Cost Sharing Information for Schools

MTDA course cost-sharing fee for the  2026-2027 school year (Begins Summer 2026 Term):

• $128 per semester enrollment for original credit 
• $64.00 per quarter enrollment for FlexCAP

This fee represents only a small portion of the overall cost of each student enrollment in MTDA courses. 

Dual Credit Courses will remain at no cost-share to districts, per an agreement with the Board of Regents, for the 2026-27 school year. NOTE: Cost alone should not be a deciding factor for enrollment.

Original Credit: $128 per semester course enrollment.

Example: Sally Student is enrolled in Oceanography and Mythology for the semester. The school district will be billed for $256 ($128 x 2 courses) for that student enrollment.

FlexCAP: $64.00 per quarter course enrollment.

All FlexCAP courses are broken down into quarter lengths (identified as Part 1 & 2) to give schools maximum flexibility. All FlexCAP enrollments will begin with Part 1 of the semester-based course.

Guided Core Program: $99.00 per quarter course enrollment (26-27). Begins Summer 2026.

All Guided Core Program courses are broken down into quarter lengths to give schools maximum flexibility. All GCP enrollments will begin with the first quarter of the semester-based course

Dual Credit Courses will remain at no cost-share to districts, per an agreement with the Board of Regents, for the 2026-27 school year.

High School Indigenous Language Courses will be at no cost-share to districts for the 2026-27 school year. The successful student in this course has an intrinsic interest in language and culture. They keep an open mind while learning about cultures that may not be their own. Successful language students also have the courage to record themselves pronouncing the language and receive feedback to improve their skills.

MCA 20-7-1202 provides the following guidance:

“Funding — rulemaking authority. (2) A school district is prohibited from charging a fee to a student who enrolls in a class provided by the Montana digital academy that the school district requires for graduation.

MTDA is not in a position to interpret 20-7-1202 to clarify specific circumstances where you can or cannot hand a cost to a third party. We would suggest bringing in your school’s legal counsel, or alternatively, if your district is a member of the Montana School Board Association, they are prepared for your call to discuss specifics regarding this issue.

MTDA respectfully requests payment from the district for the entirety of an invoice. We are unable to accept personal checks.

Yes, please email support@montanadigitalacademy.org requesting a cost estimate using your district’s previous enrollment data.

MTDA requires districts to identify “Site Facilitators” to enroll students in the program. These “Site Facilitators” are authorized by the district to incur cost-sharing fees associated with enrolling students on behalf of the district. MTDA maintains a list of authorized site facilitators approved by the district. MTDA requires either the district superintendent or school principal to designate authorized staff responsible for enrolling students.

MTDA will annually contact the district with the current authorized Site Facilitators for review. 

To facilitate smooth student enrollment, districts are encouraged to contact MTDA to change or review their approved Site Facilitator List by emailing support@montanadigitalacademy.org

Yes, MTDA provides the role of “Local Support” to be able to view current enrollments, check grades, and monitor communications. The Local Support role does not have the ability to enroll students in MTDA courses.

Original Credit: 

During student enrollment, MTDA will require a PO number to be referenced for each student enrollment. This can be the same or a separate PO number for each enrollment. 

Upon enrollment, the Site Facilitator will be asked to confirm they have the authorization to complete the enrollment process.

Students may be dropped from enrollment for each term until the drop deadline without the district being charged a cost-sharing fee. After the drop deadline has passed all enrollments by the district will be invoiced a cost-sharing fee of $128 per course enrollment. Invoices will be emailed to the superintendent, principal, and district clerk on record. Invoices will include a detailed report of the students enrolled, PO number(s), and the enrolling Site Facilitator. 

If a school decides to request a drop after the drop period, MTDA will honor the request and report a W/F back to the district. MTDA does not issue refunds for drops initiated after the drop deadline for each term.

For Summer Session 1 2026, courses begin June 15th, 2026.  Students may be dropped from enrollment until the drop deadline, June 22nd, without the district being charged a cost-sharing fee. After the drop deadline has passed all enrollments by the district will be invoiced a cost-sharing fee of $128 per course enrollment. Invoices will be emailed to the superintendent, principal, and district clerk on record. Invoices will include a detailed report of the students enrolled, PO number(s), and the enrolling Site Facilitator. 

If a school decides to request a drop after the drop period, MTDA will honor the request and report a W/F back to the district. MTDA does not issue refunds for drops initiated after the drop deadline 

For Summer Session 2 2026, courses begin July 20th, 2026.  Students may be dropped from enrollment until the drop deadline, June 27th, without the district being charged a cost-sharing fee. After the drop deadline has passed all enrollments by the district will be invoiced a cost-sharing fee of $128 per course enrollment. Invoices will be emailed to the superintendent, principal, and district clerk on record. Invoices will include a detailed report of the students enrolled, PO number(s), and the enrolling Site Facilitator. 

If a school decides to request a drop after the drop period, MTDA will honor the request and report a W/F back to the district. MTDA does not issue refunds for drops initiated after the drop deadline

FlexCAP: 

During student enrollment, MTDA will require a PO number to be referenced for each student enrollment. This can be the same or a separate PO number for each enrollment.  Upon enrollment, the Site Facilitator will be asked to confirm they have the authorization to complete the enrollment process.

FlexCAP 2025-26 School Year

Students have 11 weeks from enrollment to complete the quarter course. Students may be dropped up to one week after enrollment without incurring a fee from MTDA. One week after enrollment, the $64 per quarter course enrollment fee will be invoiced. MTDA will be invoicing schools after the drop period has passed.

Invoices will be emailed to the superintendent, principal, and district clerk on record. Invoices will include a detailed report of the students enrolled, PO number(s), and the enrolling Site Facilitator. 

If a school decides to request a drop after the drop period, MTDA will honor the request and report a W/F back to the district. MTDA does not issue refunds for drops initiated after the drop period. Students who do not complete the course after 11 weeks from enrollment will be considered to have failed and be dropped from the course.

Currently, MTDA requires a PO number for enrollment only. Credit card payments are not supported at this time.

HS and MS Original Credit : 

Fall 2025:

Original Credit, Dual Credit, and Middle School will open on March 1st, 2025. The initial course request deadline is August 27, 2025. The late enrollment deadline is September 5, 2025.

FlexCAP: 

FlexCAP is an open enrollment program and opens for enrollment on September 2nd, 2025. Please refer to the briefing document on the Schools page for more information).

MTDA will maintain its standard drop periods.  

Original Credit and Middle School: 

For Fall 2025, courses begin September 2, 2025.  Students may be dropped from enrollment until the drop deadline, September 23, 2025, without the district being charged a cost-sharing fee. After the drop deadline has passed, all enrollments by the district will be invoiced a cost-sharing fee of $128 per course enrollment. Invoices will be emailed to the superintendent, principal, and district clerk on record. Invoices will include a detailed report of the students enrolled, PO number(s), and the enrolling Site Facilitator. 

If a school decides to request a drop after the drop period, MTDA will honor the request and report a W/F back to the district. MTDA does not issue refunds for drops initiated after the drop deadline.

FlexCAP: 

2025-26 School Year

Students have 11 weeks from enrollment to complete the quarter course. Students may be dropped up to one week after enrollment without incurring a fee from MTDA. One week after enrollment, the $64 per-quarter course enrollment fee will be invoiced. MTDA will be invoicing schools after the drop period has passed.

If a school decides to request a drop after the drop period, MTDA will honor the request and report a W/F back to the district. MTDA does not issue refunds for drops initiated after the drop period. Students who do not complete the course after 11 weeks from enrollment will be considered to have failed and be dropped from the course.

No, MTDA will continue the enrollment process through a student’s local public school, as defined in law. Any direct calls MTDA receives from students or parents inquiring about enrollment will be referred back to the student’s local public school. 

School Year Terms

Students can be enrolled in a maximum of 7 Original Credit and/or FlexCAP courses per semester. Note: If using FlexCAP for a student to recover credit, MTDA recommends enrolling in one course at a time.

Please refer to our course catalog.

ESSER funds can likely help support many implementation scenarios for all of MTDA’s formats, including Original Credit, Credit Recovery, and IPCs. To assist with reporting, contact Wendi Fawns, ESSER/EANS Director (406.437.8595 or wendi.fawns@mt.gov).

Title IV-A funds (part of the ESEA/ESSA Consolidated Grant application for schools) can likely support many implementation scenarios for all MTDA formats, including Original Credit, Credit Recovery, and IPCs.  For assistance and/or more information, contact Paige Sedahl, Program Manager Title IV-A (406.422.2821 or paige.sedahl@mt.gov).

Title II, Part A funds may be appropriate for funding some MTDA formats including Original Credit (as long as it isn’t offered by the school district), FlexCAP, and IPCs. To get assistance with those scenarios, contact Christy Hendricks, Federal Grants Coordinator (406.444.0794 or christy.hendricks@mt.gov).

Title I, Part A funds might be appropriate for funding some MTDA formats including Original Credit, FlexCAP, and IPCs. To get assistance with those scenarios, contact Serena Wright, Title I Specialist (406.410.4098 or serena.wright@mt.gov).