School Finance

About Us

• State Distributions to Schools - administers the distribution of over $725 million of state equalization aid including funding for Special Education, school facilities payments, and guaranteed tax base aid (GTB) to Montana school districts
• Accounting and Financial Reporting - develops accounting policies for Montana's school districts in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Provides guidance to districts for the management of fiscal information through the School Accounting Manual
• Budgeting - provides technical assistance and monitoring school district compliance with school budget laws
• Training and Technical Assistance - provides school district personnel, county treasurers, and county superintendents of schools with technical accounting, budgeting and reporting assistance/training
• Legislative and Federal Fiscal Reporting - compiles and reports school district financial information to the Legislature, Federal government and public
• Audit Monitoring - monitors and reports school district compliance with the OMB Circular A-133 (the "Single Audit Act") and state auditing requirements
• Federal Impact Aid Program Liaison - serves as a liaison with the US Department of Education for the Federal Impact Aid Program, which provides approximately $38 M annually to eligible Montana school districts
• Enrollment - collects school district enrollment data used for state funding and Federal reporting.
• Tuition - calculates maximum tuition rates for public school districts
• MAEFAIRS - maintains an electronic financial reporting system for collecting school budgeting, expenditure, revenue and enrollment information
• Pupil Transportation - provides distribution of state transportation aid and technical assistance in the areas of school bus equipment and operation standards and interpretation of school bus rules, regulations and laws.