Attention All Districts Claiming 2010-11 Transportation Contract Expense on 2011-12 SAMS Schedule J

New Transportation Contract Expense Claim Process:  Beginning in 2009-10 claim year Transportation Aid will not be paid on contract expenses unless an approved contract number has been entered on SAMS Schedule J.

Pursuant to statute, Transportation Aid must be paid only on approved contract expense. However, through the 2008-09 aid year, current year aid was paid on unapproved contract expenses reported on Schedule J. Districts were required to enter approved contract numbers on Schedule J after the close of the aid year, in some cases several years after the close of the aid year. This resulted in a lengthy, multi-year “clean-up” process and overpayments for prior aid years.

Due to an expedited contract approval process in the Office of Educational Management Services,  beginning with 2009-10 Transportation Aid on 2008-09 Schedule J contract expense, aid will be paid during the 2009-10 aid year only for those 2008-09 expenses claimed on Schedule J for which the district has entered an approved transportation contract number. Unapproved contract expense claimed on Schedule J will appear as a deduction from aidable expense on the Transportation Output Report (Entry #115) until the district enters an approved contract number for each expense.

To avoid reduced Transportation Aid payments, districts should enter contract numbers for all expenses claimed on Schedule J at the time expenses are entered for initial SAMS submission.

Above column A on Schedule J, a link titled “Show All Contracts” is available for district to view a list of approved contracts. If a contract has not yet been approved and/or assigned a contract number, districts should still enter the unapproved expense on Schedule J and take immediate action to obtain contract numbers. Districts should contact the Office of Educational Management Services immediately regarding Schedule J contract expenses that cannot be associated with an approved contract number.

 

Last Updated: August 12, 2011