Today, many school districts are turning to business intelligence tools to retrieve, organize, and share knowledge for faster analysis and more effective, guided decision making. Business intelligence (BI) tools are the technologies and applications that gather and report information to help an organization's leaders make better decisions. BI…

The five recipients of the 1995 Meritorious Budget Award (MBA) found achieving a standard of excellence in budget documentation and presentation that the board, community, and local press could understand enormously challenging. Designed for school systems, the American Association of School Business Officials' MBA program effectively communicates…

Describes role of school business officials in complying with No Child Left Behind Act's mandated use of school and student data. Includes data mining for educators and information technology solutions. (PKP)

The use of the management team approach by school business officials will result in increased operational efficiency, greater accountability, better decisions, less crisis management, reduced stress, and increased job satisfaction. (MLF)

Increased accountability is required in school accounting due to rising education costs and the significant investment made in property and equipment in educational facilities. Guidelines for planning and implementing a property record-keeping system are provided. (Author/MLF)

Performance auditing is a tool designed to assist public officials in meeting their responsibility to apply resources efficiently and effectively. Applies performance auditing to school business support services; identifies benefits and obstacles; and provides selected alternatives and examples of performance auditing. (MLF)

Waukesha County Technical College (Wisconsin) received the Governmental Financial Officers Association "Popular Annual Financial Reporting Award" in 1993 and became the first educational entity to do so. Popular annual financial reporting is an effective way for schools to present reader-friendly reports that stress graphics and…

Today, K-12 schools urgently need change. Business administrators and principals both work in key leadership positions and must respond to current demands for higher standards and efficient spending. Both must share a clear picture of district goals, assume an interdependent attitude, and apply polished interpersonal skills in their work…

School districts are being asked to provide expanded variety and quality of educational services with fewer tax dollars. Discusses the search for accountability, productivity, quality, and equity in education and alerts school business officials to the problems and conflicts inherent in such a search. (MLF)

This paper examines a variety of cash-generating school operations--student activity accounts, athletics, athletic user fees, other user fees, concessions, and cafeterias--and identifies areas where controls are needed. Specific techniques for ensuring effective cash controls are outlined. Internal-audit procedures are suggested that address the…

Addresses the question of effect on college and universities that coming revolution in retention strategies will have. Points out that more colleges will be requiring validation of intellectual accomplishment before, during, and at the end of the college career. (Author/ABB)

The Philadelphia School District has a five-step program of site-based-management prerequisites for schools: (1) absolute support from the top administration; (2) clear and fair allocation formulas on which each school's budget is to be based; (3) universal understanding of any restrictions, rules, or guidelines; (4) full explanation of budget…

If appropriate planning occurs, business officials can support site-based management. Districts need to develop new working relationships that appropriately balance the responsibility of the business office for district finances and support services with more site-based management at the school level. (MLF)

Discusses colleges' use of popular financial reporting to make their annual financial reports more readable to citizens and legislators and to make their reports useful marketing and recruitment tools. Highlights research about financial reports and performance reporting conducted by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board. Describes the…

The need for programmatic cost information, data compatibility, and understanding input/output relationships are sparking efforts to improve standards for organizing and reporting educational-resource data. Unlike accountants, economists measure resources in real terms and organize information around service delivery, using a resource-cost model.…