FY 2016 Appropriation

Program funding assists small school districts with administrative expenses. Districts may use the funds to support administrative functions, conduct audits, and prepare reports. In FY 2008, the Legislature created a charter specific administrative cost program. This program provides charter schools a per-student amount to cover administrative costs. With the creation of this program, charter schools no longer receive a distribution under the Administrative Cost program. In FY 2010, the Legislature revised the program formula, restricting funding to school districts with 5,000 students or less.

Formula -- Qualifying school districts receive program revenues on a WPU basis. The formula contains a weighting mechanism which allocates more WPUs to districts with lower total student enrollment. Program funding does not cover all administrative costs. School districts may use additional revenue sources, including state, local and federal revenues to support administrative functions.

School districts qualify for program WPUs based on their total student enrollment. Statute provides an Administrative Cost Schedule that assigns WPUs based on district enrollment established through the October 1 enrollment count. The Administrative Cost Schedule provides the following enrollment benchmarks.

  • District Size: 1 -- 500 Students, Allocate 95 WPUs
  • District Size: 501 -- 1,000 Students, Allocate 80 WPUs
  • District Size: 1,001 -- 2,000 Students, Allocate 70 WPUs
  • District Size: 2,001 - 5,000 Students, Allocate 60 WPUs
Funding History
Appropriation Overview

During the 2015 General Session, the Legislature appropriated for Fiscal Year 2016, $4,653,500 from all sources for Administrative Costs. This is a 4 percent increase from Fiscal Year 2015 revised estimated amounts from all sources. The total includes $4,653,500 from the General/Education Funds, an increase of 4 percent from revised Fiscal Year 2015 estimates.

Appropriation Adjustments

The following appropriation adjustments were made during the 2015 General Session:

DescriptionOngoingOne-Time WPU Value Increase (4%)$180,600$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$180,600$0Education Fund
It costs approximately $26 million for each 1 percent increase or decrease in the WPU Value. Programs impacted include: The Basic School Program (all WPUs), Pupil Transportation, Concurrent Enrollment, Enhancement for At-Risk Students, Youth-in-Custody, Enhancement for Accelerated Students in the Related to Basic School Program.
Statute

The Administrative Cost Program is governed by the following statute.

  • UCA 53A-17a-108 -- details the calculation of administrative cost WPUs for distribution to school districts. This statute also provides the enrollment thresholds for the Administrative Cost Schedule. Language detailing the Charter School Administrative Cost Program (discussed in a subsequent section) is also included in this statute.

Intent Language

HB0002: Item 1

The Legislature intends that the State Board of Education develop minimum program standards, including maximum class size limits in grades K-3, that local education agencies must meet in order to continue to receive Class Size Reduction funding. Including an estimate of the cost necessary to limit class sizes in grades K-3, without impacting class sizes in grades 4-12. The Legislature also intends that the State Board of Education report these standards and estimated costs to the Education Interim Committee and the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee by October 31, 2015.

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COBI contains unaudited data as presented to the Legislature by state agencies at the time of publication. For audited financial data see the State of Utah's Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports.