[Busmgrs] 2011-12 State School Fund Update

[WILTFONG Michael]

DA:     March 4, 2011

TO:     District Business Managers

FR:     Michael Wiltfong - Office of School Finance

RE:     2011-12 State School Fund Update


Good afternoon everyone,


In keeping with ORS 327.061(2) and that the Department of Education shall provide State School Fund (SSF) estimates no later than the first Monday in March, I am sending notice we have posted the 2011-12 SSF estimates based on the Governor's Recommended Budget of $5,557,623,124.
Currently, the Governor's proposed budget would split the funding with 52% allocated in the first year and the remaining 48% allocated in the second year. Since this announcement, there has been considerable discussion and feedback from stakeholders from around the state identifying the unintended consequences of the 52/48 split, especially with regard to the State's special education maintenance-of-effort requirements from one year to the next. The discussion around the split is ongoing and likely will change in the future.
With that said, I've been asked by many of you to run two scenarios - one at the 52/48 split and one at the 50/50 split - since many of you have stated that, even if the 52/48 split is adopted, districts will budget as if the split were 50/50 or 49/51. In providing two scenarios, the Department is NOT recommending a specific split but rather is providing information to assist you with your budget preparations. Again, this is based on the number of requests for this information from the field.
At this time, I would also add these estimates are subject to change. This preliminary release is also intended to give everyone an opportunity to review your data to ensure your estimates submitted in December are still accurate.
Over the next several months leading up to the first payments in July, we will be posting regular updates, typically once a month. As has been the practice in the past, if there is a substantial change in funding or data, revised estimates will be released shortly thereafter.
If you should have any questions or concerns, please contact me at the e-mail address below. And thank you for all of your hard work out there! I have a feeling you haven't been hearing that enough lately.

Michael Wiltfong
State School Fund Coordinator
School Finance Unit, Director
Oregon Department of Education
michael.wiltfong at state.or.us
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