Welcome to EDUCATE: The MT Education Data Collection Team
Infinite Campus is the OPI's state-wide school data information system. This system allows school districts to submit required staff, student, and course information electronically. Infinite Campus provides the OPI, the State of Montana, federal entities, and the education community, with timely and accurate data used for state and federal reporting. The MT Education Data Collection Team is teaming up with you to meet all of your data reporting requirements!
Data Collection Calendar
2025-26 Data Collection Calendar
Fall Data Collections
Monday, October 6, 2025, is the official Fall Count Date for 2025-26. Districts must certify Average Number Belonging (ANB), Personnel, Teacher Class, and Enrollment and Program Participation. Please see notes on these collections below:
1. Fall Average Number Belonging (ANB) - Run the Fall ANB Validations: Fall ANB 2025-26 Student Counts, Fall ANB 2025-26 Student Lists, Fall ANB 2025-26 Charter School Enrollments, Fall ANB 2025-26 Certification. This data must be certified in Infinite Campus before importing to MAEFAIRS. Compare the Fall ANB Certification in Infinite Campus to the Student Count for ANB reports in MAEFAIRS.
2. Fall Personnel - Run the Fall Personnel Validations: Fall Personnel 2025-26 District Assignment Validations, Fall Personnel 2025-26 District Assignment Lists, Fall Personnel 2025-26 Credentials Validations, Fall Personnel QEC 2025-26 Report Validations, Fall Personnel QEC 2025-26 Summary, Fall Personnel 2025-26 Certification, Fall Personnel QEC 2025-26 Certification. Before certifying this collection, run the district and school reports in AccredMT and the FTE to QEC report in MAEFAIRS.
3. Fall Teacher Class - Run the Fall Teacher Class Validations: Fall Teacher Class 2025-26 Validations, Fall Teacher Class 2025-26 Class Minutes by Course Period, and Fall Teacher Class 2025-26 Certification. Before certifying this collection, run the district and school reports in AccredMT.
4. Fall Enrollment and Program Participation - Run the Fall Enrollment and Program Participation Validations: Fall Enrollment 2024-25 Validations, Fall Program Participation 2025-26 Data Validations, and Fall Enrollment and Program 2025-26 Certification. Ensure that Homeless records are transferred from Enrollment to Program Participation.
Graduate, Dropout, and Cohort Collections
The Graduate, Dropout, and Cohort Collection begins 10/1/2025 and ends 10/17/2025. Districts with High School Students must certify Graduates, Dropouts, and Cohorts. Elementary districts must certify Dropouts - even if alternative arrangements have been made for the education of students in grades 7 and 8 (e.g., student attendance agreements) or the district has no students in grades 7 or 8 for the 24-25 year.
Graduates: Students who complete requirements for graduation in the 24-25 year or in the summer between the 24-25 year and prior to the start of the 25-26 year. Consult the Alternative Graduation Options guide for information on special circumstances.
Dropouts: Students who were enrolled through the completion of the 23-24 school year but did not return for 24-25, or students who dropped out before the end of the 24-25 school year and did not return to school by September 30, 2025. Districts must have written verification of a student's transfer to a K-12 educational program before removing them as dropouts.
Cohorts: Groups of students based on the student's first enrollment in 9th grade. Students are removed from the Cohort when a district has received written verification of transfer to another K-12 educational program in another district or school type (e.g., private or homeschool) or the student dies (no verification required). Districts must enter Date Entered 9th Grade for all students (calculates within Infinite Campus for a student's first enrollment in 9th grade or must be manually entered for students who do not have a 9th grade enrollment).
Validation reports have been created for all three certifications. Please run those validation reports now. It is important to select the prior year (24-25) when running these reports.