Stakeholder Responsibilities

 What types of input could you receive for budget development from each of the following individuals or groups:

Central Office Administrators and Staff 

Run budget reports from current year while planning for next, figuring the next year payroll (that is the biggest budget item) depending on school and size, and they could input some of the template data or chase numbers down for the superintendent.

In order for your superintendent to continue working on day to day operations, he may have to delegate some of the numbers to his staff.  The staff must be trustworthy and also motivated because a mistake in numbers could prove to be a huge problem when the budget is not working out.

Principals

Help with number predictions for the schools in order to compute a total enrollment.  They can also figure line item budget needs such as teacher/staff development, supplies, and curriculum needs.  A principal could also inform the superintendent when there is a staff reduction or to plan for a needed staff reduction mandated from central office.

Each school principal should be able to give these numbers fairly easily.  They should also be responsible for the budget proposal and then expenditures in a school district.  It is more than a superintendent should have to manage.

Site Based Decision Making Committees

The SBDM can help set priorities, areas of focus for the school, identify areas of need, or areas of success that may need less funding.

The need for input from outside sources is vital.  We have to have a fresh set of eyes that may be able to focus on something we are not seeing. 

District Improvement Committee

For us the same as SBDMC

Teacher Organizations

I have never worked with any teacher organizations on the budget.  I would suppose they would push for better insurance assistance, more conference or planning time. 

I can see the teacher organizations asking for things that teachers need – more conference time, more class supplies, insurance will be huge every year.  The problem with the organizations is that they need to try and see the needs and limitations of an individual district and not the entire state. 

Key Stakeholders,

These stakeholders advise about areas of need, possibly help find funding outside of state or local revenue – such as grants.

Bringing in the stakeholders helps a district to gather a pulse of the community when it comes to the school.  They also could help with local resources that might add to the budget and they could even help in the grant process.

Board of Trustees

They adopt the budget and tax rate.  We begin looking at it in March and discuss off and on throughout the budget process ending in August.

Our board held many meetings that dealt only with budget preparation issues.  A board truly earns their keep during this time as they are the guardians of the community treasure chest – the school funds.

While it is still clear as mud, I do feel like I am beginning to make headway in the budget process.  While I do not think I will ever stop learning about the budget, there are areas that I feel like I could be a resource for someone who has questions about the budget process.  With more reading and researching I believe I can add to my areas of knowledge.  Working with a group to spend the money of the district wisely is a huge responsibility and one that will be a topic around town.  Superintendents must realize that very few things can stir people to anger as much as mismanagement of school funds that leads a district down the path of financial insolvency.