Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team

What Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team does

Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) is a California state public agency created by Assembly Bill 1200 in 1991 and operational since 1992. It helps California's TK-14 Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) — school districts, county offices of education, charter schools, and community colleges — identify, prevent, and resolve financial, operational, and data management challenges. Headquartered in Bakersfield inside the Kern County Superintendent of Schools building, with a Sacramento office for its California School Information Services (CSIS) division, FCMAT has conducted more than 1,400 LEA reviews since 1992 and operates two main lines of business: a fiscal assistance division delivering on-site fieldwork, written reports, and professional learning, and the CSIS subsidiary (created 1997 under AB 107) that develops and maintains the state's CALPADS and SACS software systems for the California Department of Education.

Core technology assets include the Fiscal Health Risk Analysis (FHRA) tool with risk scoring across current and two subsequent fiscal years for TK-12, charter schools, and community colleges; Projection-Pro, a free multiyear projection SaaS with Google and Microsoft OAuth, multiuser editing, and cash-flow modeling; LCFF Calculators; the CSIS Data Management Assessment (CDMA) and Maturity Model (CDM3); a CSIS Root Cause Analysis Tool featuring a CSIS-provided private LLM for AI-assisted root-cause identification; and the Ed-Data.org public data portal. CSIS delivers CALPADS updates on a roughly two-week agile cadence, processing several gigabytes of student and staff data daily and supporting more than 5,000 data stewards. Professional learning products (CBO Mentor Program, CBO Coaching and Induction Program, Small LEA CBO Mentor Program) meet CASBO CBO exam eligibility requirements and carry no tuition cost.

The business model is state-funded: primary revenue is California state budget appropriations, supplemented by a modest fee schedule charged to requesting agencies and event-driven enrollment in no-cost professional learning programs (participants/LEAs cover travel). GTM is sales-led but assignment-driven — work originates from LEA requests submitted through a formal job request portal or from statutory assignments by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, county superintendents, the Community Colleges Board of Governors, or the state Legislature. Approximately 80% of work is preventive/best-practices and 20% is crisis intervention and extraordinary audits. The organization is administered by Kern County Superintendent of Schools as fiscal agent and is governed by a board with representation from each of California's 11 service regions, the CDE, the Community Colleges Chancellor's Office, CCEE, and the charter school community.

Name

Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team

Legal name

Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team

Website

https://fcmat.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

FCMAT is a California state public agency, established 1991, that helps TK-14 local educational agencies prevent and resolve fiscal, operational, and data-management challenges through on-site reviews, professional learning, and state data systems (CALPADS, SACS).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Fiscal Management Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (522320)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Financial Accounting & Reporting (GAAP/IFRS) (EDABAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Audit & Assurance (Internal/External, SOX) (EDABAJAE)

Keywords

• Fiscal crisis intervention
• Educational agency management
• CBO professional development
• LEA fiscal health analysis
• California school data systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Bakersfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. State Budget Appropriations: FCMAT is funded by appropriations in the California state budget. This is the primary funding source for the organization.
2. Fee Schedule for Requesting Agencies: FCMAT charges a modest fee schedule to agencies that request assistance, supplementing state appropriations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

FCMAT provides fiscal crisis intervention, management assistance, and professional learning services to California's TK-14 local educational agencies (LEAs), including on-site reviews, written reports with findings and recommendations, and assigned extraordinary audits. The CSIS division develops and maintains the CALPADS and SACS software systems for the California Department of Education and offers free web-based fiscal tools including the Fiscal Health Risk Analysis (FHRA), Projection-Pro, and LCFF Calculators. FCMAT also delivers year-long CBO Mentor, Coaching and Induction, and Small LEA Mentor programs aligned with CASBO CBO certification requirements.

Product overview

FCMAT provides a portfolio of products and services focused on fiscal crisis prevention, management assistance, and professional learning for California's TK-14 educational agencies (LEAs). The core offerings include the Fiscal Health Risk Analysis (FHRA) tool for assessing fiscal insolvency risk; CSIS (California School Information Services), which develops and supports the CALPADS and SACS software systems; and Projection-Pro, a free multiyear financial projection tool. FCMAT's professional learning portfolio centers on Chief Business Official (CBO) development through three programs: the CBO Mentor Program, the Small LEA CBO Mentor Program, and the CBO Coaching and Induction Program (CIP), all meeting CASBO CBO exam eligibility requirements. CSIS additionally provides data management tools including the Data Management Assessment (CDMA), Data Management Maturity Model (CDM3), Root Cause Analysis Tool, and a Statewide Data Governance Academy, plus the Ed-Data.org public data portal. FCMAT also offers numerous workshops (Fiscal Oversight, ASB, Booster Club, Charter School, Projection-Pro), the Help Desk knowledge platform, LCFF calculators, County Office Fiscal Procedural Manual, and various publications and reports. The products are largely offered as standalone web-based tools and in-person training programs, with no unified platform architecture indicated.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fiscal Health Risk Analysis (FHRA) An analytical tool that evaluates a local educational agency's fiscal health and risk of insolvency in the current and two subsequent fiscal years, with separate versions for TK-12 districts, charter schools, and community colleges. Scores 40%+ = high risk; 25-39% = moderate risk; 24% or lower = low risk.
• CBO Mentor Program A year-long professional development program pairing participants with experienced Chief Business Official mentors, providing 12 two-day classroom sessions covering school finance, accounting, budgeting, human resources, and other business operations topics, meeting CASBO CBO exam eligibility requirements.
• Small LEA CBO Mentor Program A specialized mentor program for Chief Business Officials in local educational agencies with average daily attendance of 5,000 or less, providing 12 two-day sessions with differentiated activities, with no tuition cost to participants.
• CBO Coaching and Induction Program (CIP) An intensive year-long program targeting CBOs in their first through third year, providing 11 two-day sessions with instructional and professional coaching components, incorporating FCMAT's Fiscal Health Risk Analysis tool, with participants paired with experienced CBO coaches.
• California School Information Services (CSIS) A division of FCMAT that assists with California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) and Standardized Account Code Structure (SACS) software, hosts Ed-Data, and provides data management tools including assessment and maturity models.
• Projection-Pro A free online multiyear projection software service for California's LEAs that enables creation of aligned multiyear and cash flow projections, with multiuser collaboration and customizable views and assumptions.
• CALPADS (California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System) California's repository of student, staff, and institutional data, maintained and supported by CSIS/FCMAT, processing several gigabytes of data daily with software updates delivered approximately every two weeks using agile development practices.
• SACS (Standardized Account Code Structure) Software The state's web-based financial reporting software system developed, maintained, and hosted by CSIS for state and local educational agency use.
• LCFF Calculator Online calculator tools for school districts, charter schools, and county offices to compute Local Control Funding Formula allocations.
• LEA Fiscal Status Data Collection System A data collection system for tracking fiscal status of Local Educational Agencies, providing historical chart of positive, qualified, and negative financial certifications.
• CSIS Data Management Assessment (CDMA) A multifaceted Excel-based tool for LEAs to baseline and assess organizational standing across data management dimensions, identifying areas of strength and improvement opportunities.
• CSIS Data Management Maturity Model (CDM3) A comprehensive PDF framework for evaluating and enhancing LEA data management practices, used in conjunction with the CDMA to establish remediation targets and create a roadmap toward mature data governance.
• CSIS Root Cause Analysis Tool A guided web application for LEAs to identify root causes of CALPADS data reporting breakdowns and build corrective improvement plans, available for Differentiated Assistance reviews and proactive assessments, featuring a CSIS-provided private LLM for AI assistance.
• FCMAT Workshops Regional and LEA-specific professional learning workshops covering fiscal oversight, ASB management, booster clubs, charter schools, and Projection-Pro, offered across California counties with multiple date and location options.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• California Department of Education (CDE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1997CSIS, a division of FCMAT, partners with CDE to plan, develop, maintain and operate CALPADS and SACS. FCMAT's primary mission is aligned with CDE priorities for fiscal oversight of California LEAs. CDE is represented on the FCMAT Governing Board.
• EdSourcecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEd-Data.org (Education Data Partnership) is a partnership of the California Department of Education, EdSource, and FCMAT/CSIS. Ed-Data provides educators, parents, policymakers, and the public access to timely and comprehensive fiscal, demographic, and performance data about TK-12 education in California.
• California LegislaturecoreOthersCSIS was created by the California Legislature in 1997 under AB 107 to address disjointed school data management systems. FCMAT was created by AB 1200 in 1991. The legislature provides ongoing funding and assigns responsibilities including AB 139 fraud reviews, AB 1840 fiscal crisis oversight, and community college expansion.
• Cradle-to-Career Data System (Statewide Initiative)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSIS joined over a dozen state agencies in 2019 to create a blueprint for California's first Cradle-to-Career Data System. In 2021, CSIS joined the governing board for this system, with the Chief Operations Officer serving as its first chairperson.
• California County Superintendents Educational Services Association (CCSESA/CCS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe California County Superintendents (CCS) represents county superintendents across California's 11 service regions. FCMAT's Governing Board is comprised of one county superintendent and one district superintendent from each of the 11 service regions, working in conjunction with CCS quarterly meetings.
• California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCEE is represented on the FCMAT Governing Board. CCEE provides leadership and support to help California schools, districts, and county offices of education improve student outcomes.
• Kern County Superintendent of Schools (KCSOS)coreOthersKCSOS serves as the administrative and fiscal agent for FCMAT, as selected by the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Secretary of Child Development and Education under AB 1200. FCMAT's headquarters are located within the KCSOS building in Bakersfield, CA.
• California Association of School Business Officials (CASBO)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFCMAT's CBO Mentor Program, Small LEA CBO Mentor Program, and CBO Coaching and Induction Program are aligned with and meet CASBO's CBO exam eligibility requirements. FCMAT staff hold CASBO certifications.
• California Community Colleges Chancellor's OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnder SB 430 (2006) and AB 1366 (2006), FCMAT's services were expanded to community colleges. The Chancellor or designee sits on the FCMAT Governing Board, along with a community college district governing board member selected by the Chancellor.
• Association of California School Administrators (ACSA)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorListed as an external link on FCMAT's website, suggesting mutual referral and information sharing. ACSA is a professional organization for California school administrators.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• School Innovations & Achievement (SI&A): SI&A provides fiscal oversight, attendance, and mandated compliance services specifically to California school districts and charter schools. It is the most direct private-sector peer to FCMAT's intervention and fiscal review work for California LEAs.

Others

• California Association of School Business Officials (CASBO): CASBO is the California professional association for school business officials and the certifying body for the CBO credential whose exam eligibility FCMAT's mentor programs satisfy. Not a competitor, but a tightly coupled ecosystem partner and adjacent professional membership body serving the same CBO constituency.
• Ed-Fi Alliance: Ed-Fi is a non-profit that defines and supports education data interoperability standards used by state education agencies, comparable to FCMAT's CSIS division which defines and supports California's CALPADS schema. Comparable role at the data-standards layer though serving multiple states.
• WestEd: WestEd is a non-profit research, development, and service agency serving California schools and districts with assessment, accountability, and improvement support. Comparable as a California-focused education support organization providing professional learning and technical assistance, though with a research orientation rather than fiscal oversight.
• Mathematica Policy Research: Mathematica conducts policy research and evaluation for state education agencies including California. Comparable as a research/consulting partner often engaged by CDE and LEAs on fiscal, demographic, and accountability questions similar to those FCMAT addresses.
• Hanover Research: Hanover provides education-focused research and advisory subscriptions for school districts. Comparable as a vendor of data-driven insights and decision support to LEAs, addressing parts of the analytical demand FCMAT serves through its FHRA and CDMA tools.
• Education Resource Strategies (ERS): ERS is a non-profit that advises school districts on resource allocation, budgeting, and strategic operations. Closely comparable in mission to FCMAT's management assistance and fiscal oversight work, though operating with a national footprint and non-mandated consulting model.

Broad incumbents

• PowerSchool: PowerSchool is the dominant K-12 student information and operational software vendor in the U.S., with financial management and reporting modules used by many California LEAs. Comparable to FCMAT's CSIS data management scope but as a much broader commercial product portfolio rather than a public-agency mandate.
• Tyler Technologies: Tyler Technologies provides ERP and financial management software widely used by K-12 districts and county offices of education. Overlaps with FCMAT/CSIS' SACS financial reporting system as an alternative financial software backbone for LEAs.
• Frontline Education: Frontline provides K-12 operations software covering business, HR, and analytics for school districts nationally. Comparable to FCMAT's tools for fiscal and operational management assistance at scale, though oriented to commercial SaaS deployment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/california-school-information-services

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles25 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team