OPI staff lay out budget model, enrollment assumptions and Impact Aid role during Section E hearing

Helmed by Chair Beattie, the Section E joint subcommittee heard a final formal budget presentation for the Office of Public Instruction (OPI) that focused on the agency—s budget model, enrollment assumptions, Impact Aid duties and recent work to reduce district data-collection burden.

The presentation, led by Mr. Taylor, an OPI staff member, and Nicole Hall, who identified herself as head of the education data collection team at OPI, explained how the agency builds its base-aid request using an EPP (executive planning process) worksheet, taxable-value inputs, enrollment projections, and statutory CPI math tied to section 20-9-3-26. The package of materials shown to the committee included the Mayfair data extracts, the EPP worksheet and other Excel-based models that OPI uses to estimate General Fund and retirement GTB (guaranteed tax base) needs.

Why it matters: OPI said the calculations feed Montana—s single largest statewide budget item and inform the governor—s House Bill 2 request. Small changes in enrollment, taxable value or statutory parameters can change state aid needs and local property-tax burdens, committee members were told.

OPI staff described the modeling workflow and the inputs the agency updates as new data becomes available. Mr. Taylor showed a working Excel model that pulls Mayfair—s trustee/budget data, Department of Revenue taxable values and fall/spring enrollment collections from Infinite Campus. He said the model can toggle statutory inflation, enrollment-growth assumptions and taxable-value changes so analysts can trace how…