 2. This payment will be distributed to schools by the OPI in the following months along with the direct state aid payment.
- With the regularly scheduled June payment, all distributions of the SEI payment will be complete for the fiscal year.
The Budget Amendment Packet is located on our website to help you with your budget amendment timelines and requirements.
If you have questions about this process or need assistance, please call Alivia Skeslien-Jenkins at 406-444-1964 or email us at OPISchoolFinance@mt.gov.
FY 2024 Preliminary General Fund Budget Data Sheets
The Office of Public Instruction (OPI) will post the FY 2025 Preliminary General Fund Budget Data Sheets (PBDS) and the General Fund Budget Excel Spreadsheet on March 1st. The tools below will assist schools in budgeting for the 2025 fiscal year.
- The Preliminary Budget Data Sheets will be posted at the following link: CLICK HERE
- The FY2025 General Fund Budget Excel Spreadsheet and FY2024 General Fund Budget Overview Worksheet will be posted at the following link: CLICK HERE
Note: When posted for FY2025, 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 Alivia Skeslien-Jenkins at (406) 444-1964.
State School Entitlements
The State School Funding Payments Entitlement for FY 2024 was posted at the following link: State School Payments>Entitlements
For more information, please contact Laci Novark, at (406) 444-4401 or contact us by email at opischoolfinance@mt.gov.
Emergency School Closures
School Closures are a local decision based on the needs of the community. Information on Emergency School Closures can be found on the School Finance Webpage. The document is titled “School District Closures – Unforeseen Emergencies”
It is important to be familiar with the laws but a couple of important reminders are as follows:
- Trustees should notify the County Superintendent of Schools and the OPI as soon as a school district closure has been declared.
- Trustees may close school for 1 school day each year for unforeseen emergencies that are not subject to a state funding reduction 20-9-806(2), MCA.
- If a school has an emergency closure for longer than the one-day exception, the Trustees may later adopt a resolution that a reasonable effort has been made to reschedule the pupil-instruction time lost. Not taking this action could result in a reduction to the school District’s BASE aid.
Adherence to the statutes is necessary to prevent the reduction of state entitlement funding for the district.
Please send notice to the OPI at OPISchoolFinance@mt.gov or call Amanda Zigan at 406-444-3096 or Barb Quinn at 406-444-3249.
Impact Aid Applications
Congratulations!
Every qualified Impact Aid school district submitted applications on time! Great job!
If you need to make an amendment, the deadline to amend a FY2024 application is June 30, 2024. A training video is available on the U.S. Department of Education website located here on the training page.
For more information, please contact Andrea Mohammadi at (406)444-1960 desk or (406) 438-6623 cell. By email at andrea.mohammadi@mt.gov or opischoolfinance@mt.gov.
Indirect cost rate applications - Due April 30th
Districts that plan to charge indirect costs (e.g., general administration, accounting services, and personnel services) to FY2025 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, 2024.
The U.S. Department of Education renewed our indirect cost agreement effective for FY2022. 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 FY2025 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.
Schedule A, which shows preliminary rates.
The Certification forms.
If you have questions or need assistance viewing the files, please contact Amanda Zigan at 406-444-3096.
If you have questions about how to complete the indirect cost rate application, please contact Barbara Quinn at 406-444-3249.
TUITION **REMEMBER** ALL TUITION MUST BE RECEIVED BY JUNE 30, 2024 Put it on your calendar!
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 time to review their obligations or dispute the status of a student’s resident district. Please make sure to enter these agreements as soon as they are received. Reports are available for resident districts in MAEFAIRS that allow districts to monitor obligations. Additional guidance for tuition is available under Tuition and Attendance on the OPI website.
For more information, please contact Andrea Mohammadi at (406) 444-1960 desk or (406)438-6623 cell. By email at andrea.mohammadi@mt.gov or opischoolfinance@mt.gov.
FY 2024 Elections
The election calendar is available here Election Calendar - 2024 Expanded (mt.gov). Additional guidance is also available at Elections (mt.gov).
If you need more information or immediate assistance, please contact Andrea Mohammadi at (406) 444-1960 (desk), (406)438-6623 (cell), andrea.mohammadi@mt.gov, or contact us by email at opischoolfinance@mt.gov.
OPI Application Access Guides for NEW Clerks and Superintendents
The OPI has information for new:
To assist in getting set up with their new roles, please see the documents located on the School Finance webpage. For more information, please contact Amanda Zigan at (406) 444-3096 or contact us by email at opischoolfinance@mt.gov.
Mandatory 15-Hour Bus Driver Training
A quality driver training program is critical to the success of a school transportation program. The commitment to provide school bus drivers who are safe, competent, and well-trained should be the goal of every school district. In order to achieve that goal, each district shall develop and implement a continuing education program for school bus drivers providing at least 15 hours of mandatory in-service training annually. The plan shall, upon request, be available for inspection by the Office of Public Instruction.
The minimum required training topics can be reviewed in the 2022 Montana School Bus Standards.
Training should be well documented for every driver including the date of training, hours completed, topic of training, and the duration of the training.
For more information, please contact Donell Rosenthal at (406) 461-9316 or contact us by email at opischoolfinance@mt.gov.
Annual Driving Records
Annual driving records must be performed on all drivers to ensure compliance with School Bus Driver Qualifications in 20-10-103, MCA, and 10.64.201, ARM.
Driving Records information can be requested through the Montana Department of Justice
For more information, please contact Donell Rosenthal at (406) 461-9316 or contact us by email at opischoolfinance@mt.gov.
Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse Registration – Urgent
A review of the enrollment rate for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse (DACH), specific to Montana carriers/entities was recently completed.
The review showed that more than 45% of the carriers/entities reporting at least one (1) CDL driver had NOT signed up for the DACH as required by 49 CFR 382.711. The review performed includes school districts.
DACH registration/queries must be done online at https://clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov
In order to avoid being in non-compliance, which can result in driver Out of Service, roadside citations, civil penalties, and other impacts to your business operations, please make sure you are using the DACH.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact FMCSA at (406) 449-5304.
Bus Driver Certificate 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.
For more information, please contact Donell Rosenthal at (406) 461-9316 or contact us by email at opischoolfinance@mt.gov.
Audit Letter for FY2023 Audits
The annual letter to auditors can be found on the OPI website by clicking this Audit link. The letter provides general information for FY2023 regarding issues affecting Montana school district audits and special items the OPI would like auditors to review for compliance with statute and administrative rules.
For more information, please contact Whitney Williams at 406-444-3408 or contact us by email at opischoolfinance@mt.gov.
School Year 2024-2025 Changes
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STRUCTURE CHANGES with an effective date of July 1, 2024: 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.
For more information, please contact Andrea Mohammadi at 406-444-1960, or contact us by email
at OPISchoolFinance@mt.gov.
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PERSONNEL CHANGES in the Directory of Montana Schools: Changes to Trustee, 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.
For more information, please contact Amanda Zigan at 406-444-3096, or contact us by email at CentralUpdates@mt.gov.
Updating School Contact Information with OPI
District Clerks are responsible for keeping their district’s contact information up to date. According to § 20-3-307, MCA, Trustee Contact information is required to be updated within 14 days following the qualification and oathtaking of a newly elected trustee or for the filling of a vacancy on the board (the county superintendent is responsible for providing information to the district clerk for the purpose of updating the Trustee Repository). Contact information also affects the Budget and TFS reports as well as how the AR for OPI and E-Grants updates. The instructions on how to update your schools’ information can be found at the following link: Instructions.
PERSONNEL CHANGES: All school districts please go to the OPI website - Directory of Montana Schools - to verify your schools’ information.
Changes must be made by the Clerk in OPI Contacts for:
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Trustees (required by HB 811).
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Board chair.
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Clerk/business manager.
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Superintendent.
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Principal.
For more information, please contact Amanda Zigan at 406-444-3096, or contact us by email at CentralUpdates@mt.gov.
School Finance Updates to the OPI Website
Updated FY 2025 Approved Indirect Cost Rates on the School Finance Accounting page, under Indirect Cost Rates on the Indirect Cost Rate Resources section.
Added Montana File Transfer Service button to the School Finance web page.
Updated MT Advanced Opportunity Aid Guidance on the School Finance Accounting page, in the Guidance & Manuals tab, under Program Guidance.
Added FY 2025 Debt Service Mill Value to the School Finance County page, under Information.
Updated FP-12.1 Parent or District Student Attendance Agreement FY2024 on the School Finance Tuition and Attendance page, under Forms.
Updated ANB Calculation Sheet on the School Finance Student Count ANB page, in the Guidance & Resources tab under the Student ANB Guidance section.
Updated Tax Credit Donation Maximum Limits on the School Finance Accounting page, under Tax Credits for Educational Donation.
Uploaded Bus Route Reimbursement Claims Reporting – Webinar & PowerPoint on the School Finance Pupil Transportation page, under Training.
Updated School Data Error Correction Request Form on the School Finance home page, under School Finance Information.
Updated FP-12.1 Parent or District Student Attendance Agreement FY2025 on the School Finance Tuition and Attendance page, under Forms.
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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