Monday, November 20, 2023
Aid for school libraries from the Common School Fund will be $65 million for the 2023-24 school year. This amount is a 25% increase from the 2022-23 distribution. We are grateful for the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands' exceptional management of the Common School Fund. The announcement of the Common School Fund distribution in November provides school librarians with more accurate budgets, encouraging more timely spending and bringing more resources to students during the school year. This, in turn, lessens the need to use restricted fund balance accounts.
There are two other important events in the Common School Fund timeline. The DPI intends to communicate the estimated distribution amounts for individual school districts by the end of December, but will do so no later than the statutory date of January 10. The payments to districts will be made no later than May 1, 2024. For more information about the Common School Fund and spending guidelines, please visit the Common School Fund web pages.