Tying It All Together

1. TyingIt All Together Lori Ames, Consultant Karen Kucharz, Consultant Kathy Guralski, Auditor

2. This Session’s Goals • Answer Your Questions; • Emphasize key points made in earlier sessions; • Provide answers to common questions we get throughout the year; • Provide you with the resources to get additional help if needed.

3. What should I present at the annual meeting when the state budget isn’t settled? • Use your best guess – We recommend you find the pre-populated revenue limit worksheet on our website. • Determine your best guess at equalization aid, using the worksheets located in the “District Budget Development and Planning” link. • Explain to your constituents the budget process is difficult and long, and the board will make the best possible decision once the budget is settled.

4. What are the Budget Hearing and Adoption Procedures? • The Budget Hearing and Adoption Workbook, found on our website on the left hand sidebar under “Budget Hearing and Adoption,” identifies a timeline and formats for budget adoption, publication, and amendments. • The procedures which common, union high, and unified school districts should follow are set forth in s. 65.90, Wis. Stats.

5. We have a gap between revenue and expenditures – what happens if we increase fees? Fee increases are certainly an option in balancing a budget; however, be aware that the school may assess fees for the specific materials necessary to complete the coursework, such as books, but it may not charge for instructional time, such as teacher salaries, apparatus, building costs or maintenance.

6. Are School Fees Reviewed or Audited? • If your district operates a summer school program and has a membership audit, an auditor will: • request the schedule of course fees and associated course expenses by class in the summer school program • determine that fees received for summer school courses used in computing summer school membership FTE do not exceed the cost of personal use items by class • if fees received exceed cost, the auditor will report to DPI and we may adjust your membership fte for equalization aid and revenue limits.

7. How much transportation aid will our district be getting this year? • When you complete your district’s transportation report in the School Finance Reporting Portal, your district’s estimated transportation aid will be calculated. • Find the Transportation Report in the Reporting Portal on our website, under “Non-Financial Data Home.” • Select the report and year you wish to view. • Select “Review Your Answers,” then find and select “Aid Eligibility.” • You can also view other district’s report and aid eligibility.

8. What about Fund 80 – are there things I should be careful of? • The DPI doesn’t determine if an activity should or shouldn’t be included in Fund 80. • Be aware that community members and legislators are paying more attention to fund 80 activity. • There is information on our website that may be helpful • Look on the left-hand sidebar under “Community Service Fund.”

9. Where can I find more information on the transfer of service exemption? • The Finance Team has information about the transfer of service exemption as it relates to revenue limits on the left-hand sidebar of our website under “Transfer of Service.” • Call Brad Adams on the Finance Team for additional information. 608-267-3752

10. How come I receive a certification of property values two times per year? • Fall Certification of Property Values: Used in the revenue limit calculation and for the calculation of the district’s mill rate • Spring Certification of Property Values: Used in the equalization aid calculation

11. What is the right amount of fund balance? • It’s really a local decision – DPI does not recommend an amount; • Districts usually average about 15-17% of budgeted expenditures;

12. What is the right amount of fund balance? • The following are considerations when evaluating your fund balance or working cash reserve: • Receipt of state aids and collection of property taxes in comparison to expenditures incurred • Expected growth or decline in enrollment • Future plans for special projects • Long-term needs

13. Our board is thinking of going to referendum – how do I find out the fiscal impact on aid and our levy? • Districts are ultimately responsible for estimating future impact on aid and taxes. • Some districts hire an outside advisor to help determine the impact.

14. What do I do when the board votes to go to referendum? • State law says you must notify DPI within 10 days of the board voting to go to referendum; • Then, within 10 days after the vote, you must notify DPI of the results; • You can find those reporting forms on our website under “Referendum Reporting.”

15. Where do I receipt an E-rate Refund? • E-rate refunds are credited to Source 971 in the fund from which the related expenditure was made. • Find out more details on the left hand sidebar under “WUFAR.” Under the heading “Accounting Issues and Coding Examples,” find a Word document called “E-rate Refunds.”

16. Who do I contact for grant eligibility and account code questions? • Various grants and information regarding them can be found on the left-hand sidebar of our website under “Grants Listing-DPI.” • For fiscal information on DPI grants and aids: • Go into the “Aids Register” link on the left-hand scan bar. • Go into the “Aids Register Codes” link for a contact person. • A fiscal contact and account code information is available in this link for all grants and aids coming from DPI.

17. Money was direct deposited into our bank account – what is it? • Go into the Aids Register link on the left-hand sidebar of our website. If the money came from DPI, the payment will be listed on the Aids Register under your district • Various grants and information regarding them can be found on the left-hand sidebar of our website under “Grants Listing-DPI.” • Source may also be identified in the aids register codes located at: http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/sfs/online_ar.html

18. When should I expect to receive aid payments from DPI? • Go into the “Aid Information” link on the left-hand sidebar of our website. • Go into the “Aid Payment Information” link. • In this link you will find a schedule of state aid payment dates as well as schedules of actual aid payments from prior years.

19. What do I do with the financial audit report? • You may choose to have the auditor present the audit to the Board. (builds trust) • Review the management letter and address any concerns. • Be aware the document is a public record. Be prepared for someone to ask for a copy.

20. How does my district comparefinancially with others? • Find “Data Warehouse” on the School Finance Homepage, and choose from the options; • The DPI “WINSS” site has lots of data, including financial data; • http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/sig/index.html • On the left-hand sidebar of our website, find “Comparative Cost/Revenue; • It compares your district’s cost and revenue with other districts.

21. What is the neighboring district’s current year mill rate? • Go into the “School Finance Reporting Portal.” • Go into the “All District Reports” link located on the left hand side. • See various reports (including a mill rate report) with information reported by all the school districts.

22. What is OPEB, and how does it affect our district? • A good explanation of what OPEB is and what you have to do about it is found in a webcast titled “Other Post Employment Benefits” and can be found on our web page under “Webcast Presentations;” • Information can also be found on the left-hand sidebar of our website under “Benefit Trust Fund.”

23. What if we don’t have school for 180 days? • The statutes say: Schedule at least 180 school days annually, less any days during which the state superintendent determines that school is not held or educational standards are not maintained as the result of a strike by school district employees. • Districts that report less than the required 180 days must have a waiver on file. If not, state aid must be reduced.

24. How many hours of instruction must we schedule? • Annually schedule at least: • 437 hours of direct pupil instruction in kindergarten, • 1,050 hours of direct pupil instruction in grades 1 through 6 • 1,137 hours of direct pupil instruction in grades 7 to 12. • Scheduled hours under this subdivision include recess and time for pupils to transfer between classes, but do not include the lunch period.

25. How do I calculate the hours of instructions for each of my school buildings? • Go into “Days & Hours of Instruction link on left-hand scan bar • Go into the Days and Hours of Instruction Worksheet • Calculate and report hours based on the highest grade level in the building

26. Where can I find the number of days other conference schools are in session? • You can find information about other districts for any of the reports that are submitted, including School Calendar, Census, Transportation, etc.; • Go to the Reporting Portal and find “All District Reports” on the left. Then find the report and year you wish to view.

27. Until what age must the district educate a student? • Regular Education: If the student is not yet graduated and less than 20 years old when he/she starts to receive instruction, then the district must serve and may count for equalization aid and revenue limits. • Special Education: If the student is not yet graduated and less than 21 years old, when he/she starts to receive instruction, then the district must serve and may count for equalization aid and revenue limits.

28. What is the Youth Challenge Academy Program? • The Wisconsin National Guard Challenge Academy is a residential program committed to improving the quality of life for 16 to 18 year old at-risk teens. • School districts with Challenge Academy cadets must contribute a portion of the costs of students enrolled in the Challenge Academy from their district.

29. YCA, cont. • The district is allowed to count the cadets for equalization aid and revenue limit purposes. • Find out more about the YCA program on the left-hand sidebar of our website under “Youth Challenge Academy.”

30. What’s the difference between open enrollment and tuition waivers? • A student is considered an “Open Enrollment” student if they have applied for and been granted Open Enrollment status, enabling them to attend a non-resident district while remaining a resident of their original district. • Tuition waivers are agreements between districts that enable students to temporarily stay in their current educational situation, depending on the time of the year, should a move occur. Most tuition waivers are, in effect, bridges to get the student to the next open enrollment period in the event of a move.

31. How do I find out about current changes to any of the school financial services reports? • Go into the School Financial Reporting Portal. • Go into the appropriate report. • On the page with the fiscal years, we’ve provided information on current changes as well as help and tutorials.

32. Do you have a place on your website with tutorials and help on various topics? • On the left hand sidebar, go into “Presentations,” which gives you the latest presentations from the School Finance Team. • In the middle of the homepage, go into “Webcast Presentations,” which provides webcasts on various school finance topics. • On the left hand side bar go to “Tutorials” for some basic tutorials on membership, SAFR reporting and the Group and Foster home program.

33. Somebody said they got this very informative email message from David Carlson. – How can I get one? • The School Finance listserv is a communication tool specifically for administrators, business officials and bookkeepers. • A weekly email gives reminders of due dates, updates about important finance issues, and general information relevant to school finance. • You can self-subscribe by going into the “mailings/listserv” link on the left-hand sidebar.

34. Are there any workshops coming up soon? • WASDA “Getting it Right” Workshop on October 16th and 17th • Using your district’s actual numbers, we go line by line thru the revenue limit so that you can be assured of “getting it right!” • Software and Service Users Group Fall Conference (Skyward) – October 22nd and 23rd

35. Hang in there! We are only a phone call away!