EDLD 5342 School Finance Week 2 Assignment 1-5

 

Week 2 Assignment 1

In the lecture this week Dr. Nicks described goal driven budget is one that the district and campus goals should reflect the Board goals and the budgeting process should reflect a commitment to expending the funds to achieve those goal. Goal driven budgeting is a way to keep the district’s vision, campus improvement plans and district improvement plan in alignment. The goals in the

Duncanville ISD’s Board has five aspirations:

• Cultivating a culture to make profound learning through purposeful engagement central.
• Developing capabilities for new roles for teachers and other leaders.
• Developing organizational capacities to support continuous innovation and teamwork.
• Cultivating a culture for unleashing the talents of all.
• Building community relationships, capacities and shared understanding.

The campuses have the same aspirations with the objectives under each being specific to the campus.

The funding source are as listed:

• ESEA, Title I Part A- Improving Basic Programs
• Title II TPTR
• Title III Limited English Proficient
• State Compensatory
• IDEA- Part B. Formula – Special Education

Funding Codes being used are 211,255,263,198,224

I found that in the budget process that the planning potation of the development can be the most important. When starting with the goals and vision of the board then using the DIP and CIPs can have a true impact on the funding in the district.  

Week 2 Assignment part 2

As I looked over the dates that my district use to plan with I realize that the planning process for the next school year takes the full current year to strategize for the next school year. The process is a never ending cycle when it comes to the budget.

Week 2 Assignment part 3

I have learned the budget can be lengthy and complex process that is a necessary chore that has to be attended to at all time. If the budget is left attended it could results in issues like Wilmer Hutchins ISD.

Week 2 Assignment part 4

The role of the Superintendent is a little different this year due to the resignation of the chief financial officer about 3 weeks ago. Normally the superintendent works with a small group of professionals after gathering important information from many different stakeholders. “The budget preparation process and guidelines should be established through interaction between the school board and the superintendent. Thus, the delegation of budget responsibilities among district administrators (district-wide) and individual campuses (site-based) will reflect consensus of the school board and the superintendent.” ( 2.7.1 Roles and Responsibilities)They come up with  tentative budget  that include the revenues and expenditures of the preceding fiscal year, the estimated revenues and expenditures for the current fiscal year, and his estimate of the revenues for the next succeeding fiscal year based upon the lowest rate of tax levy which in their opinion will raise the required amount of revenue by using the current years taxable value as the basis for this calculation, a detailed estimate of the essential expenditures for all purposes for the next year, and the estimated financial condition of the district at the close of the current fiscal year. This must be prepared by a date set by the state board of education, currently August 20 (June 19 if the district uses a July 1 fiscal year start date) per the power point Budget Academy Texas Association of School Business Officials from the resource section.

I have a better understanding from this experience that you do not have to be an expert at everything, but that being a superintendent requires that you know how to surround yourself with people that are experts at what you are not. That is to say a superintendent does have to have a certain amount of proficiency at many things. “Superintendents are well advised to send the equivalent of a day per week or 20 percent of one’s time review budgetary allocations, proposed expenditures and outstanding encumbrances. The superintendent should meet weekly with business official and district treasures to analyze cash flow investment earnings, and any transfer necessary to balance individual codes and the entire budget. Numerous software programs are available to permit the superintendent to spot-check a broad range of transactions, thereby providing an added and necessary supervisory layer to the district’s budget. ”(p140 Harris, Learning From the Best)

Week2 Assignment 5

The communication with the listed key groups is imperative to the success of the budget for the entire district.  

• The Board of Trustees is where we start with the budget process; set the goals
• Central Office Administrators and Staff – Help with actually calculation of taxes, and PEIMS data
• Principals bring projected cost of for upcoming year, cost for any new projects,
• Site Based Decision Making Committees take to goals of the DIP and use them to plan how the school with help meet those goals
• District Improvement Committee takes the goals of the board and forms a plan to meet those goals
• Teacher Organizations ensure that teacher interest are meet and  
• Key Stakeholders – community opinion

After speaking with a person in our financial department I found that communication is a major part of the development of the budget. If information does not follow between the entities above money can be put in the wrong places or completely forgotten all together.