A significant planning component is establishing a budget forecast for the upcoming year and at least the year following. Bringing a projected budgetary profile to the community and school board early on provides opportunities for discussing certain assumptions, initiatives, and goals that may need examination by district administrators. (MLH)

In higher education institutions, decisions about spending patterns are established in the budget and executed by a diverse, decentralized group of institutional managers. To make the budget a vibrant management tool, each institutional constituency must view it as a document that helps advance institutional mission as well as a way to measure…

The capital markets approach is an alternative means of risk financing whereby a school system establishes and controls its own insurance company and makes systematic contributions to pay for expected and anticipated losses and their associated costs. (MLF)

To help improve school district financial management, the Association of School Business Officials at its 1980 annual meeting held a special session consisting of 20 "mini-workshops" about successful, field-proven practices in school budgeting, accounting, auditing, and other financial tasks. This document provides summaries of the…

The school business official will be involved in many referenda over the course of a career. School budgets, capital projects, equipment acquisitions, school bus purchases, and emergency construction projects are among the most common situations requiring a referendum. A time frame is needed, and most states have guidelines spelling out procedures…

In this interview, John Forte, Fairfax County (Virginia) Public Schools' assistant superintendent for general services, explains how he uses his training and professional experience to oversee a smoothly running operation in one of the nation's largest school districts. His real challenge is providing extra support to students in low-income areas.…

For the past 9 years, a study conducted by the Educational Research Service has provided a consistent and reliable means for comparing local school budgets throughout the nation. Three figures and 2 tables provide summary data. The last table shows an analysis with 48 separate budget categories that administrators can use to compare their budgets.…

This article describes how the rising cost of health insurance is being picked as the top budget concern of school businesses. These data were the result of a survey conducted by the Association of School Business Officials International. Schools report that the cost of insuring employees is outpacing increases in state and local budgets that…

Traditional public relations methods are used to educate the central administration, the school board, and the community about the budgeting structure of a school district. (MLF)

Technological advancements are helping school business officials at the Fountain Valley (California) School District effectively manage district assets, thanks to developments in budget and finance software, videoconferencing, online purchasing and fund raising, inventory bar codes and portable scanners, paperless forms and applications, writable…

An effective way to prepare for school budget presentations is to research accurate responses to "hot issues." Lists the 24 questions most frequently asked at public budget hearings; and outlines a generic response to each of the 10 toughest questions. (MLF)

This bulletin focuses on four aspects of budget development and management in local school districts. Chapter 1 describes the general budget development process, highlighting variations some Oregon districts have found useful. The chapter outlines the responsibilities of educational agencies and district staff members at various levels and reviews…

Since 1980, Educational Research Service has conducted extensive surveys of school district revenues and expenditures. National and regional revenues are displayed in three figures and two tables. For comparative purposes, a table of 48 separate budget categories with per pupil expenditure and percent of current expenditures is provided. (MLF)

The Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO) inaugurated the Meritorious Budget Awards Program (MBA) in July 1995. ASBO specifically created this program to help school business administrators achieve a standard of excellence in budget presentation. This book is intended to serve as a practical guide to the MBA program and…

A primer on financial management for college and university program officers and faculty who have moved from fields other than business into positions of administrative responsibility is presented, stressing that effective financial management of an institution is not only the responsibility of professional financial staff but also of those who…