Category: Reporting

Dear School Business Professionals,

Please note that the 2024-25 Adopted Budget (May Revise) LCFF Calculator has now been posted on FCMAT’s website. You can access the calculator on the FCMAT Website here: www.fcmat.org/lcff.

FCMAT’s summary of the changes to the calculator is included below.
Regards,

School Business Advisory Services Team
Santa Barbara County Education Office

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________________________________ From: Roslynne Manansala-Smith <000000c4da221bdb-dmarc-request@LISTS.FCMAT.ORG> Sent: Wednesday, May 15, 2024 2:43 PM To: LCFF-CALCULATOR@LISTS.FCMAT.ORG <LCFF-CALCULATOR@LISTS.FCMAT.ORG> Subject: [LCFF] School District & Charter School LCFF Calculator Update (version 25.1 posted May 15, 2024)
Version 25.1
Release Date: May 15, 2024

This version includes updated certified data as of the 2023-24 first principal apportionment (P-1), the 2022-23 annual principal apportionment (AN), and the 2021-22 annual principal apportionment second revision (AN R-2), with minor corrections to formulas. The base year has transitioned to 2024-25, and the year 2028-29 has been added to the calculator. Although the 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24 columns are “historical” years, they remain editable. LEAs can continue to use the 2023-24 column to calculate current year figures.

FCMAT recommends all LEAs use Version 25.1.

Universal Assumptions:
* Cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) provided by the Department of Finance as of May 2024 are as follows:

2024-25
2025-26
2026-27
2027-28
2028-29
Statutory COLA
1.07%
2.93%
3.08%
3.30%
3.29%

* EPA rates prepopulated with those published by the CDE for 2022-23 AN, and 2023-24 current estimates are as follows:

2022-23 AN
2023-24 P1
EPA Rate
12.84814107%
48.75954508%

Major Changes:
Summary Tab – Refined the structure and labeling of this tab to more closely align with the CDE’s School District LCFF Calculation exhibit.
* General Assumptions * Added student assumptions data. * LCAP Percentage to Increase or Improve Services Calculation * Added a new feature that projects an additional 15% in LCFF concentration grant funding. This amount can now be included in the LCAP’s “Increased or Improved Services section” for LEAs that receive concentration grant funding. * Included TK add-on funding in the base grant formula to help calculate an LEA’s minimum proportionality percentage. * The historical year columns have been blacked out, but the formulas remain accessible for LEAs needing to reference the calculations.
ADA Tab
* Added a dedicated ADA tab for easy access to detailed information. A summary of ADA information remains available on the Summary tab for quick reference.

Additional State Aid and Excess Tax Calculation Updates
* Resolved questions from basic aid/community funded districts regarding the Calculator and Summary tabs by aligning the Additional State Aid (ASA) and Excess Tax calculations with the CDE’s certified exhibits, which calculates Excess Taxes before ASA/MSA. * Provided flexibility in the Graphs tab for local calculation of excess taxes after ASA/MSA. This allows each LEA to review and adjust as needed for their local LEA communications. LEAs can calculate starting on lines 74-81. * Updated the LCFF per ADA calculations on the Calculator and Summary tab to be consistent with prior versions that exclude categorical MSA. This change is particularly relevant to basic aid/excess tax districts and cusp basic aid/excess tax districts that might shift in and out of this status.

As a reminder, LEAs can access the updated version on the FCMAT website: www.fcmat.org/lcff.

Dear School Business Professionals,

With the recent release of the May Revise, we would like to remind you that LCAP information and resources, including the Crosswalk for LCFF Budget Overview for Parents and LCAP Carryover Table annotated are available here –> SBO Meeting Padlet<santabarbaracountysbas.padlet.org/adulay/school-business-official-s-meeting-april-25-2024-8fd74862kaqrjujb>

We are happy to answer questions and preview the Budget Overview for Parents* prior to your public hearing. In the past we have been able to identify common issues that can be fixed in time to prevent the plan from having to be brought back to the board for clarification later in the summer. Once the May Revise LCFF Calculator is released and final figures are incorporated in the LCAP, please send the following documents to your District Financial Advisor:

* Budget Overview for Parents * May Revise LCFF Calculator (pending release) * Final SACS Form 01 * Final LCAP (including completed expenditure tables)

*Note: We are performing a high-level preview, additional issues may be discovered during the full LCAP Review.

Please submit preview documents far enough in advance of your board meeting to ensure enough time for preview turnaround in the event adjustments are necessary. While we respectfully request two weeks, we also understand that this may not be possible given the tight timelines. However, the more time we have to review, the more comprehensive our review can be. Our goal is to help districts ensure that the Budget Overview for Parents goes to the board with all the correct data.

If you have any questions, please contact your District Financial Advisor.

Regards,

School Business Advisory Services Team
Santa Barbara County Education Office

[A picture containing text, businesscard, stationary, envelope Description automatically generated] Adopted Budget<www.sbceo.org/domain/251> – Updated information has been posted on our SBAS website.
Education Code requires districts to prepare the 2024-25 Adopted Budget Report and present it to the board for approval prior to July 1. Important information regarding the district’s Budget and Public Hearing requirements, as well as tools and resources needed to complete the Adopted Budget Report, are available on the SBAS Website – Adopted Budget Webpage<sbasweb.sbceo.org/reporting/adopted-budget>. Please continue to check the website as additional resources, like the Common Message, will be posted once information becomes available.
Reminder: Districts must submit all documents to our office within five calendar days after adoption, or July 1, whichever is earlier. A revised Submission Checklist has been posted with updated procedures and instructions. Please note that a cashflow is now required for the Adopted Budget reporting period.
Feel free to contact your District Financial Advisor if you have any questions, we are here to support you!
School Business Advisory Services Team Santa Barbara County Education Office
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Good Afternoon,
Please note that the Timeline for Public Hearing has been updated: Public Hearing: must be held between May 31 and June 28. SBAS will be reaching out to districts individually in the event that your submission dates were not in compliance with the Ed Code.

Regards,
School Business Advisory Services Team Santa Barbara County Education Office
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To unsubscribe, click here<mailto:sbasfinance@sbceo.org?subject=Unsubscribe>
From: SBAS Communications <sbascommunications@sbceo.org<mailto:sbascommunications@sbceo.org>> Sent: Wednesday, April 3, 2024 8:48 AM To: business <business@ed9.sbceo.org<mailto:business@ed9.sbceo.org>> Subject: [Reporting] Budget Public Inspection, Hearing, and Adoption Dates – Due Fri., Apr 26
[Icon Description automatically generated] Budget Public Inspection, Hearing, and Adoption Dates for the 2024-25 Proposed Budget

Each year, our office publishes budget inspection, hearing, and adoption information for the district’s proposed budget in a newspaper of general circulation. This information must be published at least 10 days before the hearing date, but no earlier than 45 days before the final date for the public hearing. To meet this requirement, we have tentatively scheduled the legal notices to be published on Tuesday, May 21 in the Santa Maria Times.

Timeline for Inspection, Hearing, and Adoption…
* Budget Public Inspection: at least 3 working days before the public hearing
* Public Hearing: must be held between May 31 and June 28
* Budget Adoption: must occur between June 1 and July 1

Please complete the Budget Public Inspection, Hearing, and Adoption Dates Form<forms.office.com/r/L13dQ5ZgwT> (<--click link) on our Adopted Budget webpage located under Forms and Templates no later than Fri., Apr 26. This form authorizes our office to publish this information on the district's behalf and charge the district. Regards, School Business Advisory Services Team Santa Barbara County Education Office Note: This message was sent on behalf of the School Business Advisory Services Team. Please do not respond to this message. Replies will be routed to an unmonitored mailbox. To unsubscribe, click here<mailto:sbasfinance@sbceo.org?subject=Unsubscribe>

[Icon Description automatically generated] Budget Public Inspection, Hearing, and Adoption Dates for the 2024-25 Proposed Budget

Each year, our office publishes budget inspection, hearing, and adoption information for the district’s proposed budget in a newspaper of general circulation. This information must be published at least 10 days before the hearing date, but no earlier than 45 days before the final date for the public hearing. To meet this requirement, we have tentatively scheduled the legal notices to be published on Tuesday, May 21 in the Santa Maria Times.

Timeline for Inspection, Hearing, and Adoption…
* Budget Public Inspection: at least 3 working days before the public hearing * Public Hearing: must be held between May 21 and June 28 * Budget Adoption: must occur between June 1 and July 1

Please complete the Budget Public Inspection, Hearing, and Adoption Dates Form<forms.office.com/r/L13dQ5ZgwT> (<--click link) on our Adopted Budget webpage located under Forms and Templates no later than Fri., Apr 26. This form authorizes our office to publish this information on the district's behalf and charge the district. Regards, School Business Advisory Services Team Santa Barbara County Education Office Note: This message was sent on behalf of the School Business Advisory Services Team. Please do not respond to this message. Replies will be routed to an unmonitored mailbox. To unsubscribe, click here<mailto:sbasfinance@sbceo.org?subject=Unsubscribe>

[Icon Description automatically generated] Annual Financial Audit Contract
LEAs are required to file annual financial audit contracts for the upcoming fiscal year with our office by Apr. 1.
To file your audit contract, please complete the Auditor Selection Form<sbas.sbceo.org/docs/auditorselection.html> or Charter School Auditor Selection Form<sbas.sbceo.org/docs/charterauditorselection.html> and attach a copy of your LEA’s current audit contract. The completed form and a board approved signed contract must be submitted each year, even if the LEA has a multi-year agreement.
Please refer to the SBAS Audit Webpage<sbasweb.sbceo.org/reporting/audit> for access to audit forms and additional information regarding audit contracts, including auditor rotation requirements and required audit provisions.
Regards,
School Business Advisory Services Team Santa Barbara County Education Office
Note: This message was sent on behalf of the School Business Advisory Services Team. Please do not respond to this message. Replies will be routed to an unmonitored mailbox. To unsubscribe, click here<mailto:sbasfinance@sbceo.org?subject=Unsubscribe>